Solar tracking system

1. A dual axis solar tracker system ( 100 ), the system ( 100 ) comprising:

a frame ( 102 ), the frame ( 102 ) having a frame side one ( 104 ),

a frame side two ( 106 ), the frame side two ( 106 ) is parallel to the frame side one ( 104 ),

a first cross beam ( 124 ), the first crossbeam ( 124 ) is connected between the frame side two ( 106 ) and the frame side one ( 104 ) perpendicularly, and

a second cross beam ( 142 ), the second cross beam ( 142 ) is connected between the frame side two ( 106 ) and the frame side one ( 104 ), and is parallel to the first beam ( 124 ), and

an at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ), the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) is connected to the frame side one ( 104 );

an at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ), the at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ) is connected to the frame side two ( 106 ) exactly opposite to the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 );

an at least one solar panel ( 112 ), the at least one solar panel ( 112 ) is coupled to the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) on the frame side one ( 104 ) and further coupled to the at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ) on the frame side two ( 106 );

an upper beam ( 114 ), the upper beam ( 114 ) is below to the frame side one ( 102 );

an at least one selectively flexible bracket ( 116 ), the at least one selectively flexible bracket ( 116 ) is connected between the upper beam ( 114 ) and the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 );

an at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 );

an at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 );

a lower beam ( 120 ), the lower beam ( 120 ) forms a perpendicular sliding pair with the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) and the at least one second supporting ( 140 );

an at least one first supporting pillar bearing ( 122 ), the at least one first supporting pillar bearing ( 122 ) is connected between the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) and the first cross beam ( 124 );

an at least one second supporting pillar bearing ( 144 ), the at least one second supporting pillar bearing ( 144 ) is connected between the at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ) and the second cross beam ( 142 );

an at least one first strut ( 126 ), the at least one first strut ( 126 ) is connected between the first cross beam ( 124 ) and the lower beam ( 120 ) through an at least one first spherical joint ( 128 ) and an at least one second spherical joint ( 130 );

an at least one second strut ( 146 ), the at least one second strut ( 146 ) is connected between the second cross beam ( 142 ) and the lower beam ( 120 ) through an at least one third spherical joint ( 148 ) and an at least one fourth spherical joint ( 150 );

an upper beam actuator ( 132 ), the upper beam actuator ( 132 ) is connected to the upper beam ( 114 ) at one end and further connected to the first cross beam ( 124 ) at the other end; and

a lower beam actuator ( 134 ), the lower beam actuator ( 134 ) is connected to the lower beam ( 120 ) at one end and connected to the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) at the other end;

wherein, translation motion of the upper beam ( 114 ) is along the length of frame side one ( 104 ),

wherein, the plane of rotation of the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) and the at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ) is parallel to translation motion of the upper beam ( 114 ),

wherein, translation motion of the lower beam ( 120 ) is along the length of frame side two ( 106 ),

wherein, the plane of rotation of the first supporting pillar bearing ( 122 ) and the second supporting pillar bearing ( 144 ) is perpendicular to translation motion of the lower beam ( 120 ),

wherein, the at least one first spherical joint ( 128 ) connects one end of the at least one first strut ( 126 ) and the first cross beam ( 124 ) and the at least one second spherical joint ( 130 ) connects another opposite end of the at least one first strut ( 126 ) and the lower beam ( 120 ),

wherein, the at least one third spherical joint ( 148 ) connects one end of the at least one second strut ( 146 ) and the second cross beam ( 142 ) and the at least one fourth spherical joint ( 150 ) connects another opposite end of the at least one second strut ( 126 ) and the lower beam ( 120 ),

wherein, the system ( 100 ) is a four-bar linkage mechanism, such that the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) and the at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ) together act as the fixed link, the frame ( 102 ) acts as the rotating link and the lower beam ( 120 ) acts as the translating link and the at least one first strut ( 126 ) and the at least one second strut ( 126 ) together act as the fourth link connecting the frame ( 102 ) and the lower beam ( 120 ) and thus in the designed configuration, the translation of the lower beam ( 120 ) causes rotation of the frame ( 102 ).

2. The system ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper beam actuator ( 132 ) and the lower beam actuator ( 134 ) are selected from a pneumatic drive, a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic drive, a hydraulic motor and an electric motor.

3. The frame ( 102 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame ( 102 ) is able to be rotated in north-south direction with respect to horizontal with a large angle range.

4. The system ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, multiple units of the system ( 100 ) are able to be arranged in a row and the rotation of the frame ( 102 ) is able to be control through the single lower beam actuator ( 134 ).

5. The system ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein multiple units of the at least one solar panel ( 112 ) are able to rotated in east-west direction through the single upper beam actuator ( 132 ).

6. The system ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper beam actuator ( 132 ) and the lower beam actuator ( 134 ) are controlled by an electronic control system.

7. A dual axis solar tracker system ( 100 ), the system ( 100 ) comprising:

a frame ( 102 ), the frame ( 102 ) having

a frame side one ( 104 ),

a frame side two ( 106 ), the frame side two ( 106 ) is parallel to the frame side one ( 104 ),

a first cross beam ( 124 ), the at least one first cross second beam ( 124 ) is connected between the frame side two ( 106 ) and the frame side one ( 104 ) perpendicularly, and

a second cross beam ( 142 ), the second cross beam ( 142 ) is connected between the frame side two ( 106 ) and the frame side one ( 104 ), and is parallel to the at least one first cross second beam ( 124 );

an at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ), the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) is connected to the frame side one ( 104 );

an at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ), the at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ) is connected to the frame side two ( 106 ) exactly opposite to the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 );

an at least one solar panel ( 112 ), the at least one solar panel ( 112 ) is coupled to the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) on the frame side one ( 104 ) and further attached to the at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ) on the frame side two ( 106 );

an upper beam ( 114 ), the upper beam ( 114 ) is below to the frame side one ( 102 );

an at least one selectively flexible bracket ( 116 ), the at least one selectively flexible bracket ( 116 ) is connected between the upper beam ( 114 ) and the at the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 );

a first supporting pillar ( 118 ), top of the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) is connected to the at least one first cross second beam ( 124 ) through a hinge joint;

an at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ), top of the at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ) is connected to the at least one second cross beam ( 142 ) through a hinge joint;

an at least one first strut ( 126 ), the at least one first strut ( 126 ) is connected between the first cross beam ( 124 ) and the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) through a hinge joint;

an at least one second strut ( 146 ), the at least one second strut ( 146 ) is connected between the at least one second cross beam ( 142 ) and the at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ) through a hinge joint;

an upper beam actuator ( 132 ), the upper beam actuator ( 132 ) is connected to the upper beam ( 114 ) at one end and connected to the first cross beam ( 124 ) at the other end; and

wherein, translation motion of the upper beam ( 114 ) is along the length of frame side one ( 104 ),

wherein, the plane of rotation of the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) and the at least one frame side two bearing ( 110 ) is parallel to translation motion of the upper beam ( 114 ),

wherein, one end of the at least one first strut ( 126 ) is connected to the first cross beam ( 124 ) through a hinge joint and another opposite end of the at least one first strut ( 126 ) is connected to the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) through a hinge joint,

wherein, one end of the at least one second strut ( 146 ) is connected to the at least one second cross beam ( 142 ) through a hinge joint and another opposite end of the at least one second strut ( 126 ) is connected to at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ) through a hinge joint,

wherein, the at least one selectively flexible bracket ( 116 ) is designed to transmit rotation,

wherein, position of the frame ( 102 ) is fixed by restricting the rotation of the frame ( 102 ) in North-South direction.

8. A method of dual axis solar tracker system ( 100 ), the method comprising:

a method of rotating the at least one solar panel ( 112 ),

the step of providing a frame ( 102 ), the method having

force applied on an upper beam ( 114 ) in the direction along the length of a frame side one ( 104 );

the upper beam ( 114 ) moves in the direction of applied force;

the force from the upper beam ( 114 ) transfers to an at least one selectively flexible bracket ( 116 );

the at least one selectively flexible bracket ( 116 ) moves to transfer the force applied to an at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 );

the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) uses the force applied to rotate; and

rotation of the at least one frame side one bearing ( 108 ) rotates an at least one solar panel ( 112 );

wherein force is applied on the upper beam ( 114 ) through an upper beam actuator ( 132 ),

a method of rotating the frame ( 102 ), the method having

force is applied on a lower beam ( 120 ) in the direction parallel to a frame side two ( 106 );

the lower beam ( 120 ) moves in the direction of the force applied;

the force from the lower beam ( 120 ) transfers to an at least one first strut ( 126 ) and an at least one second strut ( 146 );

the position of the at least one first strut ( 126 ) and the at least one second strut ( 146 ) is adjusted by the force applied with the help of an at least one first spherical joint ( 128 ), an at least one second spherical joint ( 130 ), an at least one third spherical joint ( 148 ) and an at least one fourth spherical joint ( 150 );

the force from the at least one first strut ( 126 ) and the at least one second strut ( 146 ) is transferred to the frame ( 102 ); and

the angle of rotation of a frame ( 102 ) is changed depending on the force applied;

wherein, force is applied on the lower beam ( 120 ) through a lower beam actuator ( 134 ).

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , the position of the frame ( 102 ) is locked in position by a method of locking the frame ( 102 ) movement, the method comprising:

the frame ( 102 ) is held in a position perpendicular to the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) and the at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 );

the unwanted forces on the frame ( 102 ) are balanced by the at least one first strut ( 126 ) and the at least one second strut ( 146 ) hence locking the position of the frame ( 102 );

in case the frame ( 102 ) is not perpendicular to the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) and the at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ), the frame ( 102 ) is moved to position perpendicular to the at least one first supporting pillar ( 118 ) and the at least one second supporting pillar ( 140 ) through applied force to be locked in position; and

in case of moving the frame ( 102 ), a method of rotating the frame ( 102 ) is executed;

wherein, the applied force to be locked in position is through the lower beam actuator ( 134 ).