Patent · US Active

System and method for flexible solar tracker and testing

US11209337B1 · kind B1 · utility

8Cited by

1References

21Claims

0Family size

Assignee

FCX SOLAR LLC · US

Inventors

Christopher Thomas Needham · Kurtistown, US
Frank Carl Oudheusden · Mont Vernon, US

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 1, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 1, 2041

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY02E10/50
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.