Solar Panel Truss Mounting Assembly for Faster PV Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The solar PV industry faces high balance of system (BoS) costs, which account for over 40% of total installed costs, necessitating a reduction in material, manufacturing, labor, and equipment usage to achieve grid parity, and current mounting systems lack efficiency and structural integrity for large-scale solar power installations.
Innovation Solution
A solar panel truss mounting system comprising a base, truss assembly, and connectors, with support members and dual-torque connectors, providing structural integrity and efficient installation methods, including pre-assembly and adjustable components to accommodate various panel sizes and reduce hardware needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional mounting systems are used for large-scale solar installations, then structural integrity can be maintained, but installation costs and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into modular truss assemblies that can be pre-fabricated and then quickly assembled on-site. Each truss assembly consists of standardized components (legs, cross members, connectors) that can be independently manufactured and then combined to form complete mounting structures, significantly reducing on-site installation time and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Truss assemblies are pre-fabricated off-site with all necessary structural components and connections prepared in advance. This preliminary manufacturing allows for quality control, precise fabrication, and preparation of multiple identical units that can be rapidly deployed during installation, eliminating the need for complex on-site fabrication and reducing installation time.
2Reliability
If more hardware components are used to ensure structural integrity, then reliability improves, but material costs and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple structural functions are combined into integrated truss assembly components. The legs and cross members are designed to work together as a unified structural system, where the geometry and arrangement of components provide both support and stability. This merging reduces the need for additional separate hardware elements while maintaining structural integrity through optimized component design.
Solution Approach 2:
The truss assemblies utilize composite construction approaches, combining different materials and structural forms to achieve high strength-to-weight ratios. The system integrates metal components with optimized geometric configurations, creating a composite structural system that provides enhanced reliability without requiring excessive individual hardware components.
3Ease of manufacture
If standardized mounting systems are used, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but adaptability to different panel sizes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The truss assembly system incorporates adjustable and configurable elements that allow the standardized structure to adapt to different panel dimensions. The modular design enables variation in the number and arrangement of truss assemblies to match different panel configurations, while the basic component manufacturing remains standardized for efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized truss assembly components are designed to serve multiple functions and accommodate various panel sizes through flexible configuration. The same basic leg and cross member designs can be arranged in different patterns and quantities to suit different panel dimensions, allowing a single standardized component line to serve multiple application requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a solar panel truss mounting system comprising a base and a truss assembly coupled to the base. The truss assembly comprises a first panel rail mount, second panel rail mount parallel to the first panel rail mount, base rail mount parallel to the first and second panel rail mounts, and a plurality of support members. A first portion of the plurality of support members extends between the first and second panel rail mounts. A second portion of the plurality of support members extends between the first panel rail mount and the base rail mount. A third portion of the plurality of support members extends between the second panel rail mount and the base rail mount. The system can further comprise a plurality of connectors for coupling a plurality of photovoltaic solar panels to the truss assembly.