Slanted Knuckle Solar Tracker With Stationary Footprint
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Solar panels face efficiency losses due to suboptimal angle of incidence of solar radiation, and continuous reorientation to track the sun is challenging, especially in public areas where a stationary footprint is required to avoid interference with activities.
Innovation Solution
A system with cylindrical knuckles and one-way, constant-speed motors allows solar panels to continuously reorient in incline and tilt angles without moving their footprint, using a slanted knuckle mechanism to adjust the panel's position relative to the sun while maintaining a stationary base.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the solar panel continuously reorients to track the sun, then the solar energy conversion efficiency is improved, but the solar panel may collide with other panels or move outside its designated footprint area
Solution Approach 1:
The solar tracking system is segmented into two independent rotational degrees of freedom: azimuth rotation (horizontal tracking) and elevation adjustment (vertical tracking). This segmentation allows each axis to operate independently within its own range, preventing panels from colliding while maintaining tracking efficiency. The azimuth axis handles east-west tracking while the elevation axis handles north-south angle adjustment, dividing the complex tracking motion into manageable segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional ground movement to three-dimensional spatial reorientation by adding the elevation degree of freedom. Instead of moving the panel footprint across the ground surface, the panel rotates in three-dimensional space around a vertical axis (azimuth) and adjusts its tilt angle (elevation), keeping the footprint stationary while achieving full sun tracking capability in both azimuth and elevation directions.
2Productivity
If the solar panel continuously reorients to track the sun, then the solar energy conversion efficiency is improved, but the footprint of the solar panel moves, interfering with activities in the vicinity
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the solar panel across the ground to track the sun (horizontal translation), the system inverts the approach by rotating the panel in place around a vertical axis and adjusting its tilt angle. The panel remains anchored at the same ground location, and tracking is achieved through rotational movement in three-dimensional space rather than translational movement on the ground surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a vertical dimension to the tracking mechanism by introducing elevation adjustment capability. The panel can tilt upward and downward while rotating azimuthally, creating a three-dimensional tracking arc that keeps the panel's base stationary on the ground while the panel itself moves through space to maintain optimal orientation toward the sun.
3Productivity
If the solar panel is repositioned to track the sun, then the angle of incidence is optimized, but the complexity of the repositioning mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic adjustment mechanisms that allow continuous movement of the solar panel in two degrees of freedom: azimuth rotation and elevation tilt. The azimuth axis enables the panel to rotate horizontally to follow the sun's east-west movement, while the elevation axis allows the panel to tilt upward and downward to match the sun's changing altitude angle throughout the day and across different seasons, optimizing the angle of incidence dynamically.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex tracking motion is segmented into two independent rotational movements: azimuth rotation around a vertical axis and elevation adjustment around a horizontal axis. This segmentation simplifies the control system by allowing each axis to be controlled independently, with azimuth handling horizontal tracking and elevation handling vertical angle adjustment, making the overall system more manageable despite the added degrees of freedom.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances solar energy conversion efficiency by tracking the sun's movement without interfering with surrounding activities, maintaining a stable footprint and preventing panel collisions, and is cost-effective and simple to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
two motors to rotate a cylindrically-shaped knuckle, and consequently, continuously reorient each solar panel
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for continuously reorienting a solar panel array while maintaining a substantially stationary footprint for the solar panel. A cylindrically shaped knuckle is provided that is formed with a bottom surface and a top surface that is slanted relative to the bottom surface at a slant angle φ. One end of an upper pole is positioned against the top surface of the knuckle, and one end of a lower pole is positioned against the bottom surface of the knuckle. An upper and lower motor respectively connect the knuckle to the upper pole and the lower pole. These motors are used to continuously rotate the knuckle at an angular velocity ω relative to the upper and lower poles. When the knuckle rotates, the upper and lower poles remain stationary to allow the solar panel to continuously reorient while maintaining a substantially stationary footprint.