Staged stowage of solar trackers and method thereof
Methods and systems of managing dynamic response to wind in a solar tracker system are provided. The method includes determining a wind speed, comparing the wind speed to a predetermined threshold value to determine if the wind speed equals or exceeds the predetermined threshold, positioning a windward most solar tracker to a predetermined angle based on the comparing, and positioning a leeward most solar tracker to the predetermined angle based on the comparing. The solar trackers are positioned at the predetermined angle at a predetermined interval starting at the windward most solar tracker and the remaining solar trackers remain in a normal operating condition.
1 . A solar tracker system, comprising:
a solar tracker array comprising solar trackers;
a tracker controller operably coupled to the solar tracker array, the tracker controller configured to:
determine a wind speed;
determine the wind speed equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold;
position a windward most solar tracker in the solar tracker array to a first predetermined angle; and
position a leeward most solar tracker in the solar tracker array to a second predetermined angle, the second predetermined angle being different than the first predetermined angle; wherein
a plurality of solar trackers between the windward most solar tracker and the leeward most solar tracker remain in a normal operating condition tracking the sun across the sky.
2 . The solar tracker system of claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined angle opposes the first predetermined angle.
3 . The solar tracker system of claim 1 , wherein the tracker controller is further configured to position a second plurality of solar trackers between the windward most solar tracker and the leeward most solar tracker at a third predetermined angle, the second plurality of solar trackers comprising a predetermined interval of solar trackers starting at the windward most solar tracker.
4 . The solar tracker system of claim 3 , wherein the third predetermined angle comprises the first predetermined angle or the second predetermined angle.
5 . The solar tracker system of claim 1 , wherein the windspeed is determined using a wind speed sensor operably coupled to the tracker controller.
6 . The solar tracker system of claim 1 , wherein the windspeed is determined by receiving windspeed information over a network interface operably coupled to the tracker controller.
7 . The solar tracker system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor controller operably coupled to the solar trackers in the solar tracker array.