Celestial tracking apparatus and method of controlling wind stow therefor

A celestial tracking apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a tracking assembly;
• a first pivot coupled between said support and said tracking assembly;
• a collector assembly having a center of gravity, having a facing plane, and having a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• a second pivot coupled between said tracking assembly and said collector assembly, and displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity thereupon so that said collector assembly pivots to a wind-stow position in a presence of a failure in said apparatus;
• a wind-sensing device;
• a first controller coupled to said second pivot, coupled to said wind-sensing device, and configured to cause said collector assembly to assume said wind-stow position when said wind-sensing device senses a wind having a speed greater than a first predetermined speed;
• and
• a second controller coupled to said second pivot, coupled to said wind-sensing device, and configured to cause said collector assembly to assume said wind-stow position when said wind-sensing device senses a wind having a speed greater than a second predetermined speed, said second predetermined speed being greater than said first predetermined speed.

A celestial tracking apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a tracking assembly;
• a first pivot coupled between said support and said tracking assembly;
• a collector assembly having a center of gravity, having a facing plane, and having a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• a second pivot coupled between said tracking assembly and said collector assembly, and displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity thereupon so that said collector assembly pivots to a wind-stow position in a presence of a failure in said apparatus;
• and
• a latching device configured to inhibit movement of said collector assembly out of said wind-stow position.

A celestial tracking apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a tracking assembly;
• a first pivot coupled between said support and said tracking assembly;
• a collector assembly having a center of gravity, having a facing plane, and having a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• a second pivot coupled between said tracking assembly and said collector assembly, and displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity thereupon so that said collector assembly pivots to a wind-stow position in a presence of a failure in said apparatus;
• and
• a safety device configured to inhibit movement of said collector assembly into said wind-stow position.

A celestial tracking apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a tracking assembly;
• a first pivot coupled between said support and said tracking assembly;
• a first actuator coupled between said support and said tracking assembly and configured to azimuthally pivot said target axis about said first pivot;
• a second actuator coupled between said tracking assembly and said collector assembly and configured to elevationally pivot said target axis about said second pivot from a proximally horizontal direction to a wind-stow direction farther from said proximally horizontal direction than a vertical direction;
• a collector assembly having a center of gravity, having a facing plane, and having a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• a second pivot coupled between said tracking assembly and said collector assembly, and displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity thereupon so that said collector assembly pivots to a wind-stow position in a presence of a failure in said apparatus;
• and
• a controller coupled to said first actuator, coupled to said second actuator, and configured to cause said target axis to assume a wind-stow direction.

A method of controlling the placement of a collector assembly of a celestial tracking apparatus into a wind-stow position, said method comprising pivoting said collector assembly about a pivot, wherein:

• said collector assembly has a center of gravity, a facing plane, and a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• said pivoting activity elevationally pivots said collector assembly from a first position wherein said target axis effects a direction between a proximally horizontal direction and a vertical direction, to a wind-stow position wherein said target axis effects a wind-stow direction farther from said proximally horizontal direction than said vertical direction;
• and
• said pivot is displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity thereupon so that said target axis pivots to said wind-stow direction.

A method of controlling the placement of a collector assembly of a celestial tracking apparatus into a wind-stow position, said method comprising:

• determining if a wind has a speed greater than or equal to a predetermined speed for at least a predetermined period of time;
• and
• pivoting said collector assembly about a pivot, wherein:
• said collector assembly has a center of gravity, a facing plane, and a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• said pivot is displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity so that said collector assembly pivots to said wind-stow position in a presence of a failure in said apparatus;
• and
• said collector assembly pivots into said wind-stow position when said determining activity determines said wind has a speed greater than or equal to said predetermined speed for at least said predetermined period of time.

A method of controlling the placement of a collector assembly of a celestial tracking apparatus into a wind-stow position, said method comprising:

• a) determining, in a first controller, if a wind has a speed greater than a first predetermined speed;
• b) determining, in a second controller, if a wind has a speed greater than a second predetermined speed;
• and
• c) pivoting said collector assembly about a pivot, wherein:
• said collector assembly has a center of gravity, a facing plane, and a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• said pivot is displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity so that said collector assembly pivots to said wind-stow position in a presence of a failure in said apparatus;
• and
• said collector assembly pivots into said wind-stow position when one of said determining activity a) and said determining activity b) determines said wind has a speed greater than one of said first predetermined speed and said second predetermined speed, respectively, for a predetermined period of time.

A celestial tracking apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a tracking assembly;
• an azimuth pivot coupled between said tracking assembly and said support;
• an azimuth actuator coupled between said support and said tracking assembly, and configured to pivot said tracking assembly about said azimuth pivot;
• a collector assembly comprising:
• a solar collector having a substantially flat surface;
• a center of gravity;
• a facing plane substantially parallel to said substantially flat surface of said solar collector;
• a target axis substantially perpendicular to said facing plane and passing through said center of gravity;
• an elevation pivot coupled between said collector assembly and said tracking assembly, said elevation pivot being displaced from said target axis and said center of gravity thereupon so that said collector assembly pivots to a wind-stow position in a presence of a failure in said apparatus;
• an elevation actuator coupled between said tracking assembly and said collector assembly and configured to pivot said collector assembly about said elevation pivot from a proximally horizontal direction to a wind-stow direction farther from said proximally horizontal direction than a vertical direction;
• a wind-speed sensor configured to determine a speed of a wind;
• and
• a controller coupled to said azimuth actuator, coupled to said elevation actuator, coupled to said wind-speed sensor, and configured to cause said collector assembly to assume a wind-stow position when said speed of said wind is greater than a predetermined speed.