US 12,706,565 B2 · Calibration of pivotable PV modules using minimum-irradiance orientations

Abstract

A method of calibrating an angular position of a PV module in a solar energy system includes calculating a set of respective minimum-irradiance angles for a plurality of times during a travel period, pivoting the PV module through an actual travel path having an angular offset from a target travel path that is selected to intercept, at least once, a range of angles within a selected angular error away from a respective minimum-irradiance angle, and determining the angular offset, based on respective irradiance-value measurements obtained at a plurality of pivot angles along the actual travel path, where each respective irradiance-value measurement can include irradiance and/or a parameter characterizing electricity produced from the irradiance.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of calibrating an angular position of a photovoltaic (PV) module in a solar energy system, the solar energy system further comprising a motor assembly arranged to pivot the PV module about a longitudinal axis thereof through respective pivot angles and a control system configured to regulate the pivoting, the method comprising:

a. calculating a set of respective minimum-irradiance angles for a plurality of times during a travel period;
b. pivoting the PV module through an actual travel path having an angular offset from a target travel path, the target travel path selected to intercept, at least once, a range of angles within a selected angular error away from a respective minimum-irradiance angle;
and
c. determining the angular offset, based on respective irradiance-value measurements obtained at a plurality of pivot angles along the actual travel path, each respective irradiance-value measurement including at least one of irradiance and a parameter characterizing electricity produced from the irradiance.

1 more element

A method of calibrating an angular position of a photovoltaic (PV) module in a solar energy system, the solar energy system further comprising a motor assembly arranged to pivot the PV module about at least one axis thereof through respective orientations and a control system configured to regulate the pivoting, the method comprising:

a. calculating at least one minimum-irradiance orientation for each of a plurality of respective times during a travel period;
b. pivoting the PV module through a set of actual orientations each having an angular offset in at least one plane from a respective target orientation, the respective target orientations selected to include at least one minimum-irradiance orientation;
and
c. determining the angular offset in the at least one plane, based on respective irradiance-value measurements obtained at a plurality of actual orientations, each respective irradiance-value measurement including at least one of irradiance and a parameter characterizing electricity produced from the irradiance.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Calibration of pivotable PV modules using minimum-irradiance orientations

Life of this patent

Calibration of pivotable PV modules using minimum-irradiance orientations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20