DISTRIBUTED DAMPERS FOR SOLAR TRACKER SYSTEMS
A solar tracking system including a plurality of solar tracker rows arranged in parallel in a north-south direction wherein each solar tracker row may include a plurality of support piers, a torque tube extending along the row in the north-south direction rotatably supported on the plurality of support piers, a plurality of solar modules coupled to the torque tube, and a plurality of dampers. A first set of support piers of the plurality of support piers each include one or more dampers of the plurality of dampers, and the first set of piers forming a repeating pattern of support piers along the plurality of support piers in the solar tracker row.
1 . A solar tracking system, comprising:
a plurality of solar tracker rows arranged in parallel in a north-south direction;
each solar tracker row including:
a plurality of support piers;
a torque tube extending along the row in the north-south direction rotatably supported on the plurality of support piers;
a plurality of solar modules coupled to the torque tube; and
a plurality of dampers, and
rotation of the torque tube changes the orientation of an outer face of the plurality of supported modules and, the dampers being connected such that the rotation effectuates a compression or extension of the dampers; and
a set of support piers of the plurality of support piers each having one or more dampers of the plurality of dampers, the set of piers forming a repeating pattern of support piers along all of the plurality of support piers in the solar tracker row.
2 . The solar tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the repeating pattern of support piers begins at a north end, a south end, or a center position of the tracker row.
3 . The solar tracking system of claim 2 , wherein the repeating pattern of support piers begins at the north end, and the northern-most support pier of the plurality of piers does not have any dampers.
4 . The solar tracking system of claim 2 , wherein the repeating pattern of support piers begins at the south end, and the southern-most support pier of the plurality of piers does not have any dampers.
5 . The solar tracking system of claim 2 , wherein the repeating pattern of support piers begins at the center position, and a first support pier of the plurality of piers on a northern side of the center position does not have any dampers.
6 . The solar tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the repeating pattern of support piers begin at a center position of the solar tracker row and extends towards a north end and a south end of the tracker row.
7 . The solar tracking system of claim 1 , wherein support piers of the plurality of support that are not in the repeating pattern of support piers do not have any dampers.
8 . The solar tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the upper damper mount rotates with the rotation of the torque tube causing the wing to move in an arcuate path with the rotation of the torque tube.
9 . The solar tracking system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of solar tracker rows includes exterior solar tracker rows and interior solar tracker rows, the interior solar tracker rows are solar tracker rows positioned between two other solar tracker rows, the exterior solar tracker rows are solar tracker rows with one other solar tracker row on one side of the exterior solar tracker row and no solar tracker row positioned on the other side, opposite the one side, of the exterior solar tracker row, and wherein each exterior solar tracker row has more dampers than each of the interior solar tracker rows.
10 . The solar tracking system of claim 1 , further comprising a set of support piers of the plurality of support piers that do not have any dampers mounted thereto, and wherein the one or more of the set of support piers are located between piers in the first set of the plurality of support piers.
11 . A solar tracking system, comprising:
a plurality of solar tracker rows arranged in parallel in a north-south direction; each solar tracker row including:
a plurality of support piers;
a torque tube extending along the row in the north-south direction rotatably supported on the plurality of support piers;
a plurality of solar modules coupled to the torque tube; and
a plurality of dampers, and
rotation of the torque tube changes the orientation of an outer face of the plurality of supported modules and, the dampers being connected such that the rotation effectuates a compression or extension of the dampers;
a first set of support piers of the plurality of support piers each having a single damper of the plurality of dampers, the single damper in the first set operatively connected between the support pier and the eastern side of the torque tube forming an eastern damper,
a second set of support piers of the plurality of support piers each having a single damper of the plurality of dampers, the single damper in the second set operatively connected between the support pier and the western side of the torque tube forming a western damper,
the first set of piers and the second set of piers forming a repeating pattern of support piers along all of the plurality of support piers in the solar tracker row, the repeating pattern alternating between a support pier in the first set of support piers and a support pier in the second set of support piers.
12 . The solar tracking system of claim 10 further comprising, a third set of support piers of the plurality of dampers each having two dampers of the plurality of dampers, one of the two dampers being operatively connected between the support pier and the eastern side of the torque tube and the second of the two dampers being operatively connected between the support pier and the eastern side of the torque tube.
13 . The solar tracking system of claim 12 , wherein the first set of piers, the second set of piers, and the third set of piers forming a second repeating pattern of support piers along all of the plurality of support piers in the solar tracker row.
14 . The solar tracking system of claim 11 , wherein the connection of the eastern damper to the eastern side of the torque tube is a rotatable connection to a wing of an upper damper mount, the wing being positioned eastward of the torque tube.
15 . The solar tracking system of claim 11 , wherein an upper damper mount rotates with the rotation of the torque tube causing the wing to move in an arcuate path with the rotation of the torque tube.
16 . The solar tracking system of claim 11 , wherein the connection of the eastern damper to the pier is a rotatable connection to a fixed location on the pier, thereby permitting the damper to rotate about the fixed location on the pier.
17 . The solar tracking system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of solar tracker rows includes exterior solar tracker rows and interior solar tracker rows, the interior solar tracker rows are solar tracker rows positioned between two other solar tracker rows, the exterior solar tracker rows are solar tracker rows with one other solar tracker row on one side of the exterior solar tracker row and no solar tracker row positioned on the other side, opposite the one side, of the exterior solar tracker row, and wherein each exterior solar tracker rows has more dampers than each of the interior solar tracker rows.
18 . The solar tracking system of claim 10 , further comprising a third set of support piers of the plurality of support piers, the third set of support piers do not have any dampers mounted thereto, and wherein the third set of support piers are located between piers in the first set of the plurality of support piers.