Title: Pneumatic actuation circuit system and method

Abstract

A system for controlling a rotation of one or more solar panels about an axis of rotation, comprising one or more solar panels defining a longitudinal axis, one or more bellows actuators coupled to the one or more solar panels and defining an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the panels, a fluid source, a first valve circuit coupled to the bellows actuators and the fluid source, a second valve circuit coupled to the bellows actuators and the fluid source, and a controller, wherein introduction or release of fluid from one or more of the bellows actuators is configured to cause rotation of the one or more actuators about the axis of rotation.

Inventors:

Basel, Louis Hong; Erickson, Joshua Earle; Goldwater, Dan; Lamb, Jeffrey Charles; Madrone, Leila; Romanin, Vincent Domenic; Schneider, Matthew N.

Issue Date:

2021-03-09

Research Org.:

Sunfolding, Inc., San Francisco, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1805614

Patent Number(s):

10944353

Application Number:

15/955,506

Assignee:

Sunfolding, Inc. (San Francisco, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B25 - HAND TOOLS B25J - MANIPULATORS

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F15 - FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS F15B - SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B25 - HAND TOOLS B25J - MANIPULATORS

B25J9/142 - {comprising inflatable bodies}

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F15 - FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS F15B - SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL

F15B15/10 - the motor being of diaphragm type
F15B2211/6303 - using input signals
F15B2211/6309 - the pressure being a pressure source supply pressure
F15B2211/6336 - representing a state of the output member, e.g. position, speed or acceleration
F15B2211/6656 - Closed loop control, i.e. control using feedback
F15B2211/7107 - the output members being mechanically linked
F15B2211/7656 - with continuous position control
F15B2211/8855 - Compressible fluids, e.g. specific to pneumatics

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS

F24S2030/115 - {Linear actuators, e.g. pneumatic cylinders}
F24S2030/12 - {Coupling means}
F24S30/425 - Horizontal axis
F24S50/20 - for tracking

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01S - RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING

G01S3/7861 - {Solar tracking systems}

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L31/042 - PV modules or arrays of single PV cells

H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES

H02S20/10 - Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground
H02S20/32 - specially adapted for solar tracking

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02B - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

Y02B10/20 - Solar thermal

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E10/47 - Mountings or tracking
Y02E10/50 - Photovoltaic [PV] energy

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DOE Contract Number:  

AR0000330

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 04/17/2018

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English