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 dual drive shaft solar tracker system comprises a photovoltaic (PV) structure, which includes at least one solar panel, a support structure and first and second drive shafts. The first and second drive shafts comprise first and second belt mechanisms wherein movement of the PV structure occurs by wrapping belts of the first belt mechanism onto the first drive shaft and by wrapping belts of the second belt mechanism onto the second drive shaft so as to provide a non-linear wrapping rate to accommodate the non-linearity of the belt wrapping onto the first and second drive shafts. A linkage, which ties two rows that are unbalanced in opposite directions, cancels out the imbalance as long as both rows have identical components. This allows trackers to use PV modules of any size and weight and the perfect balance is unaffected.

This disclosure relates to exact sun-tracking devices by the principle of exact sun-following by independent 2-DOF, which says if the daily rotation axis is installed on a ground structure in parallel with the earth's rotation axis and the elevation angle axis is mounted perpendicularly to the daily rotation axis then the two rotational degrees of freedom are independent of each other. This property makes a separate intermittent control with a forward half-step setting very efficient and energy-saving. A control system by a wire loop driving mechanism has several advantages, holding the structure securely, relieving a motor weight from the over-structure, and allowing a simple economic control with self-locking. Three structural types are categorized: a long shaft type, a tip-tilt type, and a tension structure type. An array sun-tracking device with an efficient wire loop actuating mechanism illustrates a preferred sun power generation system for general and industrial applications.

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 dual drive shaft solar tracker system comprises a photovoltaic (PV) structure, which includes at least one solar panel, a support structure and first and second drive shafts. The first and second drive shafts comprise first and second belt mechanisms wherein movement of the PV structure occurs by wrapping belts of the first belt mechanism onto the first drive shaft and by wrapping belts of the second belt mechanism onto the second drive shaft so as to provide a non-linear wrapping rate to accommodate the non-linearity of the belt wrapping onto the first and second drive shafts. A linkage, which ties two rows that are unbalanced in opposite directions, cancels out the imbalance as long as both rows have identical components. This allows trackers to use PV modules of any size and weight and the perfect balance is unaffected.

Provided is a photovoltaic apparatus including: a power generation part including a plurality of power generating elements each generating power in accordance with an amount of received light, the power generation part having a light receiving surface and a back surface positioned on an opposite side to the light receiving surface; a function part provided separately from the power generation part and configured to provide functions regarding the photovoltaic apparatus; and a position changeable part provided between the power generation part and the function part and capable of changing positions of the power generation part and the function part, wherein the back surface of the power generation part faces the function part face, and the position changeable part is capable of changing the positions of the power generation part and the function part while maintaining a state where the back surface of the power generation part faces the function part.

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.

The invention is directed to a solar tracking apparatus that with permanent adjustment for latitude and pre-operation seasonal adjustment, when aimed at the Sun, will with rotation alone, track the Sun. The apparatus defines a permanently polar axis aligned shaft which rotates by the force of a weighted hydraulic timed drive continuously or intermittently at a rate simulating the apparent approximate fifteen degree per hour movement of the Sun across the sky. A two-ended carriage is fitted with a Fresnel lens or other solar concentrating or collecting element on one end and a targeted receiver is fitted to the other end. The carriage is adjustably mounted to about twenty three degrees either side of perpendicular to the polar aligned shaft thus focusing and concentrating the solar radiation on a receiving device, which stores the solar energy in the form of heat.

A drive assembly for a heliostat is described, wherein the drive assembly may be configured to dynamically adjust the position of an attached reflector in concentrated solar power applications. The drive assembly may be further configured to provide for biasing of the reflector to reduce backlash due to external loads. The biasing force may be provided by at least one of a spring, counterweight, or offset of the center of gravity of the reflector or other attachment, or some combination thereof.

A pressure-driven solar photovoltaic panel automatic tracking device includes a photovoltaic panel, a rotating shaft, a rotating wheel, a transmission component, a first counterweight, a second counterweight, a bellow tube, and a gas supply mechanism; the photovoltaic panel is fixed to the rotating shaft, the rotating wheel is fixed to the rotating shaft, the rotating wheel is provided with the transmission component, and both ends of the transmission component are respectively connected to the first counterweight and the second counterweight; the first counterweight is connected to the bellow tube, and the bellow tube is connected to the gas supply mechanism; and the bellow tube is expanded and contracted by controlling he gas supply mechanism, so that the first counterweight moves in the vertical direction, thereby driving the rotating wheel to rotate, so as to realize the automatic tracking of the sunlight by the photovoltaic panel.