A system for controlling a rotation of one or more solar panels about an axis of rotation, comprising one or more solar panels defining a longitudinal axis, one or more bellows actuators coupled to the one or more solar panels and defining an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the panels, a fluid source, a first valve circuit coupled to the bellows actuators and the fluid source, a second valve circuit coupled to the bellows actuators and the fluid source, and a controller, wherein introduction or release of fluid from one or more of the bellows actuators is configured to cause rotation of the one or more actuators about the axis of rotation.

A pneumatic control unit configured to inflate a first and second set of bellows with fluid from a pneumatic fluid source via a pneumatic circuit, the first and second set of bellows associated with one or more pneumatic actuators. The pneumatic control unit determines a target configuration of the actuators based on a determined current position of the sun; determines a current configuration of the actuators; determines a difference between the determined current configuration and target configuration of the actuators; determines that the difference between current configuration and the target configuration of the actuators is outside of a tolerance range; and actuates the actuators toward the determined target configuration by at least one of inflating the first or second set of bellows with fluid from the pneumatic fluid source via the pneumatic circuit.

A tracking photovoltaic solar system, and methods for installing or for using such tracking comprising at least a dual axis tracker unit maintaining an array of photovoltaic modules aligned to the sun. Said tracker unit includes: a pair of sub-frames supporting photovoltaic modules, a torque tube supporting said subframes rotating around a primary rotation axis, a pole structure fixed and extending vertically above an anchoring basis and being rotatively connected to said longitudinal support, secondary rotating means controlling the orientation of said sub-frames around corresponding secondary rotation axis of said sub-frames, said secondary rotation axis being orthogonal to said primary rotation axis and actuators means for controlling said primary and secondary rotating means. The secondary rotation axis are located at each end of said torque tube, said pole structure being central with regard to said sub-frames and said actuators means of both primary and secondary rotating means are linear.

A photovoltaic apparatus includes: a power generation part; an angle changeable mechanism configured to support the power generation part so as to be able to change an elevation of the power generation part; a post configured to support the power generation part and the angle changeable mechanism; and a hinge mechanism configured to support the post so as to be able to change an angle of the post relative to an installation surface for the photovoltaic apparatus.

The present disclosure provides a thermomechanical actuator and a cleaning system implementing the thermomechanical actuator. The thermomechanical actuator includes a solar heat collector (SHC) housing shape memory alloy springs connected between a piston movably disposed therein and one end of the SHC. A cable extending from the piston through an opposite end of the SHC is connected to a bias load that develops returning force on the springs. In presence of solar radiation, the springs contract and cause linear movement of the piston in a direction of contraction and, in absence of the solar radiation, the springs expand and cause linear movement of the piston in direction of expansion. Useful power and work is extracted in form of the cleaning system from such linear movement of the piston.

The present disclosure provides a thermomechanical actuator and a cleaning system implementing the thermomechanical actuator. The thermomechanical actuator includes a solar heat collector (SHC) housing shape memory alloy springs connected between a piston movably disposed therein and one end of the SHC. A cable extending from the piston through an opposite end of the SHC is connected to a bias load that develops returning force on the springs. In presence of solar radiation, the springs contract and cause linear movement of the piston in a direction of contraction and, in absence of the solar radiation, the springs expand and cause linear movement of the piston in direction of expansion. Useful power and work is extracted in form of the cleaning system from such linear movement of the piston.

A truss foundation for single-axis trackers that distribute forces into the foundation through the torque tube. A truss adapter joins a pair of adjacent truss legs driven at angles to one another on either side of a tracker row so that the legs are perpendicular to the tracker torque tube. A third leg aligned with the torque tube is connected to the adapter to help resist axial forces in the torque tube. One or more collars placed on either side of a torque tube bearing include set screws to prevent axial slippage of the torque tube.

A solar tracking device includes a base, a first driving member, a turntable, a translating plate, a second driving member and a solar panel stand. The first driving member includes a first rotary gear. The turntable has an outer gear ring and a track. The outer gear ring is engaged with the first rotary gear to drive the turntable to rotate with respect to the base. The translating plate is accommodated in the track. The second driving member includes a second rotary gear installed at the translating plate and engaged with the track to drive the translating plate to move horizontally along the track. The solar panel stand includes a main frame and first and second link rod frames. The main frame is driven by the first and second link rod frames to adjust the angle of elevation with respect to the translating plate.

A solar tracker assembly comprises a support column, a torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torsion beam, and a torsion limiter connected to an output of the drive system. When an external force causes a level of torsion on the drive system to exceed a pre-set limit the torsion limiter facilitates rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly in the direction of the torsion, thereby allowing the external force to rotate about a pivot axis extending through the torsion beam. Exemplary embodiments also include methods of aligning a plurality of rows of solar trackers.

A glass concentrator mirror assembly and a method for making same. A glass concentrator mirror assembly is configured to reflect sunlight to a receiver in a reflector assembly. The glass concentrator mirror assembly has at least one glass mirror. The at least one glass mirror has a reflective side and a back side. The glass concentrator mirror assembly also has a parabola-forming frame structure for the at least one glass mirror. The parabola-forming frame structure includes a sternum that is fixedly fastened to a spine with the at least one glass mirror therebetween. The parabola-forming frame structure facilitates a substantially parabolic curvature of the at least one glass mirror. The parabola-forming frame structure provides a substantially uniform force along a line of contact between the sternum and the at least one glass mirror.