Solar Tracker Caliper Motor Without Gear Trains or Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solar trackers with two-axis mechanisms require costly gear trains and motor bearings, which are expensive to manufacture and maintain, limiting the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of solar array tracking systems.
Innovation Solution
A solar tracker motor system utilizing electromagnets and caliper brakes to rotate a solar array disk without the need for extensive gear trains or motor bearings, where a fixed caliper and a translating caliper with electromagnet brake systems induce movement through electromagnetic attraction and repulsion, allowing precise and efficient tracking of the sun's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electric motors with gear trains are used to rotate the solar array, then the solar array can track the sun, but the manufacturing cost and maintenance cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical motor-gear train system with an electromagnetic system consisting of a stator, rotor, and electromagnetic coils. The solar array disk is directly coupled to the rotor, eliminating the need for gear trains. Rotation is achieved through electromagnetic attraction and repulsion between the stator coils and rotor magnets, substituting mechanical transmission with electromagnetic field interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the gear train and motor bearings from the conventional solar tracker system. By using direct electromagnetic coupling between the stator and rotor, the complex mechanical transmission components are removed, simplifying the overall system structure and reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Reliability
If conventional electric motors with gear trains are used to rotate the solar array, then the solar array can track the sun, but the maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical motor-gear train system with an electromagnetic system consisting of a stator, rotor, and electromagnetic coils. The solar array disk is directly coupled to the rotor, eliminating the need for gear trains. Rotation is achieved through electromagnetic attraction and repulsion between the stator coils and rotor magnets, substituting mechanical transmission with electromagnetic field interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the gear train and motor bearings from the conventional solar tracker system. By using direct electromagnetic coupling between the stator and rotor, the complex mechanical transmission components are removed, simplifying the overall system structure and reducing maintenance requirements.
3Measurement precision
If a two-axis solar tracker mechanism is used to accurately track the sun, then tracking precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the two-axis tracking system into independent rotational modules. Each axis (azimuth and elevation) has its own solar array disk and electromagnetic rotation mechanism, allowing independent control and simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining accurate tracking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs electromagnetic coils and magnets that can be dynamically controlled to produce precise rotational movement. By selectively energizing specific coils, the system can accurately position the solar array at any azimuth and elevation angle, achieving high tracking precision through dynamic electromagnetic control rather than complex mechanical linkages.
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 reduces manufacturing and maintenance costs while maintaining high efficiency in tracking the sun's movement, enhancing the overall performance and longevity of solar array systems by eliminating the need for costly gear trains and motor components.
Implementation Method 1
The translation electromagnets are spaced a gap width apart that defines the distance that the translating caliper moves the solar array disk when an electrical input is applied to the translation electromagnets to induce attraction and corresponding movement of the translating caliper toward the fixed caliper.
Implementation Method 2
The brake system of a fixed caliper is disengaged from the solar array disk to release the disk for rotation. A brake system of an adjacent translating caliper is then engaged to clamp the translating caliper to the solar array disk.
Data Source
AI summary
Concepts and technologies described herein provide for an accurate and cost-effective method for rotating a solar array disk for tracking the movement of the sun. According to various aspects, a motor includes a fixed caliper and a translating caliper positioned adjacent to one another. Electromagnetically controlled brakes on the translating caliper grip the solar array disk while adjacent, but spaced apart, electromagnets on the fixed caliper and the translating caliper are energized to create an attractive force that pulls the translating caliper with the solar array disk toward the fixed caliper. After reaching the fixed caliper, brakes on the fixed caliper are engaged with the disk, brakes on the translating caliper are released from the disk, and the translating caliper is pushed back to the starting location where the process repeats until the desired rotation is completed.