Solar tracker motor having a fixed caliper and a translating caliper each with an electromagnetic brake system
Abstract
Concepts and technologies described herein provide for an accurate and cost-effective method for rotating a solar array disk for tracking the movement of the sun. According to various aspects, a motor includes a fixed caliper and a translating caliper positioned adjacent to one another. Electromagnetically controlled brakes on the translating caliper grip the solar array disk while adjacent, but spaced apart, electromagnets on the fixed caliper and the translating caliper are energized to create an attractive force that pulls the translating caliper with the solar array disk toward the fixed caliper. After reaching the fixed caliper, brakes on the fixed caliper are engaged with the disk, brakes on the translating caliper are released from the disk, and the translating caliper is pushed back to the starting location where the process repeats until the desired rotation is completed.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1082661
- Patent Number(s):
- 8362411
- Application Number:
- 12/581,997
- Assignee:
- The Boeing Company (Chicago, IL)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02K - DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC36-07GO17052
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2009 Oct 20
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
Citation Formats
Rau, Scott James. Solar tracker motor having a fixed caliper and a translating caliper each with an electromagnetic brake system. United States: N. p., 2013.
Web.
Rau, Scott James. Solar tracker motor having a fixed caliper and a translating caliper each with an electromagnetic brake system. United States.
Rau, Scott James. Tue .
"Solar tracker motor having a fixed caliper and a translating caliper each with an electromagnetic brake system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1082661.
@article{osti_1082661,
title = {Solar tracker motor having a fixed caliper and a translating caliper each with an electromagnetic brake system},
author = {Rau, Scott James},
abstractNote = {Concepts and technologies described herein provide for an accurate and cost-effective method for rotating a solar array disk for tracking the movement of the sun. According to various aspects, a motor includes a fixed caliper and a translating caliper positioned adjacent to one another. Electromagnetically controlled brakes on the translating caliper grip the solar array disk while adjacent, but spaced apart, electromagnets on the fixed caliper and the translating caliper are energized to create an attractive force that pulls the translating caliper with the solar array disk toward the fixed caliper. After reaching the fixed caliper, brakes on the fixed caliper are engaged with the disk, brakes on the translating caliper are released from the disk, and the translating caliper is pushed back to the starting location where the process repeats until the desired rotation is completed.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Tue Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Positioning system and method of orienting an object using same
patent, April 2008
- Hayden, Herbert T.
- US Patent Document 7,357,132