A solar tracking system includes a first solar tracking row and a second solar tracking row, each of the first and second solar tracking rows including a plurality of support piers, a torque tube rotatably supported on the plurality of support piers, a plurality of solar modules coupled to the torque tube, and at least one damper coupled to the plurality of support piers at a first end and coupled to a portion of the torque tube at a second, opposite end, and a connecting rod coupled to a portion of each torque tube of the first and second solar trackers such that rotation of the torque tube of the first solar tracker row effectuates movement of the connecting rod, which in turn, effectuates rotation of the torque tube of the second solar tracking row.
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker includes a support rail including a pair of opposed flanges disposed in spaced relation to one another and defining a channel therebetween, each of the pair of opposed flanges including a respective slot defined therethrough, and a coupling clip configured to be received within each of the slots and a portion of a module rail received within the channel of the support rail, wherein the coupling clip includes a resilient finger disposed on a distal end portion configured to engage a portion of the pair of opposed flanges to inhibit proximal movement of the coupling clip and a one protrusion disposed on a proximal portion thereof configured to engage a portion of an opposite flange of the pair of opposed flanges to inhibit distal movement of the coupling clip to couple the module rail to the support rail.
A solar tracking system includes a beam assembly having a beam including a pair of spaced apart flanges and a web interposed between each of the pair of spaced apart flanges and a reinforcement plate selectively coupled to a portion of the beam, the reinforcement plate configured to selectively strengthen a portion of the beam, and a bearing housing assembly selectively couplable to a portion of the beam.
A parallel inverter system for solar tracker systems minimizes circulating currents, mitigates ripple, and increases efficiency. The parallel inverter system includes inverters coupled together in parallel, a common DC bus coupled between a DC load and inputs of the inverters, a common AC bus coupled between outputs of the inverters and an electrical power grid, and a common-mode filter coupled to the output of each of the inverters. The parallel inverter system also includes controllers coupled to the inverters, respectively, the controllers configured to generate interleaved pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, respectively. The PWM signals are synchronized with each other. The PWM signals may be synchronized with each other via the EtherCAT protocol.
H02M 7/493 - Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode the static converters being arranged for operation in parallel
H02M 1/12 - Arrangements for reducing harmonics from ac input or output
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker includes a support rail (12) defining opposed top and bottom surfaces, the top surface configured to support a portion of a solar module (140), and a fastening assembly (80) operably coupled to a portion of the support rail (12), the fastening system including a retaining bolt (82) having an elongated head (84) including opposed top and bottom surfaces (84b, 84c) extending between opposed first and second end portions (84d, 84e), wherein the bottom surface (84c) of the elongated head (84) is offset from the top surface of the support rail (12) to define a gap, the gap configured to selectively receive a portion of a solar module (140) therein.
F24S 25/636 - Clamps; Clips clamping by screw-threaded elements
H02S 20/32 - Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment specially adapted for solar tracking
F24S 25/63 - Fixation means, e.g. fasteners, specially adapted for supporting solar heat collector modules for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements
A solar tracking system includes a beam including a pair of legs disposed in spaced relation to one another and extending between respective first and second end portions, a web extending between the first end portion of each of the pair of legs, the web including a V-shaped notch defined therein, and a pair of return flanges defining a respective first end portion disposed on respective second end portions of the pair of legs, the pair of return flanges extending from each respective leg of the pair of legs and terminating at a second end portion defining a gap between the second end portions of the pair of return flanges, and a bearing housing assembly selectively couplable to a portion of the beam.
H02S 20/32 - Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment specially adapted for solar tracking
F24S 25/12 - Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules extending in directions away from a supporting surface using posts in combination with upper profiles
H02S 20/10 - Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker includes a torque tube coupling defining an arcuate slot therethrough, a mounting bracket couplable to a portion of a pier, and a first fastener, a portion of the first fastener slidably and rotatably received within a portion of the slot to enable polyaxial rotation of the torque tube coupling relative to the mounting bracket.
F16M 11/10 - Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting around a horizontal axis
F16M 11/18 - Heads with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
F24S 50/20 - Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors for tracking
F16M 11/00 - Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon
F24S 25/12 - Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules extending in directions away from a supporting surface using posts in combination with upper profiles
F24S 30/00 - Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules
H02S 20/32 - Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment specially adapted for solar tracking
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker includes a support rail defining a channel for receipt of a solar module therein, the support rail including an aperture defined therein that is in open communication with the channel and a clamp assembly selectively coupled to the support rail, a first portion of the clamp assembly configured to receive a portion of a torque tube therein and a second portion of the clamp assembly configured to selectively extend through the aperture of the support rail when the clamp assembly is transitioned from a first, unlocked position, to a second, locked position.
A solar tracking system includes a solar array, a support structure configured to support the solar array, a driveshaft coupled to the support structure, a base configured to rotatably support the driveshaft, and an articulation system coupled to the driveshaft and configured to articulate the driveshaft relative to the base. The articulation system includes a gearbox coupled to the driveshaft. The solar tracking system also includes a motor mechanically operably coupled to the gearbox to cause the driveshaft to rotate, and a controller that determines a fault caused by the winding up of the driveshaft, and, in response to determining the fault, shorting the windings of the motor and/or providing power, which is generated by the motor when the unwinding driveshaft drives the rotation of the motor, to a load, such as an energy storage device, a resistive load, and/or a heating element.
A common enclosure includes a housing, inverter input connectors and an inverter output connector coupled to the housing, a common DC bus mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the inverter input connectors, a common AC bus mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled between the inverter output connector and a power grid connector, a controller mechanically coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the common DC and AC buses, local controllers coupled to the inverters, decentralized controllers coupled to the local controllers, and a centralized controller in communication with the local controllers. The decentralized controllers generate decentralized control signals for the local controllers based on measured voltages and currents of the electrical power grid and the inverters. The centralized controller transmits centralized control signals to the local controllers to maintain a constant voltage on the common DC bus based on a predicted DC load.
A solar tracker, solar array, and method of designing a solar tracker or array including a plurality of piers, a torque tube supported by the piers, each pier having a common reveal from the earth and the torque tube has a relative angle from a first pier to a second pier of between 0.25 and about 0.75 degrees.
B65D 3/00 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines
B65D 3/02 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by shape
B65D 3/06 - Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies or peripheral walls of curved or partially-curved cross-section made by winding or bending paper without folding along defined lines characterised by shape essentially conical or frusto-conical
E04B 1/41 - Connecting devices specially adapted for embedding in concrete or masonry
F24S 25/16 - Arrangement of interconnected standing structures; Standing structures having separate supporting portions for adjacent modules
F24S 25/60 - Fixation means, e.g. fasteners, specially adapted for supporting solar heat collector modules
F24S 25/61 - Fixation means, e.g. fasteners, specially adapted for supporting solar heat collector modules for fixing to the ground or to building structures
13.
ARTICULATION JOINTS FOR TERRAIN FOLLOWING SOLAR TRACKER
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker includes a support flange, a swivel flange rotatably supported on the support flange, an articulation joint interposed between each of the support flange and the swivel flange and rotatably supported by each of the support flange and the swivel flange, wherein opposed first and second end portions of the articulation joint are configured to be operably coupled to a respective first and second torque tube, and at least one locking fastener selectively coupled to a portion of the support flange and a portion of the swivel flange, the at least one locking fastener configured to selectively inhibit rotation of the swivel flange relative to the support flange.
F24S 30/455 - Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules for rotary movement with two rotation axes with horizontal primary axis
F24S 30/458 - Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules for rotary movement with two rotation axes with inclined primary axis
14.
AUTONOMOUS CLEANING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES
A docking station for use with a solar tracking system includes a frame configured to selectively support solar cleaning equipment thereon and a mounting bracket operably coupled to a portion of the frame. The mounting bracket maintains a gap between adjacent edges of the frame and an adjacent solar module, and the frame includes a width that approximates a width of the solar module.
H02S 40/00 - Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups
A47L 11/38 - Machines, specially adapted for cleaning walls, ceilings, roofs, or the like
F24S 25/67 - Fixation means, e.g. fasteners, specially adapted for supporting solar heat collector modules for coupling adjacent modules or their peripheral frames
H02S 20/30 - Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
H02S 30/00 - Structural details of PV modules other than those related to light conversion
A method of controlling a solar array including receiving current and voltage data from a plurality of solar modules of the solar array, calculating a diffuse fraction irradiance for the plurality of solar modules, mapping the diffuse fraction irradiance for the plurality of solar modules, generating a digital image of light conditions in the solar array based on the mapped diffuse fraction irradiance, defining zones within the array based on the light conditions in the digital image, determining a zone-specific solar tracker angle for each zone based on mapped diffuse fraction irradiance, transmitting the zone-specific solar tracker angle to a computing device associated with each solar tracker in the solar array, and driving the solar trackers of each zone such that the solar trackers that make up each zone are oriented to substantially the same angle.
A clamp assembly for use with a solar module includes a first clamping arm operably coupled to a first portion of a solar module, a second clamping arm operably coupled to a second portion of the solar module and operably coupled to the first clamping arm and disposed in juxtaposed relation thereto, and a fastener operably coupled to a respective portion of each of the first and second clamping arms. The fastener is configured to draw each of the first and second clamping arms towards one another from a first, open position, where the solar module is free to move relative to first and second clamping arms to a second, closed position, where the solar module is inhibited from moving relative to the first and second clamping arms.
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