Single-axis solar tracker and solar power installation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a single-axis solar tracker and solar power installation. The tracker comprising: a row H 1 of coplanar and adjacent solar panels P secured to a horizontal common rotating shaft E 1; a support structure wherein said common rotating shaft E 1 is rotatably mounted, actuation means with a geared motor M in connection with a part P 1 in the form of a circular sector secured to the common rotating shaft E 1, and a support base B 1 attached to the ground wherein said support structure and said geared motor M are secured. The solar power installation comprises the solar tracker proposed with its actuation mechanism in mechanical connection with a series of actuation mechanisms of other solar trackers included in the installation.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A single-axis solar tracker of the type comprising:
 at least one row (H 1 ) of coplanar and adjacent solar panels (P), secured to a horizontal common rotating shaft (E 1 );   at least one support structure wherein said common rotating shaft (E 1 ) is rotatably mounted,   actuation means for rotating said common rotating shaft (E 1 ) for the purpose of orienting said row (H 1 ) of solar panels with respect to the position of the sun, said actuation means comprising at least one geared motor (M) in connection with at least one part (P 1 ) in the form of a circular sector secured to said common rotating shaft (E 1 ), coaxially with the same or with its geometric axis slightly displaced therefrom, and at least one support base (B 1 ) attached to the ground wherein said at least one support structure and said geared motor (M) are secured, characterized in that the solar tracker further comprises releasable securing means for securing/releasing said geared motor (M) from the support base (B 1 ), and in that it comprises a rail ( 2 ) wherein said geared motor (M) is guided, for removing the geared motor (M) in a guided manner from the support base (B 1 ) once released from the same.   
     
     
         16 . The solar tracker according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least one support structure comprises at least one column (C 1 ) with a first end (C 1   a ) secured to an annular bearing element (A 1 ), through which said common rotating shaft (E 1 ) is rotatably arranged, and a second end (C 1   b ) secured to said at least one support base (B 1 ). 
     
     
         17 . The solar tracker according to  claim 16 , further comprising a single support base (B 1 ), and in that said geared motor (M) is secured to said support base (B 1 ) such that the output rotation shaft thereof is aligned with said common rotating shaft (E 1 ) in the same vertical plane. 
     
     
         18 . The solar tracker according to  claim 15 , wherein that said support structure comprises at least two parallel trestles, on either side of the mentioned part (P 1 ) in the form of a circular sector, each of them formed by two beams (C 2 -C 3 ) converging at a first end (C 2   a -C 3   a ) being secured in an annular bearing element (A 1 ), through which the mentioned common rotating shaft (E 1 ) is rotatably arranged, said beams (C 2 -C 3 ) being secured at second ends (C 2   b -C 3   b ) in the mentioned at least one support base (B 1 ), and the geared motor being arranged between the two beams (C 2 -C 3 ) of at least one of said trestles. 
     
     
         19 . The solar tracker according to  claim 18 , wherein said support base (B 1 ) comprises at least two blocks (B 1   a,  B 1   b ) separated from one another, each of said second ends (C 2   b -C 3   b ) of said beams (C 2 -C 3 ) being secured to one respective block of said two blocks (B 1   a,  B 1   b ). 
     
     
         20 . The solar tracker according to  claim 19 , wherein that said geared motor (M) is secured to said two blocks (B 1   a,  B 1   b ). 
     
     
         21 . The solar tracker according to  claim 15 , wherein that said geared motor (M) is secured to said support base (B 1 ) through a frame or support part ( 3 ) of the geared motor (M). 
     
     
         22 . The solar tracker according to  claim 15 , wherein that the width of each of the coplanar and adjacent solar panels, transversally to the mentioned common rotating shaft (E 1 ), is greater than the distance between said common rotating shaft (E 1 ) and said support base (B 1 ). 
     
     
         23 . The solar tracker according to  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of additional support structures ( 11 ) wherein said common rotating shaft (E 1 ) is rotatably mounted at different points distanced length-wise, and a plurality of support bases (B 2 -B 7 ), in each of which at least one of said plurality of additional support structures ( 11 ) is secured. 
     
     
         24 . The solar tracker according to  claim 15 , wherein said actuation means comprise a traction operated flexible element ( 4 ) which travels along several cogwheels (R 1 , R 2 , R 3 ), at least one (R 2 ) of which in connection with the shaft (Me) of said geared motor (M) to be displaced by the same, said chain ( 4 ) being secured at its two ends to two respective points of said semicircular part (P 1 ) for displacing it rotationally by traction. 
     
     
         25 . A solar power installation comprising the solar tracker (S 1 ) according to  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of analogous solar trackers (S 2 , S 3 , S 4 , S 5 ), an actuation means of which lack a geared motor, and transmission mechanisms for transmitting rotation of the geared motor (M) to all the solar trackers. 
     
     
         26 . The solar power installation according to  claim 25 , wherein said transmission mechanisms comprise a series of connecting rods (D 1 -D 4 ) and a series of cranks (M 1 -M 4 ), each of them connected to a respective common rotating shaft (E 2 -E 5 ) of one of said analogous solar trackers (S 2 -S 5 ). 
     
     
         27 . The solar power installation according to  claim 26 , wherein two of said connecting rods (D 1 , D 2 ) are articulately connected at one end to said part (P 1 ) in the form of a circular sector, and at their other ends to two respective cranks (M 1 , M 2 ) of two (S 2 , S 4 ) of said solar trackers, and the rest of the connecting rods (D 3 , D 4 ) are articulately connected at each of their ends to a respective crank (M 3 , M 4 ) of the rest of said solar trackers (S 3 , S 5 ), interconnecting all the cranks (M 1 -M 4 ) and said part (P 1 ) in the form of a circular sector, of all the solar trackers (S 1 -S 5 ), such that the movement produced by the geared motor (M) of the solar tracker ( 51 ) according to one of claims  1  to  11  is transmitted to the cranks (M 1 -M 4 ) of the rest of solar trackers (S 2 -S 5 ), and to the rotating shafts (E 2 -E 5 ) which are secured thereto.