The present invention belongs to the technical field of solar energy, in particular to solar trackers, for providing rotation to a module of solar panels for sun-tracking. More particularly, the object of the invention relates to a tracker controller for a solar installation comprising an external antenna which is easily orientable in vertical direction.
A solar tracker of a photovoltaic installation comprises a controller. The controller comprises a box and a communications system housed within the box. An external antenna may be externally attached to the box of the controller.
It is known that the antenna provides an optimized electromagnetic radiation spectrum when the antenna is oriented in vertical direction pointing downwards.
However, the movement of the tracker and the effect of the wind negatively affect the orientation of the antenna.
The tracker controller of the present invention allows, as will be explained below, the external antenna to stay in a vertical orientation pointing downwards, irrespective of the angular position of the solar tracker and the speed of wind, according to the independent claim. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention.
The advantages mentioned above, as well as other advantages and features of the present invention, shall be better understood with reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with due regard to the attached set of figures, which are to be construed in an illustrative, non-limitative manner, and wherein:
Next a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the tracker controller of the invention shall be provided, with the help of
More particularly, as shown on
The free rotation of the antenna (3) with respect to the box (2), provided by the connection (4), together with the action of gravity, allows the antenna (3) to by default stay oriented along a vertical direction, the tip (8) of the antenna (3) pointing downwards, an therefore the connection (4) pointing upwards, irrespective of the position of the tracking structure, at least in absence of wind.
In conditions of strong wind, the wind makes the antenna (3) to rotate, by means of the connection (4), so that the antenna (3) adopts an inclined position, which may negatively affect performance of the antenna (3). However, as the protrusion (9) bumps against the box (2), rotation of the antenna (3) is limited, so that the antenna (3) does not deviate from the vertical orientation, on both directions of rotation, more than a predetermined amount which depends upon the position and the dimensions of the protrusion (9).
So that collision of the protrusion (9) against the box (2) does not cause damage to the antenna (3), the protrusion (9) may be provided with a bumper (10), such as a cover, made of a shock absorbing material, such as rubber or similar.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20383018.7 | Nov 2020 | EP | regional |
This application is a national stage under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT patent application PCT/EP2021/081816 filed on 16 Nov. 2021, which is pending and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. PCT/EP2021/081816 claims priority to European Patent Application 20383018.7 filed 23 Nov. 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2021/081816 | 11/16/2021 | WO |