Amorphous silicon cell array powered solar tracking apparatus
- Lawrenceville, NJ
An array of an even number of amorphous silicon solar cells are serially connected between first and second terminals of opposite polarity. The terminals are connected to one input terminal of a DC motor whose other input terminal is connected to the mid-cell of the serial array. Vane elements are adjacent the end cells to selectively shadow one or the other of the end cells when the array is oriented from a desired attitude relative to the sun. The shadowing of one cell of a group of cells on one side of the mid-cell reduces the power of that group substantially so that full power from the group of cells on the other side of the mid-cell drives the motor to reorient the array to the desired attitude. The cell groups each have a full power output at the power rating of the motor. When the array is at the desired attitude the power output of the two groups of cells balances due to their opposite polarity so that the motor remains unpowered.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO
- DOE Contract Number:
- EG-77-C-01-4042
- Assignee:
- RCA Corporation (Princeton, NJ)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4556788
- OSTI ID:
- 865691
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
adjacent
amorphous
amorphous silicon
apparatus
array
attitude
balances
cell
cell array
cell reduces
cells
connected
dc
dc motor
desired
drives
due
elements
input
input terminal
mid-cell
motor
opposite
opposite polarity
oriented
output
polarity
power
power output
power rating
powered
rating
reduces
relative
remains
reorient
selectively
serial
serially
serially connected
shadow
shadowing
silicon
silicon cell
silicon solar
solar
solar cell
solar cells
solar tracking
substantially
sun
terminal
terminals
tracking
tracking apparatus
unpowered
vane