PRE-ASSEMBLY PLANT FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR TRACKERS AND PRE-ASSEMBLY METHOD ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PLANT

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a pre-assembly plant for the pre-assembly of units of a solar tracker, wherein said units include a set of photovoltaic panels arranged on a structure formed by a main shaft and a plurality of purlins. Said plant advantageously includes a conveyance line for conveying components of the units, in the proximity of which at least the following pre-assembly sections are arranged: a section equipped with features to receive components of the units, and an unloading area thereof; a fitting section for fitting the purlins to the shafts; an installation section for installing photovoltaic panels on the purlins; and a finishing section for the pre-assembly of the units and for the stockpiling thereof in support structures. The disclosure likewise relates to a pre-assembly method for the pre-assembly of units comprising the use of said plant.

Claims

1. A pre-assembly plant for the pre-assembly of units of a photovoltaic solar tracker, wherein each of said units comprises a set of photovoltaic panels arranged on a structure formed by a main shaft and a plurality of transverse purlins, wherein said structure is suitable for being fixed to a set of posts driven, anchored, or cemented on the terrain of a solar field, wherein said plant comprises a conveyance line for conveying components of the units, in the proximity of which at least the following pre-assembly sections are arranged: a section equipped with receiving means for receiving one or more components of the units as well as the connecting elements therebetween, and an unloading area thereof; a fitting section for fitting the purlins to the shafts; an installation section for installing photovoltaic panels on the purlins; and a finishing section for finishing the pre-assembly of the units and for the stockpiling thereof in support structures.

2. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance line comprises at least one discontinuous region, suitable for performing pre-assembly operations on the units at a lower height than that of said line.

3. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 2, wherein the discontinuous region of the conveyance line has a length less than half the length of the shafts.

4. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance line comprises at least one region with a conveyance segment on which the main shaft of the unit can be longitudinally arranged, and one region with two substantially parallel conveyance segments on which the purlins of the units can be transversely arranged, the shaft remaining between said segments, suspended from the purlins.

5. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 1 further comprising a marking section for marking the shafts.

6. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 1, wherein the units further comprise one or more ball joints for connection to the posts of the solar trackers, and wherein said plant comprises a fitting section for fitting the mentioned ball joints to the main shafts of the units.

7. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 6, wherein the ball joints are connected to the main shaft by a system of bushings fixed through clamps.

8. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 6, wherein the ball joints comprise support features fixed to the posts of the tracker.

9. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 1, wherein the finishing section for the pre-assembly and stockpiling of units comprises a plurality of modular and/or stackable support structures.

10. The pre-assembly plant according to claim 1, wherein: said plant comprises a canopy structure suitable for at least partially covering one or more of its pre-assembly sections; said plant comprises several conveyance lines for the assembly of the units in parallel; said plant comprises one or more of its sections arranged in a rolling installation; and/or said plant has a mobile and/or uninstallable structure of the solar field.

11. A pre-assembly method for the pre-assembly of units of a photovoltaic solar tracker in a plant according to claim 1, comprising the performance of the following steps: conveying the components of the units to an unloading area thereof, and arranging the main shafts of the units longitudinally on the conveyance line; fitting the purlins to the main shafts of the units; installing the photovoltaic panels on the purlins; removing the pre-assembled units from the conveyance line and stockpiling on support structures for the subsequent conveyance thereof to the solar field.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising marking the shafts for the subsequent assembly of the purlins or ball joints of the solar tracker on the marks arranged in said shafts.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising fitting the ball joints to the main shafts of the units and angularly orienting said ball joints prior to the stockpiling of the units.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said plant has a mobile and/or uninstallable structure of the solar field, and wherein said method further comprises removing said structure after carrying out the pre-assembly of a plurality of units; and/or wherein one or more of the steps of said method is carried out in a partially or totally robotized way.

15. An installation method for installing a photovoltaic solar tracker, comprising: performing the pre-assembly method for the pre-assembly of one or more units according to claim 11; conveying said units in a stockpiled manner to a point of installation in the solar field; and assembling the units on a plurality of posts driven, anchored, or cemented on the terrain.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The preceding and other features and advantages will be better understood from the detailed description of the invention, as well as from the preferred embodiments referring to the attached drawings, in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 depicts a general diagram of the pre-assembly plant of the invention according to a preferred embodiment thereof.

[0051] FIGS. 2-3 show two perspective views of the steps of fixing the purlins to the shaft of the photovoltaic solar tracker according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0052] FIGS. 4-5 respectively show a perspective view of a ball joint and its support element on a post of the tracker, and a perspective view illustrating the fixing of said ball joint to the shaft of the tracker, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0053] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the step of fixing the angle of orientation of a ball joint relative to the shaft and to the photovoltaic panels of the solar tracker, prior to the stockpiling of the units thereof, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0054] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a known photovoltaic panel.

[0055] FIGS. 8-9 respectively show a profile view of a photovoltaic panel fixed to a purlin, and a perspective view of a detail in which the attachment elements between said panel and said purlin according to a preferred embodiment of the invention are depicted.

[0056] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a shaft of the tracker on a conveyance line, according to an embodiment of the invention, on which a set of purlins and photovoltaic panels have been fitted.

[0057] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a set of completely pre-assembled units stacked on a stockpiling structure, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0058] A detailed description of the invention in reference to a preferred embodiment thereof according to the information provided in FIGS. 1-11 herein is described below. Said description is provided for purposes of illustrating but not limiting the claimed invention.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a preferred embodiment of the mobile plant (1) of the invention, where the different sections and main modules thereof are depicted. The different steps of assembling the solar units (2) (also referred to as solar module sets, or units) are depicted from left to right, in chronological order, each of said units (2) being formed by a set of photovoltaic panels (3) arranged on a structure formed by a main shaft (4) and a plurality of transverse beams (5) (or purlins).

[0060] The plant (1) of the invention is preferably installed on an area of land close to the solar field, or in the actual solar field, from where the finished units (2) could be moved, and stacked together, to different installation points for installing solar trackers in said field. Each of the units (2) is assembled preferably on a set of posts previously driven, anchored, or cemented in the solar field. Likewise, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the units (2) can be connected to a plurality of ball joints (6) which serve both for structurally connecting the shaft (4) with the posts and for providing rotational capacity to the solar tracker (and therefore, capacity to track the sun throughout the day by means of the motorization of the shaft (4) and the programming of the rotation thereof through electromechanical and/or electronic control means).

[0061] In this manner, and by improving the assembly methods of the state of the art, the capacity to be able to previously assemble all the units (2) in the pre-assembly plant (1) and stack them considerably streamlines the installation operations for installing the solar trackers. Likewise, once said operations have ended, the pre-assembly plant (1) can be dismantled and removed from the solar field in a mobile manner, which also simplifies the permanent infrastructure required in said field, and it furthermore allows reusing the plant (1) for other solar fields, as well as installing it again at other later times, should it be necessary to install new trackers (for example, to replace or to enlarge part of the solar field).

[0062] To demarcate the grounds of the pre-assembly plant (1), a canopy structure will preferably be used intended for covering one or more of the pre-assembly modules of said plant (1). The main purpose of doing this is to protect both the operators in charge of assembling the units (2) and the components thereof from weathering (mainly the sun, rain, and wind). Therefore, the dimensions of the canopy must be large enough to house both the human assembly team and the assembly and installation machinery and tools. Alternatively, or complementary, in a preferred embodiment of the invention one or more of the sections of the pre-assembly plant (1) may be comprised in a rolling installation, i.e., forming part of a vehicle of the type of a truck, a car, a trailer, or the like.

[0063] The arrangement of the assembly modules for assembling the units (2) in the plant (1) has a preferably linear configuration under which at least one conveyance line (7) for conveying elements is arranged, the purpose of which is to convey the components of the units (2) as they are assembled with one another from an initial point of the plant (1) (from the left, in FIG. 1), to an end point (to the right) where the units (2) are completely assembled and ready to be conveyed to different points of the solar field for assembly on the posts, the installation of the solar trackers thus being completed. In the embodiments of the invention based on a single conveyance line (7), the assembly of the units (2) is performed in series. Nevertheless, in alternative embodiments, it is also possible to arrange more than one assembly line (7) in the plant (1), which also allows performing pre-assembly operations in parallel.

[0064] The conveyance line (7) preferably comprises rotating and/or sliding means, such as conveyor belts, rollers, or the like, on which the components of the units (2) are arranged for their displacement along the assembly line of the plant (1). The operators in charge of the pre-assembly tasks are arranged, accordingly, at different points of the conveyance line (7), for carrying out the steps of the assembly method for assembling the units (2). To that end, the conveyance line (7) must have a height suitable for the operators to work comfortably on same. The conveyance line (7) may preferably comprise a single rotating means (for example, a conveyor belt) or, alternatively, two or more rotating means (for example, two conveyor belts) arranged in a substantially parallel manner.

[0065] Each of the sections of the pre-assembly plant (1) according to the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, as well as the different steps of the pre-assembly method for the pre-assembly of units (2) according to the present invention are described below: [0066] a) Unloading Section (8) for Unloading Components:

[0067] This section is preferably intended for receiving the different components of the units (2), such as the photovoltaic panels (3), shafts (4), and purlins (5), as well as the connecting elements therebetween. To that end, an unloading area (8) for the mentioned components (3, 4, 5) will be enabled, preferably by means of a crane or similar machinery, which will be conveyed to the plant (1) from a factory or remote storage, for example in a truck. The components (3, 4, 5) will preferably be stacked, such that the unloading (8) thereof can be done in a simple manner through their connection to the crane by means of tools such as slings, spring hooks, etc.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, during the step of unloading (8) the shafts (4) of the trackers are arranged linearly on the conveyance line (7), such that the rest of the components (3, 5) can be assembled on said shafts (4) as they move along the linear path of the plant (1). [0069] b) Marking Section (9) for Marking the Shafts (4):

[0070] Once the shafts (4) are arranged on the conveyance line (7), it is possible to carry out an optional step of marking (9) same for the purpose of indicating those points where the connections with the purlins (5) as well as with any other components fixed to said shafts (4), such as the ball joints (6), will be performed. To that end, the operators will mark (for example, by means of marker pens) on the shaft (4) where said purlins (5) and ball joints (6) will be located, according to the specific dimensions required for the solar tracker. In other embodiments, the shafts (4) can reach the plant (1) previously marked at the factory or in storage, which means that this step is not necessary in the pre-assembly plant (1). [0071] c) Fitting Section (10) for Fitting the Purlins (5):

[0072] The fitting (10) of the purlins (5) to the shafts (4) at the points intended for that purpose will be performed in this step of the pre-assembly method. To that end, the corresponding connection means (10, 10, 10) will be used, such as, for example, those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, based on a set of screws (10), nuts (10), and adjustable U-bolts (10) which firmly clamp the purlin (5) to the shaft (4) by tightening means.

[0073] Likewise, in the example of FIGS. 2-3, it can be seen how the fitting (10) of the purlins (5) in this preferred embodiment is performed with the shafts (4) being located outside the conveyance line (7) (that is, with the shaft (4) longitudinally protruding from said line (7)), in a discontinuous portion thereof, such that the connection means (10, 10, 10) for connecting to the purlins (5) can be applied in the lower region of the shaft (4), according to the arrangement thereof on the mentioned conveyance line (7). More preferably, the discontinuous region of the conveyance line (7) has a length less than half the length of the shafts (4), at the end of which a new line (7, 7), preferably having two substantially parallel segments, will start, such that the already fixed purlins (5) are what are supported thereon, instead of the shaft (4) (which will be arranged between the two conveyance lines (7, 7)). This solution allows performing the assembly of the purlins (5) in an uninterrupted manner in the conveyance line (7, 7), maintaining the forward movement of the components and following a single layout in the assembly line, and preventing the connection means (10, 10, 10) from hindering the sliding on said line (7, 7). Likewise, the two regions of the conveyance line (7, 7) separated by the discontinuous region will have a difference in height suitable for overcoming the unevenness existing between the support area of the shaft (4) and the support area of the purlins (5) (typically in the order of substantially 15 cm). [0074] d) Fitting Section (11) for Fitting Ball Joints (6):

[0075] In those solar trackers based on a rotating shaft (4) and a set of ball joints (6) for connecting to the posts of said trackers, the plant (1) of the invention may contemplate an optional step of fitting (11) the mentioned ball joints (6) before, simultaneously to, or after the fitting of the purlins (5). This step can be performed both in the discontinuous segment of the conveyance line (7) and in a later region of said line, based on two segments (7, 7) on which the purlins (5) are supported (that is, the access to the later part of the shaft (4) being free).

[0076] Preferably, as depicted in FIGS. 4-5 herein, the ball joints (6) are connected to the shaft (4) of the tracker by means of a system of bushings (11) that can be fixed through clamps (11) (for example, tightening with screws). More preferably, the ball joints (6) will also have support means (11) that can be fixed to the posts of the tracker. As explained, the fixing of the ball joints (6) to the posts will not be performed in the mobile plant (1), but rather in the actual solar field, after the pre-assembly of the units (2).

[0077] Once the fitting (11) of the ball joints (6) to the shaft (4) has been performed, at any time before the stockpiling of the units (2), it is possible to perform a later sub-step of orienting the ball joints (6), securing them such that the rotation or displacement thereof is prevented during the process of handling or storing the unit (2). To that end (and as shown in FIG. 6), a locking element (11) for locking the ball joint (6) is preferably placed on the shaft (4), improving both the safety of the components during final stockpiling and the optimization of the total space of the set. The locking element (11) may comprise flat bars, screws, U-bolts, flanges, or any other similar device intended for that purpose. [0078] e) Installation Section (12) for Installing Photovoltaic Panels (3):

[0079] In this step, the installation (12) of the photovoltaic panels (3) on the purlins (5) of the solar tracker is carried out. As shown in FIGS. 7-9, said panels are preferably formed by a frame (12) and by a plurality of photovoltaic cells (12). The installation of the panels (3) on the purlins (5) is preferably performed by means of fixing their frames (12) through tightening means (12), such as bolts, rivets, pegs, screws, and corresponding nuts or washers. FIGS. 8 and 9 herein show two views which illustrate the position of the panels (3) in relation to the purlins (5), as well as the tightening means (12) for the fixing thereof. Likewise, FIG. 10 shows a structure of the shaft (4) of the tracker on which there are fixed ball joints (6) and purlins (5), and on the latter, some of the photovoltaic panels (3) of the unit (2). [0080] f) Finishing Section for Finishing the Pre-Assembly and Stockpiling (13) of Units (2):

[0081] Once the placement and fitting of all the photovoltaic panels (3) on the purlins (5) in a unit (2) has been completed, said unit will be finished and ready for stockpiling (13) together with other also finished units (2). At that point, the removal of the unit (2) from the conveyance line (7, 7) is performed (preferably by means of a crane), and the stockpiling thereof on a support structure (13) suitable for receiving a plurality of units (2) in a modular and compact manner is carried out (see the example in FIG. 11). In this manner, they can all be transferred together from the mobile pre-assembly plant (1) to the point of installation in the solar field. Said transfer will preferably be performed by loading the support structure (13) with the units (2) in a vehicle and taking it to the line of posts of the solar tracker, where each unit (2) will be connected to said posts (for example, through the supports (11) of the ball joints (6) thereof), forming the complete structure of the tracker.