SINGLE AXIS SOLAR TRACKER MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SOLAR PLANT IMPLEMENTING SAID METHOD

Abstract

A solar plant and single axis solar tracker management method maximize power output production. The object of the invention embraces a solar plant and a method accounting for readings being made by field sensors whilst weather forecast data are provided by third parties such as weather forecast companies collecting and broadcasting weather forecast data related to sun irradiance levels and climate conditions affecting sun irradiance levels, like clouds, pollution or fog. Some of the solar trackers of the plant are furnished with irradiance sensors, whilst the solar plant has a plurality of solar sensors arranged along; these solar sensors being configured to measure irradiance on a horizontal plane. The object of the invention envisages an outpost solar tracker configured to take radiation measurements in an inclined plane and, when it is necessary to verify the measurements of the horizontal sensors, they will go to 0° positions.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for managing single axis solar trackers fixed to the ground by posts deployed on a solar plant, the method comprises the steps of: measuring solar irradiance on a solar panel associated to said at least one single axis solar tracker by means of at least one sensor configured to measure solar irradiance arranged on the solar plant in such a way that said sensor measures solar irradiance in both: a horizontal plane, corresponding to a plane parallel to the ground and a tracking plane corresponding to a plane embracing the solar panel, collecting weather and irradiance forecast data, measuring irradiance on the horizontal plane by means of sensors arranged on the horizontal, and the irradiance on the tracking plane irradiance of the solar panel by means of said solar tracker sensors arranged along the solar plant, comparing irradiance levels on the horizontal plane and on the tracking plane, continuously determining stow conditions for each solar tracker, said conditions being listed as: higher irradiance levels on the horizontal plane than in the tracking plane, higher irradiance levels on the horizontal plane than in the tracking plane to continue for a certain time period according to weather forecast data, and the solar trackers are not positioned at an angle close to the horizontal plane, bringing to a stow position, wherein the solar panel is in the horizontal plane, one of the solar trackers being arranged next to the sensor configuring said solar tracker as an outpost solar tracker, verifying that irradiance values measured in the previous steps determine an increase of solar irradiance when bringing the outpost solar tracker to the horizontal plane, commanding: the outpost solar tracker to tracking mode, and the remaining solar trackers to stow position, once the remaining solar trackers are set at stow position, it is periodically checked whether the conditions to return to the normal operating mode are met, these are: low or no solar irradiance available, there is an alarm associated to sensors malfunctioning, and when the solar tracker is not already in a position close to the horizontal plane the conditions further comprise: higher irradiance levels are being read in the tracking plane, and it is predicted that there will be more radiation in the tracking plane in a time period comprised between 15 and 60 minutes.

12. The method for managing single axis solar trackers deployed on a solar plant according to claim 1, wherein the weather forecast data are provided by a third party.

13. The method for managing single axis solar trackers deployed on a solar plant according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is arranged on a structure having a height equal or approximately similar to that of the post of the solar trackers.

14. The method for managing single axis solar trackers deployed on a solar plant according to claim 1, wherein the weather forecast data are related to sun irradiance and climate conditions affecting sun irradiance levels, like clouds, pollution or fog.

15. The method for managing single axis solar trackers deployed on a solar plant according to claim 1, further comprising generating active alarm associated to sensors malfunctioning when the outpost solar tracker is not set to tracking operation mode and the rest of the solar trackers are not sent to stow position.

16. The method for managing single axis solar trackers deployed on a solar plant according to claim 1, wherein the outpost solar tracker is a first solar tracker equipped with solar tracker sensor contacted by means of the communication network.

17. The method for managing single axis solar trackers deployed on a solar plant according to claim 1, wherein solar trackers furnished with solar tracker sensors to measure and determine irradiance are arranged near to solar sensors so that when both sensors are horizontal, they can be considered to offer the same measurement of irradiance.

18. A solar plant comprising solar trackers operating solar panels, the solar plant comprising: solar sensors arranged along the solar plant and configured to measure irradiance on the horizontal plane of the solar panel, and solar tracker sensors arranged on some of the solar trackers and configured to measure irradiance on the tracking plane of the solar panel.

19. The solar plant of claim 18, wherein the solar trackers equipped with solar tracker sensors are solar trackers within a range of two solar trackers associated to each horizontal solar sensor having a North-South slope closest to a north-south slope average value of the solar plant.

20. The solar plant of claim 18, further comprising an outpost solar tracker being a first solar tracker equipped with solar tracker sensor with which communication can be established.

21. The solar plant of claim 19, further comprising an outpost solar tracker being a first solar tracker equipped with solar tracker sensor with which communication can be established.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] To complement the description being made and in order to aid towards a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description wherein, with illustrative and non-limiting character, the following has been represented:

[0019] FIG. 1.—Shows a diagram representing the flowchart of the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The object of the invention may start as represented in FIG. 1, from a normal tracking state at a solar plant comprising solar trackers associated to respective solar panels, and the pant being furnished with at least one solar sensor able to measure and determine solar irradiance on a horizontal plane.

[0021] With some of the solar trackers being associated to solar tracker sensors to measure irradiance on a tracking plane of the respective solar tracker, the method may start by a step of continuously evaluating whether stow conditions are met for each solar panel or not; consequently, for a solar tracker with solar tracker sensors being operated by a solar tracker controller; said stow conditions may be listed as follows: [0022] 1. There is more irradiance on the horizontal plane than on the tracking plane; this being determined by means of sensor readings, in such a way that horizontal plane measurements will be carried out by means of the solar plant sensors deployed along the solar plant, whereas tracking measurements will be carried out by means of the solar tracker sensors associated to some of the solar trackers. Those solar trackers equipped with solar tracker sensors cannot be brought to stow position since the tracking plane readings would be lost and the method of the invention requires from those. [0023] 2. This situation is predicted to continue for a time, this is determined by means of forecasts provided by third parties. [0024] 3. Any solar tracker furnished with solar tracker sensors is not positioned at an angle close to 0°, being 0° a position at the horizontal plane where the solar panel are levelled in an east-west direction facing upwards; being this a stow position.

[0025] Hence the object of the invention embraces a solar plant and a method accounting for readings being made by field sensors whilst weather forecast data are provided by third parties such as weather forecast companies collecting and broadcasting weather forecast data related to sun irradiance levels and climate conditions affecting sun irradiance levels, like clouds, pollution or fog.

[0026] Once these conditions are met, the solar plant (and therefore all the solar trackers deployed thereon) may be brought to a stow position, but as an intermediate phase of verification, one of the solar trackers that is furnished with the at least one sensor able to measure and determine solar irradiance, is brought to 0° thus configuring said solar tracker as an outpost solar tracker. Once verified that an irradiance value measured by the sensor of the outpost solar determines an increase of solar irradiance when bringing the associated solar panel to the horizontal plane, then the outpost solar tracker is commanded to return to tracking mode and the rest of the solar tackers in the solar plant are commanded to be sent to a stow position. If not, it means that there is an error in the sensors, hence a corresponding warning will be generated and the solar trackers at the solar plant will continue tracking.

[0027] Once the solar trackers not being furnished with solar tracker sensors are set at stow position, it is periodically reviewed to see if any of the conditions to return to the normal operating mode are met, these are: [0028] Low or no solar irradiance available, i.e. night-time. [0029] There is an active alarm. [0030] Higher irradiance levels are being read in the tracking plane* [0031] It is predicted that there will be more radiation in the tracking plane in a short time (preferably a time period comprised between 15 and 60 minutes)* [0032] These two cases will only be considered when the solar tracker is not already in a position close to 0°.

[0033] If any of these conditions is met, the tracking state is returned and the conditions to go to Stow are started again.