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US 12,750,007 B2Granted
Aerodynamic damping stow for solar tracker systems
AssigneeFCX Solar LLC
InventorsChristopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
Life of this patent
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AssigneeFCX Solar LLC
InventorsChristopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
Estimating the term…
Stowing flexible tracker systems with the panel surfaces at a negative tilt angle during high wind is enhanced through optimizing around total system damping in order to address aerodynamic instabilities. Current flexible tracker designs function by avoiding the regions in which negative aerodynamic damping primarily occurs. Doing so requires them to stow at maximum absolute tilts to remain stable. However, methods disclosed here select system flexibility, system mechanical damping, and tracker stow angles to achieve a positive aerodynamic damping function and thus enable stable wind stow at lower than maximum tilt angles. The design approach addresses multiple current failure modes within the PV tracker industry while reducing installation cost relative to current designs.
A method of determining stow angles with positive aerodynamic damping associated with a flexible solar tracker system comprising:
A method of stowing a flexible solar tracker system at angles with positive aerodynamic damping comprising:
A system of stowing a flexible solar tracker system at angles with positive aerodynamic damping, the flexible solar tracker system having particular a maximum design twist of a flexible tracker row and a mechanical damping ratio, the system further comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.