Multi-drive solar-tracking photovoltaic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10333458-B2
Application number	US-201615254997-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2016
Priority date	Sep 1, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A multi-drive solar-tracking photovoltaic (PV) system having several PV modules mounted on a torque tube is described. In an example, several motor drives input torque to the torque tube, and the motor drives are controlled by a single controller. The torque tube may include several sections joined by a torque tube coupler. For example, the torque tube coupler may having a medial section and end sections to join to the torque tube sections. The medial section and the adjoined torque tube sections may have a same outer diameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar-tracking photovoltaic (PV) system, comprising:
a plurality of driven support assemblies including a first motor drive and a second motor drive mounted on respective drive piles;
a torque tube extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the first motor drive and the second end is coupled to the second motor drive;
a plurality of PV modules mounted on the torque tube; and
a controller electrically connected to the first motor drive and the second motor drive, wherein the controller controls the motor drives independently to input different torques to the first end and the second end of the torque tube about the longitudinal axis to rotate the torque tube such that the plurality of PV modules track a solar source.

2. The solar-tracking PV system of claim 1 further comprising a non-driven support assembly between the plurality of driven support assemblies, wherein the non-driven support assembly includes a bearing assembly mounted on a non-drive pile, and wherein the bearing assembly includes a bearing extending around the longitudinal axis.

3. The solar-tracking PV system of claim 2 , wherein the torque tube extends through the bearing.

4. The solar-tracking PV system of claim 1 , wherein the torque tube includes a plurality of tube sections joined at one or more joints.

5. The solar-tracking PV system of claim 4 , wherein each tube section has a length less than 40 feet.

6. The solar-tracking PV system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more joints include a torque tube coupler having a closed wall section.

7. The solar-tracking PV system of claim 1 , wherein the first motor drive and the second motor drive include respective worm gears to input torque to the first end and the second end of the torque tube.

8. The solar-tracking PV system of claim 7 , wherein the controller controls the motor drives independently to twist the torque tube between the first end and the second end.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Grushkowitz Tyler
• Wares Brian
• Judkins Zachary Z
• Schimelpfenig Mark Adam
• Erb Richard Joseph
• Mckibben Nicholas James

Classifications

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title

• H02S20/32 Primary

  specially adapted for solar tracking · CPC title

• F24S25/12

  using posts in combination with upper profiles · CPC title

• F24S30/425

  Horizontal axis · CPC title

• F24S2030/12

  Coupling means · CPC title