US 2016/0238282 A1Published application

Power and Communication Distribution Topology for Heliostats

AssigneeEsolar, Inc.

InventorsCarl Wing-Jang Chin, Jason Blair, Parsa Dormiani

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Abstract

A network topology for powering and communicating with groups of heliostats in a concentrated solar power plant. Heliostats are arranged in rows and wired together with inter-drive cables that distribute power and data from a field electrical system and plant network. Data is transmitted to and from heliostat drive control boards via network switches connected to intelligent power distribution units. Power is transmitted from battery banks to said intelligent power distribution units. Communication interface modules supply a connection between intelligent power distribution units and the heliostat control boards of non-adjacent heliostat rows to create communication and data loops having improved redundancy and robustness in the event of single point component failures.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A system for powering and controlling a heliostat field, comprising:

a plant network;
a plurality of network switches connected to the plant network, wherein each network switch has a plurality of ports;
at least one intelligent power distribution unit comprising a plurality of intelligent power distribution cards, wherein each intelligent power distribution card is connected to at least one other intelligent power distribution card and is connected to a port on one of the plurality of network switches;
at least one communication interface module connected to at least one of the plurality of intelligent power distribution cards;
a plurality of heliostats connected to each other and arranged in rows, wherein the heliostats comprise reflectors and controllers;
and
wherein at least one heliostat controller in each row is connected to a communication interface module.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.