초록 ▼

A solar concentrator calibration tool that compensates for inconsistencies in the fabrication, assembly and installation of a solar collector system, permits the solar collector to perform optimally. The calibration tool provides feedback information to a supervisory control processor, allowing the

A solar concentrator calibration tool that compensates for inconsistencies in the fabrication, assembly and installation of a solar collector system, permits the solar collector to perform optimally. The calibration tool provides feedback information to a supervisory control processor, allowing the processor to compare the expected position of the sun to the “actual” position found by the calibration tool. The processor then generates a calibration signal, thereafter used by the collector's movement control mechanism, to compensate the tracking of the solar collector to accurately follow the movement of the sun, unconstrained by the effects of the construction inconsistencies.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An alignment tool for a solar energy collector, comprising: a sensor array, removably attached to the solar energy collector, that: receives solar energy from a sun as the sun moves along a track,senses an optimum alignment between the solar energy collector and the sun, the optimum alignment def

1. An alignment tool for a solar energy collector, comprising: a sensor array, removably attached to the solar energy collector, that: receives solar energy from a sun as the sun moves along a track,senses an optimum alignment between the solar energy collector and the sun, the optimum alignment defined as an optical axis of the solar energy collector coincident with a maximum energy position of the sun, andsignals a movement control mechanism of the solar energy collector to maintain the optimum alignment;a position encoder attached to the solar energy collector system that generates a first tracking signal indicating an actual azimuth and elevation of the solar energy collector relative to the track of the sun as the solar energy collector tracks the sun; anda processor that executes a program of machine instructions to: receive the first tracking signal,use a second tracking signal indicating an expected azimuth and elevation of the solar energy collector relative to the sun,determine an offset defined as a difference between the first and the second tracking signals, andprovide the offset to the movement control mechanism. 2. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the expected azimuth and elevation of the solar energy collector are based standard solar charts and latitude/longitude data of the solar energy collector. 3. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the sensor array comprises a quadrant photodiode sensor array, and wherein the quadrant photodiode sensor array generates a series of electrical output signals based on an amount of solar radiation received at each photodiode. 4. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the sensor array is removably attached along the optical axis of the solar energy collector, and wherein the solar energy collector maintains optimum alignment after removal of the sensor array. 5. The alignment tool of claim 1, wherein the offset is used by the movement control mechanism for each day of each year of operation of the solar energy collector. 6. An alignment system for a solar energy network comprising a plurality of co-located solar energy collectors, the alignment system, comprising: an alignment tool removably attachable to each of the plurality of solar energy collectors, the alignment tool comprising: a sensor array that when attached to a particular solar energy collector: receives solar energy from a sun as the sun moves along a track,senses an optimum alignment between the particular solar energy collector and the sun, the optimum alignment defined as an optical axis of the particular solar energy collector coincident with a maximum energy position of the sun, andsignals a movement control mechanism of the particular solar energy collector to maintain the optimum alignment;a position encoder attached to the solar energy collector system that generates a first tracking signal indicating an actual azimuth and elevation of the particular solar energy collector relative to the track of the sun as the solar energy collector tracks the sun; anda processor that, for each of the plurality of solar energy collectors, executes machine instructions to: initiate solar energy collector tracking of the sun when the sun is at a predetermined altitude above a rising horizon relative to a solar energy collector and stops solar energy collector tracking when the sun is at a predetermined altitude above a setting horizon relative to the solar energy collector,receive the first tracking signal,use a second tracking signal indicating an expected azimuth and elevation of the solar energy collector relative to the sun,determine an offset defined as a difference between the first and the second tracking signals, andprovide the offset to the movement control mechanism. 7. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the processor executes the machine instructions to: receive multiple first and second tracking signals over a period of time;compute multiple offsets based on the received first and second tracking signals; andprovide the multiple offsets to the movement control mechanism. 8. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the sensor array comprises a set of thermocouples. 9. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the sensor array comprises a matrix of photodiodes. 10. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the sensor array comprises a camera. 11. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the expected azimuth and elevation of each of solar energy collectors are based standard solar charts and latitude/longitude data of the solar energy collector. 12. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the sensor array is removably attached along the optical axis of each of the solar energy collectors, and wherein the solar energy collectors maintain optimum alignment after removal of the sensor array. 13. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the offset is used by the movement control mechanism for each day of each year of operation of the solar energy collector. 14. The alignment system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined altitude is approximately 30 degrees. 15. A method for optimizing movement of each of a plurality of solar energy collectors in an array of solar energy collectors relative to an actual track of a sun, comprising: removably mounting an alignment tool comprising a position encoder and a sensor array on a first solar energy collector;coupling the position encoder to a processor and the sensor array to a movement control mechanism of the first solar energy collector;operating the first solar energy collector to maintain an optimum movement relative to the actual track of the sun by: receiving solar energy sensing signals from the sensor array,generating a movement control signal based on the solar energy sensing signals, andsupplying the movement control signal to the movement control mechanism to cause the first solar energy to follow the actual track of the sun;determining, using the position encoder and the processor, azimuth and elevation values of the first solar energy collector as the first solar energy collector moves to follow the actual track of the sun;comparing, by the processor, the determined azimuth and elevation values to expected values of azimuth and elevation based on solar charts and actual latitude and longitude of the first solar energy collector;based on the comparison, determining by the processor, an offset value as a difference between the actual movement of the first solar energy collector when in optimum alignment with the sun and an expected movement of the first solar energy collector;supplying the offset value to the movement control mechanism; anddetaching the alignment tool from the first solar energy collector. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: repeating the method as applied to the first solar energy collectors for each of the other solar energy collectors in the solar energy collector array; andinitiating tracking of each of the solar energy collector of the sun when the sun is at a predetermined altitude above a rising horizon relative to a solar energy collector and stops solar energy collector tracking when the sun is at a predetermined altitude above a setting horizon relative to the solar energy collector. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined altitude is approximately 30 degrees.