A solar heat collection device for a near-zero energy consumption community, including a heat collection frame, a heat collector, a center of gravity adjusting frame and a self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly, wherein the heat collector is rotatably disposed on the heat collection frame through the self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly; the center of gravity adjusting frame is fixed on one side of the bottom of the heat collector; the self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly includes a fixing cylinder, an angle adjusting cylinder, an inner cylinder and a damping adjusting assembly; the inner cylinder is coaxially fixed inside the angle adjusting cylinder; two ends of the angle adjusting cylinder are respectively coaxially and rotatably connected with the fixing cylinder; and the damping adjusting assembly is arranged between the angle adjusting cylinder and the fixing cylinder.

A solar heat collection device for a near-zero energy consumption community, including a heat collection frame, a heat collector, a center of gravity adjusting frame and a self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly, wherein the heat collector is rotatably disposed on the heat collection frame through the self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly; the center of gravity adjusting frame is fixed on one side of the bottom of the heat collector; the self-adaptive angle adjusting assembly includes a fixing cylinder, an angle adjusting cylinder, an inner cylinder and a damping adjusting assembly; the inner cylinder is coaxially fixed inside the angle adjusting cylinder; two ends of the angle adjusting cylinder are respectively coaxially and rotatably connected with the fixing cylinder; and the damping adjusting assembly is arranged between the angle adjusting cylinder and the fixing cylinder.

A solar tracker assembly is provided which includes a support column, a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torque tube or torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, and a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material. The compressible cords are located between the bushing and the bearing housing and provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly is provided including at least one top bracket and at least one bottom bracket, at least one spring, a damper, and a bracket. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam. The spring counter-balance assembly may include at least one coil spring and a rotational stop. The bushing may be made of an elastomeric material and define one or more air spaces.

In this invention, a dual-axis solar tracker is presented to increase the energy produced by solar panels. The control strategy of this tracker is based on a hybrid of both astronomical algorithms and optical sensors and is designed in such a way that both actuators are not active at the same time. Also, the mechanical structure of the tracker is such that it is possible to rotate the solar panel 360 degrees around both axes. This makes it possible to track the sun in the early or late hours of the day or in some geographical areas where the direction of the sun ray is significantly inclined. Furthermore, the invented tracker consists of modular and ready-made mechanical and electronic components, and all the connections are in the form of bolts and nuts, which makes it fast and easy to assemble, install, disassemble and transport while having sufficient strength.

The present invention relates to a system for a parabolic solar concentrator (SCA) having a substantially continuous reflective surface aiming to maximize the efficiency of the parabolic solar concentrator and of its fabrication method. The system of the present invention allows the fabrication of a low cost parabolic solar concentrator, based on a torsion bar, ribs and a plurality of reflective pieces of sheet metal preferably covered with a reflective film. The parabolic solar concentrator according to a preferred embodiment allows the reduction of surfaces shading the reflective surface. Another advantage is the lack of presence of supporting or movement elements protruding in the concave side of the parabola, not including receiver tube components and supports, thereby increasing the reflection efficiency and solar collection.

An example device for mounting for a solar array may include a solar panel carrier configured to receive a solar array to form a panel assembly; a pivot configured to pivotably secure the solar panel carrier with respect to a support structure; and/or a restoring moment element operatively connected to the solar panel carrier and configured to exert a restoring moment on the solar panel carrier opposite in direction and approximately equal in magnitude to a gravitational moment of the panel assembly when the solar panel carrier is tilted to various angular positions. When the solar panel carrier is at a nominal angular position, a center of gravity of the panel assembly may be above and substantially vertically aligned with the pivot axis.

A solar tracker assembly is provided which includes a support column, a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torque tube or torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, and a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material. The compressible cords are located between the bushing and the bearing housing and provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly is provided including at least one top bracket and at least one bottom bracket, at least one spring, a damper, and a bracket. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam. The spring counter-balance assembly may include at least one coil spring and a rotational stop. The bushing may be made of an elastomeric material and define one or more air spaces.

A parabolic trough collector module comprising an absorber tube, a parabolic reflector focusing the solar radiation to the absorber tube and with a reflector surface, and at least one support de-vice on which the parabolic reflector is mounted so that it can pivot. The support device includes a support head projecting over the reflector surface in the vertical direction, on which the absorber tube is mounted by a linear bearing structure forming a linear guide.

An example device for mounting for a solar array may include a solar panel carrier configured to receive a solar array to form a panel assembly; a pivot configured to pivotably secure the solar panel carrier with respect to a support structure; and/or a restoring moment element operatively connected to the solar panel carrier and configured to exert a restoring moment on the solar panel carrier opposite in direction and approximately equal in magnitude to a gravitational moment of the panel assembly when the solar panel carrier is tilted to various angular positions. When the solar panel carrier is at a nominal angular position, a center of gravity of the panel assembly may be above and substantially vertically aligned with the pivot axis.

A solar tracker assembly is provided which includes a support column, a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torque tube or torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, and a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material. The compressible cords are located between the bushing and the bearing housing and provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly.