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.

A method may include obtaining information from a weather forecasting service that relates to indicators of an incoming hail event. The method may include determining a stowing score that quantifies whether the hail event is likely to occur within a period of time based on the information from the weather forecasting service. Responsive to the stowing score exceeding a threshold value, a time at which the incoming hail event is likely to occur may be predicted based on the weather forecasting service information. The threshold value may indicate a threshold likelihood of the hail event occurring or a threshold period of time before occurrence. The method may include determining a wind direction at the predicted time at which the hail event is likely to occur and stowing photovoltaic modules based on the wind direction.

Solar array (1) comprising solar modules (3) distributed in rows (10), each solar module comprising solar collector (5) carried by a single-axis solar tracker (4), a reference solar power plant (2) comprising a central reference solar module and at least one secondary reference solar module, and a piloting unit (7) adapted for: piloting the angular orientation of the central reference module according to a central reference orientation setpoint corresponding to an initial orientation setpoint, piloting the orientation of each secondary reference module according to a secondary reference orientation setpoint corresponding to the initial orientation setpoint shifted by a predefined offset angle; receiving an energy production value from each reference module; piloting the orientation of the modules, except for the reference modules, by applying the reference orientation setpoint associated to the reference module having the highest production value.

The present invention relates to a tie rod (13) capable of being fastened at two fastening points of a structure, said tie rod (13) having a first fastening end (15) comprising a first circular opening (17), and a second fastening end (16) comprising a second circular opening (18). According to the invention, the tie rod (13) has a washer (19) which is provided with an off-centre orifice (21), said washer (19) being received concentrically in the second circular opening (18) and being movable in rotation in said second circular opening (18) so as to modify the position of the off-centre orifice (21) in order to vary an interaxial fastening distance between said off-centre orifice (21) and the first circular opening (17).

A solar tracking system (200) comprises multiple solar panel modules (SPMi) forming a grid of solar panel modules, wherein the multiple solar panel modules (SPMi) are orientatable to a solar source independently of each other; and a control system (SPCi) configured to orient each of the multiple solar panel modules (SPMi) to the solar source independently of each other based on a performance model to optimize an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules, wherein the performance model predicts an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules based on a topography of the area containing the grid of solar panel modules and weather conditions local to each of the solar panel modules (SPMi).

An anti-torsion device of a solar tracker with a rotation axis, and solar tracker comprising the anti-torsion device, the device having a coupling part fixedly attached rotationally with respect to the rotation axis of the solar tracker; an extension element arranged mechanically and fixedly attached to the coupling part, further extending radially and externally with respect to the coupling part; and, an actuator and a counter-actuator arranged in a locked position, where they are in contact with the extension element, and a released position, where they are separated with respect to the extension element, when the anti-torsion device is fixedly arranged with respect to the rotation axis and in accordance with the locked position, the extension element is rotationally immobilized so that the rotation of the coupling part is further prevented.

A solar tracker system includes a torque tube, a solar panel assembly attached to the torque tube, a housing defining a chamber and a fluid passageway extending from the chamber, and an active lock connected to a seal configured to prevent a flow path of fluid while in a sealed state and allow the flow path of fluid in an unsealed state. The system further includes a controller in communication with the torque tube and the active lock. The controller is programmed to receive a command to place the solar panel assembly in a stowed position, instruct the torque tube to rotate the panel assembly to a stowed angle corresponding to the stowed position, monitor a current angle of the panel assembly, compare the current angle to the stowed angle, and instruct the seal to transition to the sealed state when the current angle is equal to the stowed angle.

Solar tracker systems include a torque tube, a column supporting the torque tube, a solar panel attached to the torque tube, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes an outer shell surrounding an inner shell. A piston is at least partially positioned within the inner shell and moveable relative thereto. An active lock of the damper assembly includes a housing positioned within the outer shell. The housing defines a cavity and a housing channel extending from the cavity to an outer fluid channel. A shaft extends into the cavity and a valve assembly is attached to the shaft. The shaft is rotatable within the cavity between an unsealed position in which the housing channel is in fluid communication with the cavity, and a sealed position in which the valve assembly is rotationally aligned with the housing channel and obstructs fluid communication between the cavity and the housing channel.

An intelligent control system for an electric curtain is provided. The intelligent control system includes a control apparatus, a monitoring apparatus, a sensing apparatus, a curtain apparatus, a lighting apparatus, and an air conditioning apparatus. The control apparatus is correspondingly coupled to the monitoring apparatus, the sensing apparatus, the curtain apparatus, the lighting apparatus, and the air conditioning apparatus. The monitoring apparatus is able to capture interior images, the sensing apparatus is able to sense exterior illuminance, and the control apparatus is configured to determine an opening degree of the curtain apparatus, illumination brightness of the lighting apparatus, and an air conditioning setting of the air conditioning apparatus by comparing different interior illuminance values, which are obtained from the interior images captured by the monitoring apparatus at different levels of interior illuminance, with an exterior illuminance value sensed by the sensing apparatus.

Solar tracker systems include a torque tube, a column supporting the torque tube, a solar panel attached to the torque tube, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes an outer shell surrounding an inner shell. A piston is at least partially positioned within the inner shell and moveable relative thereto. An active lock of the damper assembly includes a housing positioned within the outer shell. The housing defines a cavity and a housing channel extending from the cavity to an outer fluid channel. A shaft extends into the cavity and a valve assembly is attached to the shaft. The shaft is rotatable within the cavity between an unsealed position in which the housing channel is in fluid communication with the cavity, and a sealed position in which the valve assembly is rotationally aligned with the housing channel and obstructs fluid communication between the cavity and the housing channel.