Stoves and furnaces – Solar heat collector – With means to reposition solar collector for optimum...
Patent
1995-11-29
1998-03-24
Yeung, James C.
Stoves and furnaces
Solar heat collector
With means to reposition solar collector for optimum...
126600, F24J 238
Patent
active
057301174
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a sun tracker, or an appliance, moving solar technical application units (solar assemblies) dependent on the position of the sun.
2. Description of the Related Art
Systems with several sun trackers (trackers) with hydraulic actuators driven by a common pressure source are known. Each tracker must be controlled individually in these systems, only to be realized by an extensive control. Additionally, the energy consumption of such system is very high (see DE 2715334). Hydraulic trackers with counterweight are also known, with the counterweight accumulating energy while the solar assembly is sinking, to be used for lifting. Although this counterweight does permit energy-saving drive, it does however lead to additional products costs (see DE 4240541). The invention's task is to eliminate the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This task, to provide simple control for systems of several trackers, is basically solved by coupling actuators of two trackers directly with each other by a hydraulic direct power transmission. It is thus sufficient to move only one solar assembly in accordance with the position of the sun, to have the other solar assembly also move accordingly, and thus without additional control. The two trackers are able to be a partition of a system of several trackers. If the solar assembly and/or parts with variable height of one of said trackers are used as energy-accumulating counterweight for the other one, this leads to a system of two trackers with extremely low energy consumption, resulting in considerable system advantages especially for heavy solar assemblies.
Also, each tracker may contain an actuator element such as a piston, with the pistons being part of a cylinder and performing either inverse linear movement or linear movement in the same. The piston may be connected with or be part of a pole which slides in a guide tube of the solar assembly. Inverse helical guide ways may be used for rotating the solar assemblies in the same direction, or alternatively helical guide ways turning in the same direction may be used for rotating the solar assemblies in the same direction.
The solar assembly may be rotated by the effect of bars (21, 21') of both trackers which are respectively coupled in such way that the direction of rotation of the solar assemblies is the same. One tracker may comprise a counterweight, accumulating energy for reuse during lifting while the solar assembly and/or parts of the tracker with variable height are sinking. The counterweight may be realized through the solar assembly and/or pans with variable height of another tracker.
Double-acting cylinders may act as actuators, wherein all cylinders are connected in series. With the series connection of cylinders, a uniform direction of rotation of all solar assemblies is achieved with a top chamber of one unit being respectively connected with a top chamber of a different unit through a hydraulic line, and all cylinders thus being connected in a closed hydraulic circulation.
The invention may also be used for a biaxial tracker, with an interior pole, capable of carrying the solar assembly through a turning knuckle, being guided in an exterior pole. A bar may be pivotally connected with the exterior pole and the solar assembly, with a free space existing between guide tubes and the pistons. The minimal length of the free space corresponds to the stroke length of the exterior pole. The free spaces are sealed at top and bottom seals and are hydraulically connected with each other on the one side and on the other side with a respective cylinder allocated to the interior pole. The said free spaces serve as the helical guide ways.
Actuators for any of the above may be limited rotary hydraulic motors. Also, the trackers may be coupled with each other in the manner of a mechanical balance through a mechanical power transmission.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the man
REFERENCES:
patent: 4328789 (1982-05-01), Nelson
patent: 4424802 (1984-01-01), Winders
patent: 4968355 (1990-11-01), Johnson
LandOfFree
Sun tracker does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sun tracker, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sun tracker will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2281995