JP-7856659-B2 - Dual-axis solar cell array tracking device

Inventors

• アラブ，レッド
• ロシャ，ブルーノ
• アラブ，アブドッラー

Assignees

• マクスン ソーラー インコーポレイテッド

Dates

Publication Date

20260511

Application Date

20220113

Priority Date

20210114

Claims (16)

1. It is a dual-axis solar tracking device, A first vertical beam equipped with a first mechanical system, A second vertical beam comprising a second mechanical system, wherein the second vertical beam is offset from the first vertical beam, At least one rotatable transverse beam extending between the first longitudinal beam and the second longitudinal beam, wherein the transverse beam is The rotatable shaft within the aforementioned crossbeam, Multiple solar thermal collector nodes, each equipped with a solar collector node mechanical element, A first end comprising a first crossbeam gear for engaging with a worm drive in the first mechanical system to cause the crossbeam to rotate about its axis, A second end comprising a second crossbeam mechanical element operably engaged with the rotatable shaft, which engages with the second mechanical system to tilt the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes relative to the crossbeam via the collector node mechanical element in each of the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes, by rotating the rotatable shaft within the crossbeam, A hollow cross section having conduits connecting each of the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes, A crossbeam, A solar tracking device equipped with [a specific feature].
2. The solar tracking device according to claim 1, wherein the first vertical beam, the second vertical beam, or the first and second vertical beams have a hollow cross-section connected to a conduit within the horizontal beam.
3. The solar tracking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conduit is one or more of an electrical conduit and a fluid conduit.
4. The solar tracking device according to claim 3, wherein the fluid conduit fluidly connects the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes to a thermal cogeneration system.
5. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a first motor connected to the first mechanical system for controlling the first mechanical system, and a second motor connected to the second mechanical system for controlling the second mechanical system.
6. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a plurality of solar energy harvesting elements connected to the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes.
7. The solar tracking device according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes comprise one or more photovoltaic concentrating cells, thermal collector cells, composite photothermal cells, or combinations thereof.
8. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the conduit within the crossbeam is a fluid conduit, and the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes are equipped with integrated thermal fluid conduits connected to the fluid conduit.
9. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the first and second vertical beams is provided with a vertical electrical main, and the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes are electrically connected to the vertical electrical main.
10. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one of the first vertical beam and the second vertical beam is provided with a fluid lead pipe, and the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes are fluidly connected to the fluid lead pipe.
11. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the rotatable crossbeam comprises a plurality of worm drives for engaging with worm gears on the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes.
12. A solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising multiple vertical beams.
13. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a mounting structure for raising the solar tracking device relative to the mounting surface.
14. The solar tracking device according to claim 13, wherein the mounting structure can adjust the angle of the solar tracking device with respect to the mounting surface.
15. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the conduit in at least one rotatable crossbeam is an electrical conduit that electrically connects each of the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes to an electrical main.
16. The solar tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising a plurality of solar cells, each solar cell connected to one of the plurality of solar thermal collector nodes.

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/137,221, filed on 14 January 2021, thereby incorporating the entirety of that patent by reference in this specification. This invention relates to a solar cell array tracking structure for supporting solar energy harvesting elements or solar thermal collector elements. The invention also relates to photovoltaic power generation and thermal energy collection, as well as photovoltaic thermal energy cogeneration systems. In solar energy harvesting systems, the system's efficiency, or the amount of energy harvested, is maximized when the solar harvesting elements are oriented toward the sun. Solar energy can be harvested in the form of light and heat using solar harvesting elements such as photovoltaic cells and photothermal cells, as well as related elements such as reflective elements (mirrors, etc.) and other optical elements (lenses, etc.). One type of solar harvesting element is a solar cell, also called a photovoltaic cell, which is an electrical device that collects energy from the sun as light and converts it directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. To maximize the light collected, solar harvesting elements are generally positioned nearly perpendicular to the incident sunlight, and the angle or orientation of the solar cell is ideally adjusted over time, and as the sun moves relative to the solar cell's position, to optimally position the solar cell perpendicular to the incident light. Solar harvesting systems without movable and tracking systems are installed in a specific fixed orientation depending on their location (e.g., latitude), maximizing the period during which their solar cell elements are nearly perpendicular to the incident sunlight. A system that enables solar tracking motion and holds solar cell elements perpendicular to incident sunlight is generally called a solar tracking device or solar cell array tracking device. Existing tracking devices employ various mechanisms, including linkages, gears, joints, belts, cable drives, and other mechanical and electronic devices, to control the angle of the solar cells. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20190199276 describes a single-axis tracking device in which one or more solar cells are connected to a semicircular structural member and an axial element that serves as the center of their rotation. This semicircular member is a toothed circular rack (similar to the rack in a rack-and-pinion gear system) rotated via a gear system. This allows the solar cells to be rotated to face the sun, or nearly face it. This is also achieved by having the system and the axial element (around which the solar cells rotate) in a specific orientation at installation, depending on the location, available orientation, and latitude of the system. However, with such a single-axis system, it is impossible to keep the solar cells facing the sun, or near such a required orientation, at all times. This is impossible because the relative position of the sun in the sky moves throughout the year. Other systems use a similar configuration, in which solar cells are connected to axial elements and rotate, but their motion is controlled by electric elements. Other systems use linkage mechanisms, belts, cable drives, and other mechanical devices to achieve solar tracking motion. Spanish Published Patent No. 2404671 (A1) describes a scissor-type linkage system for a single-axis solar tracker optionally mounted on a vertical rotation axis, or a system that provides a horizontal rotation axis perpendicular to the axis formed by the scissor-type mechanism, forming a secondary rotation axis. In both cases, vertical structural elements are used to increase the height of the system requiring reinforcement, resulting in a considerably more complex installation. In another example, U.S. Patent No. 9,729,102 describes a single-axis solar tracking solution using a foldable solar panel. The solar panel is mounted on a system having a vertical rotation axis to form a dual-axis tracking system. Other common tracking systems, such as ground-mounted configurations, are based on at least one of the rotation axes being vertical. Most of these configurations rely on vertical structural members, or combinations of two, three, or four vertical or nearly vertical members, and optionally include additional linkage systems, swivels, ball joints, etc. Solar cell array tracking systems are typically found ground-mounted on horizontal surfaces, and are very rarely seen, if at all, on inclined mounting surfaces such as sloped roofs. These types of array systems usually rely on a limited number of anchoring points—i.e., a small area for fixing them to the support area and/or support structure—which makes it impractical to install such systems on roofs, walls, or inclined or non-flat surfaces. In particular, wind-induced loads from the system (such as weight) are only transmitted to the area and/or structure