Solar tracker system
A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
1 . A system comprising:
a solar tracker module configured to position at least one photovoltaic module; and
a linear damper configured to damp force applied to the at least one photovoltaic module, the linear damper including a variable damping ratio that varies passively as a function of loading force on the at least one photovoltaic module, and wherein the variable damping ratio of the linear damper passively transitions between a higher damping ratio in response to environmental stress over a predetermined threshold and a lower damping ratio in response to stress under the predetermined threshold including positional adjustment via the solar tracker module.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one photovoltaic module is a first module in an array of photovoltaic modules that are each damped.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the variable damping ratio increases in response to increases in the loading force.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the linear damper further comprises:
a piston configured to be driven by the loading force on the at least one photovoltaic module and including a vent that varies fluid flow area based on the loading force; and
a piston chamber including a fluid that resists motion of the piston, wherein the fluid is displaced in response to movement of the piston via the vent having the varied fluid flow area.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the varied fluid flow area decreases in response to increases in the loading force.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a predetermined loading force causes a damping ratio that fully locks movement of the linear damper.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the linear damper further comprises:
a first port that enables fluid flow within the linear damper; and
a second port that enables fluid flow within the linear damper, wherein the second port is passively closed while the linear damper operates at the higher damping ratio.
8 . A solar tracker system, comprising:
a mount configured to be affixed to a photovoltaic module and configured to enable the photovoltaic module to pivot about an axis;
a solar tracker module configured to pivot an angular position of the photovoltaic module about the axis and relative to the mount; and
a linear damper configured to be coupled to the photovoltaic module and resisting angular position adjustment of the photovoltaic module, wherein the linear damper exhibits a variable damping ratio as a function of a current loading condition of the photovoltaic module, wherein the variable damping ratio of the linear damper transitions passively between a higher damping ratio in response to loading conditions over a predetermined threshold and a lower damping ratio in response to conditions under the predetermined threshold including the angular positional adjustment via the solar tracker module.
9 . The solar tracker system of claim 8 , wherein the variable damping ratio increases in response to increases in the current loading condition.
10 . The solar tracker system of claim 8 , wherein the linear damper further comprises:
a piston configured to be driven by the current loading condition on the photovoltaic module and including a vent that varies fluid flow area based on the current loading condition; and
a piston chamber including a fluid that resists motion of the piston, wherein the fluid is displaced in response to movement of the piston via the vent having the varied fluid flow area.
11 . The solar tracker system of claim 10 , wherein the varied fluid flow area decreases in response to increases in the current loading condition.
12 . The solar tracker system of claim 8 , wherein a certain current loading condition causes a damping ratio that fully locks movement of the linear damper.
13 . The solar tracker system of claim 8 , wherein the linear damper further comprises:
a first port that enables fluid flow within the linear damper; and
a second port that enables fluid flow within the linear damper, wherein the second port is passively closed while the linear damper operates at the higher damping ratio.
14 . A system comprising:
a solar tracker module configured to position at least one photovoltaic module; and
a linear damper physically separate from the solar tracker module, the linear damper configured to damp force applied to the at least one photovoltaic module, the linear damper including a variable damping ratio that varies passively as a function of a current loading force on the at least one photovoltaic module, and wherein the variable damping ratio of the linear damper is a higher damping ratio in response to environmental stress exceeding a predetermined threshold and a lower damping ratio in response to positional adjustment via the solar tracker module.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one photovoltaic module is a first module in an array of photovoltaic modules that are each damped.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the variable damping ratio increases in response to increases in the current loading force.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the linear damper further comprises:
a piston configured to be driven by the current loading force on the at least one photovoltaic module; and
a piston chamber including a non-Newtonian fluid that increases in viscosity relative to the current loading force driving the piston.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the linear damper further comprises:
a piston configured to be driven by the current loading force on the at least one photovoltaic module and including a vent that varies fluid flow area based on the current loading force; and
a piston chamber including a fluid that resists motion of the piston, wherein the fluid is displaced in response to movement of the piston via the vent having the varied fluid flow area.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the varied fluid flow area decreases in response to increases in the current loading force.
20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein a certain current loading force causes a damping ratio that fully locks movement of the linear damper.
21 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the solar tracker module is configured to position the at least one photovoltaic module using a low current loading force with a corresponding low damping ratio.