Systems for damping a solar photovoltaic array tracker

A damper assembly for use in a solar tracker system, the damper assembly comprising:

• an inner shell at least partially defining an inner fluid channel within the inner shell;
• an outer shell surrounding the inner shell, wherein an outer fluid channel is defined radially between the inner shell and the outer shell;
• a piston at least partially positioned within the inner shell, the piston being adapted for connection to the solar tracker system to receive external loads on the solar tracker system, the piston being moveable within the inner shell in response to receiving the external loads from the solar tracker system;
• a chamber wall within the outer shell at least partially defining a chamber;
• and
• a locking valve comprising a shaft extending into the chamber and a resilient seal attached to the shaft and extending circumferentially around the shaft, the shaft being moveable within the chamber between an unsealed position in which the seal is spaced from the chamber wall and a flow path is defined connecting the inner fluid channel and the outer fluid channel through the chamber, and a sealed position in which the seal contacts the chamber wall and the locking valve obstructs the flow path.

A damper assembly for use in a solar tracker system, the damper assembly comprising:

• an inner shell;
• an outer shell surrounding the inner shell, wherein an outer fluid channel is defined radially between the inner shell and the outer shell;
• a piston at least partially positioned within the inner shell;
• a chamber wall within the outer shell at least partially defining a chamber;
• and
• a locking valve comprising a shaft extending into the chamber and a seal attached to the shaft, the shaft being moveable within the chamber between an unsealed position in which the seal is spaced from the chamber wall and a flow path is defined through the chamber, and a sealed position in which the seal contacts the chamber wall and the locking valve obstructs the flow path, wherein the piston is moveable along a longitudinal axis of the damper assembly, the shaft moving along an extension axis when moved between the unsealed and sealed positions, and wherein the extension axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.