Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

A mounting assembly may include an arced connecting member that includes a first drive chain along a bottom surface of the arced connecting member, a second drive chain positioned adjacent to the first drive chain, and a third drive chain in a gap between the first and the second drive chains. The mounting assembly may include an intermittent-motion drive system that has a drive wheel with a nub extending from a lateral surface of the drive wheel, the nub being shaped to interface with notches included along the third drive chain. The intermittent-motion drive system may include a first and a second protrusion shaped to interface with surfaces of the first and second drive chains, respectively. Rotation of a drive axle extending through the drive wheel may affect rotation of the drive wheel, rotational movement of the nub extending from the drive wheel, and movement of the arced connecting member.

A coupling system for use with a solar tracker includes a torque tube coupling defining an arcuate slot therethrough, a mounting bracket couplable to a portion of a pier, and a first fastener, a portion of the first fastener slidably and rotatably received within a portion of the slot to enable polyaxial rotation of the torque tube coupling relative to the mounting bracket.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

An absorber system solves problems of known absorber systems for use in solar fields in that the absorber tube is suspended on a rail below an absorber cover. The design also makes it possible to move measuring and cleaning robots and the like along the absorber tube more and allows the absorber tube and the secondary reflector to be jointly suspended, whereby an exact mutual alignment between the two components is enabled.

In an example, the solar tracker has a clamp assembly that is configured to pivot a torque tube. In an example, the assembly has a support structure configured as a frame having configured by a first anchoring region and a second anchoring region. In an example, the support structure is configured from a thickness of metal material. In an example, the support structure is configured in an upright manner, and has a major plane region. In an example, the assembly has a pivot device configured on the support structure and a torque tube suspending on the pivot device and aligned within an opening of the support and configured to be normal to the plane region. In an example, the torque tube is configured on the pivot device to move about an arc in a first direction or in a second direction such that the first direction is in a direction opposite to the second direction.

The invention relates to a parabolic trough collector comprising a parabolic, trough-shaped main reflector, preferably as a steel girder construction running holding device with a plurality of support arms for holding of the main reflector, an absorber tube, which extends along the focal line of the Main reflector extends and in which a heat transfer medium is heated, and a foundation, wherein the holding device on the foundation by a vertical axis is rotatably mounted.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

A two-piece truss leg with an articulating coupler for an A-frame-shaped truss foundation system for single-axis trackers. The coupler is attached to the head of each screw anchor to enable it to be driven. A connection portion extends above the coupler and is received within an open end of an upper leg to allow the upper leg to be misaligned with respect to it corresponding screw anchor.