Celestial tracking apparatus and method of controlling wind stow therefor
US6662801B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 2, 2001 |
| Grant date | Dec 16, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 4, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/50
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A celestial tracking apparatus (20) has a support (26), a tracking assembly (28) coupled to the support (26) by an azimuth pivot (36), a collector assembly (30) coupled to the tracking assembly (28) by an elevation pivot (38), a wind-speed sensor (172), and a controller (150) coupled to the azimuth and elevation pivots (36,38) and configured to cause the collector assembly (30) to assume a wind-stow position (66) when the sensor (172) detects a wind having a speed greater than a predetermined speed, upon failure of a component of the apparatus (20), or upon receipt of a wind-stow command. The collector assembly (30) has a solar collector (22) with a substantially flat surface (24), a center of gravity (52), and a target axis (54) substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat surface (24) and passing through the center of gravity (52). The elevation pivot (38) is displaced from the target axis (54) and the center of gravity (52) so that the collector assembly (30) is predisposed to pivot to the wind-stow position.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.