Patent Application
20100224181
The present invention relates to a high-efficiency array type focusing solar tracking system, in particular to a solar tracker used for tracking solar heat.
Solar generation is a typical green energy source with many advantages. Solar energy is safe, reliable, free of noises, non-polluting, and can be generated wherever it is needed, and solar generation consumes no fuels and involves no mechanical parts, and thus it has the advantages of a low failure rate and a convenient maintenance. In addition, a solar generation system is an unattended system, whose scale can be adjusted flexibly and the solar generation system can also be combined with a construction or building conveniently. All these advantages are incomparable by regular power generation or other power generation methods. The application of solar energy is a perfect solution for our continuous development of energy sources. Countries including Japan, U.S.A, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, England, and Canada have established their solar photovoltaic development plans and expected to gain a competitive edge in the researches and applications of the new green energy.
Compared with the fixed solar generation system, researches indicated that the solar tracking electricity generation system has an effective sunlight time greater than the effective sunlight time of the fixed solar generation system, and thus the solar tracking system is used extensively in artificial satellites or laboratories to enhance system efficiency and minimize the purchase of equipments effectively.
At present, a solar tracking system generally adopts a design of supporting a solar panel by a support stand and rotating the solar panel directly. If a lens for collecting light is added to such design, the lens is generally turned together with a solar cell. There are various solar tracking systems, such as a system using a large mirror to reflect sunlight, a spring solar tracking system and an airbag solar tracking, or even a system with a design of using a shape memory alloy to align a solar cell towards the sun. In general, a solar tracking system using a motor comes with a larger volume, consumes more power, and requires a huge space for tracking sunlight, and thus making the moving, transportation and installation of the solar tracking system more difficult. If the design with the motor is not adopted, then the tracking speed may be slower or the tracking position cannot be achieved timely due to the limitations of related mechanical components.
With reference to U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20070193620A1 entitled “Solar collecting and tracking system”, the tracking system comprises a solar collector made of a metal with good thermal conduction and surface reflection for reflecting incident light to the bottom of a receiver and dissipating the heat produced by the receiver; a transparent mantle, including a transparent window and a lens for collecting light, wherein when the solar collector is not facing the sun, the transparent window is provided for entering diffused lights into the collector, such that the receiver can obtain energy whenever the solar collector is not facing the sun, and the energy collected is stored into the solar cell installed at the bottom of the collector or absorbed by components with a similar function. In the energy storage operation, the solar collectors including optical sensors, motors, transmission mechanisms and control elements are assembled, so that the solar tracking system can determine the sun position and use the motor and the transmission mechanism to rotate the solar collectors at their axes in order to achieve the solar tracking effect.
With reference to U.S. Pat. Publication No. 20070215199A1 entitled “Solar collecting system”, the tracker comprises a solar cell array, a frame, a base, a pivotal stand and first and second braking devices. The solar cell array is installed on the frame for collecting solar energy. The base and the frame are connected by a pivot, and this pivot defines the elevation and depression of the solar cell array. The pivotal stand and the frame are connected by a pivot, and this pivot defines an azimuth movement of the solar cell array. The first braking device controls the elevation and depression of the solar cell array, and the second braking device controls the azimuth movement of the solar cell array, such that the solar tracker can be switched between an elevated position and a temporary retained position. Therefore, these two solar trackers are capable of standing extreme weather.
An application of a solar cell generally emphasizes on the improved efficiency of electricity generation and the reduction of power consumption. Therefore, finding an effective solar tracking system that reduces the system weight, minimizes the power loss and improves the electricity generation of the solar cell demands immediate attentions and feasible solutions.
In view of the shortcomings of the conventional solar tracking system, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed a high-efficiency array type focusing solar tracking system in accordance with the present invention, in hope of achieving the effects of collecting solar energies without moving a heavy lens, reducing power consumptions, and enhancing the electricity generation of a solar cell.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a high-efficiency array type focusing solar tracking system that uses a lens set, a solar cell platform, a track set, a driving device, a plate and a second magnet set to move a solar cell on the solar cell platform to the sunlight and effectively collect solar energy by focusing the sunlight at a focus position through the lens set without the need of moving a heavy lens, so as to achieve the effects of reducing power consumption and enhance the electricity generation of the solar cell.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention discloses a high-efficiency array type focusing solar tracking system, comprising: a lens set, having a plurality of lenses which are Fresnel lenses; a solar cell platform, having a plurality of solar cells, a plurality of optical sensors and a first magnet set installed thereon, wherein the solar cells are used for collecting solar energy and converting solar energy into electric energy, and the optical sensors are used for sensing sunlight focused at a focus position after passing through the lenses; a track set, having a track disposed separately on both sides of the track set, wherein the solar cell platform is installed in the track set and restricted by the track, and the lens set is installed at a position corresponding to the solar cells and at the top of the track set; a driving device, for driving the solar cell platform to move the solar cell installed on the solar cell platform to the focus position; a plate, installed at the bottom of the track set; a second magnet set, corresponding to the first magnet set and installed at the plate, for maintaining an equilibrium of the solar cell platform.
Compared with the structure of the prior art, the high-efficiency array type focusing solar tracking system in accordance with the present invention can achieve the effects of reducing power consumption and enhancing the electricity generation of the solar cell.
Firstly, a software program is used to simulate a focusing path of a Fresnel lens under the sun, and a path formed in a V-shaped curve is found, and a mechanism used for simulating the operation of the sun as shown in
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lenses are Fresnel lenses, and the path of the track is a focusing path formed by passing the sunlight through the Fresnel lenses and focusing the sunlight at a focus position, and the path is a V-shaped curve.
With reference to
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solar cell 12a is a GaAs cell.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solar cell platform 12, the track set 14 and the plate 18 are made of acrylic to achieve the lightweight purpose.
With reference to
With reference to
In summation of the description above, the present invention provides a feasible design and complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application. The present invention uses a lens set, a solar cell platform, a track set, a driving device, a plate and a second magnet set to move a solar cell of the solar cell platform to a focus position of the sunlight passing through the Fresnel lens to collect solar energy effectively without the need of moving heavy lens, so as to achieve the effects of reducing power consumption and enhancing the electricity generation of the solar cell. In addition, the plate with the plurality of holes and the plurality of optical fibers is used for collecting lights that are not focused by the lenses and using such lights for other illumination applications, so as to further improve the using efficiency of the solar energy. Obviously, the invention is useful in the related industry, and the products derived from the present invention can meet the current market requirements.
While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98106895 | Mar 2009 | TW | national |
