U.S. patent application number 11/972900 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-30 for solar panel with a coolant vapor pressure driving system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Jeffery LIN. Invention is credited to Hui-Ping Feng, Dung-Sheng Jeng, Hsi-Hsun Tsai.
Application Number | 20090107486 11/972900 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40581255 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090107486 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsai; Hsi-Hsun ; et
al. |
April 30, 2009 |
SOLAR PANEL WITH A COOLANT VAPOR PRESSURE DRIVING SYSTEM
Abstract
Coolant vapor pressure is used to generate a push force to
adjust the azimuth angle of a solar panel without using a dedicated
power supply.
Inventors: |
Tsai; Hsi-Hsun; (Miaoli,
TW) ; Jeng; Dung-Sheng; (Miaoli, TW) ; Feng;
Hui-Ping; (Miaoli, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOWE HAUPTMAN HAM & BERNER, LLP
1700 DIAGONAL ROAD, SUITE 300
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
LIN; Jeffery
Miaoli
TW
FENG; Yen-Jung
Miaoli
TW
|
Family ID: |
40581255 |
Appl. No.: |
11/972900 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/604 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 10/50 20130101;
H01L 31/0521 20130101; F24S 50/20 20180501; Y02E 10/47
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/604 |
International
Class: |
F24J 2/40 20060101
F24J002/40 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 29, 2007 |
TW |
096140493 |
Claims
1. A solar panel with a coolant vapor pressure driving system,
comprising: a spring cylinder, coupled to move the solar panel and
having an expansion chamber; a coolant tank, coupled to the
expansion chamber for giving a higher vapor pressure when the
temperature increases, and for giving a lower vapor pressure when
the temperature decreases; and. a control unit, coupled to the
coolant tank, for controlling the flow of the coolant vapor between
the coolant tank and the expansion chamber according to
predetermined conditions.
2. A solar panel with a coolant vapor pressure driving system as
claimed in claim 1, further comprising: an electric valve, coupled
between the coolant tank and the expansion chamber for turning
on/off the flow of the coolant vapor.
3. A solar panel with a coolant vapor pressure driving system as
claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a pressure valve, coupled
between the coolant tank and the expansion chamber as a flow
regulator for the flow of the coolant vapor.
4. A solar panel with a coolant vapor pressure driving system as
claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow of the coolant vapor is to
let the vapor enter the expansion chamber.
5. A solar panel with a coolant vapor pressure driving system as
claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow of the coolant vapor is to
let the vapor go back to the coolant tank.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is based on, and claims priority
from Taiwan Application Serial Number 096140493, filed Oct. 29,
2007, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference
herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates to a sun tracking system for a solar
panel that collects and converts solar energy into electricity or
heat. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a sun tracking
system with a coolant vapor pressure driving system to adjust the
azimuth angle of the solar panel without using a dedicated power
supply.
BACKGROUND
FIGS. 1-2 Prior Art
[0003] FIG. 1 shows a solar panel 205 having a conventional sun
tracking system. The tracking system comprises four photo sensors
101,102,103,104 encircled by a sleeve 120. The four sensors are
located in the center of the top surface of the solar panel 205.
Photoelectric units 108 for collecting and converting solar energy
into electricity are distributed on the top surface of the solar
panel 205. The sleeve 120 has an opening for receiving the sun
light. The direction and/or movement of the sun is detected through
the light intensity sensed by each of the four photo sensors.
[0004] When the sun is above the solar panel 105, the light rays
from the sun irradiate directly onto the solar panel 105, each of
the four photo sensors is presumed to receive equal heat strength,
or light intensity, from the sun. However, when the sun shifts
sideways, e.g., left as shown in FIG. 1, the light rays below R1
are hindered by the sleeve wall and prevented from reaching some or
all of the photo sensors 101,102,103,104. A shadow is produced
within the sleeve under R1, the shadow will cover wholly or
partially some or all of the photo sensors, and hence, the light
intensities sensed by the photo sensors are different from one
another. FIG. 1 shows that sensor 101 is fully covered by the
shadow, and sensors 102, 104 are partially covered by the
shadow.
[0005] The light intensity sensed by each of the photo sensors is
transferred to a control unit 12. The control unit 12 is coupled to
a rotation mechanism 14, the rotation mechanism 14 has a gear set
107 to rotate the solar panel 205 to adjust the azimuth angle
according to a predetermined rule following the information
received from the control unit 12 so that the solar panel 205 moves
synchronically with the movement of the sun to receive a relatively
optimal amount of solar energy. A power supply 13 is coupled to the
rotation mechanism 14 for running the gear set 107.
[0006] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the prior art device.
[0007] A solar panel 205 is coupled to a gear set 107, the gear set
adjusts the azimuth angle of the solar panel 205 following
instructions from a control unit 12, a power supply 13 provides the
energy needed for running the gear set 107.
[0008] The drawback of the prior art shown in FIGS. 1-2 is that a
power supply 13 for running the gear set is needed. Such a power
consumption mechanism is a detrimental disadvantage to a power
generating system; especially for a solar panel system which, due
to such a power supply, exhibits relatively lower photo-electricity
conversion efficiency.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a prior art device.
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the prior art device.
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of this invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram according to embodiments of
this invention.
[0013] FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Embodiments of this invention disclose a driving system
using coolant vapor pressure energized by the environmental
temperature and without using a dedicated power supply to adjust
the azimuth angle of a solar panel. In the day time, the
environmental temperature increases and the coolant vapor pressure
increases to generate a push force. In the night time, the
environmental temperature decreases and the coolant vapor pressure
decreases, a pull force is generated through a coupled spring
cylinder.
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of this invention.
[0016] A solar panel 205 is mounted on the top of a support 209
erected from the ground 100. A spring cylinder 206 is coupled to
the solar panel 205 through a connecting rod 23. The spring
cylinder 206 has an expansion chamber 21 inside, which expands
against a spring 25. A piston 26 is arranged on the top end of the
shaft 24, the bottom end of the shaft 24 is fixed to a post 208.
The cylinder 206 moves up and down along the shaft 24. The spring
25 is positioned between the piston 26 at the top of the shaft 24
and the bottom wall of the cylinder 206 to push the cylinder 206
downward relative to the piston 26. The expansion chamber 21
expands to push the cylinder 206 upward relative to the piston 26
when a fluid, e.g., coolant vapor, enters the expansion chamber
21.
[0017] A coolant tank 207 is coupled to the expansion chamber 21
through a pipe 202, to provide a higher vapor pressure when the
environmental temperature increases, and a lower vapor pressure
when the environmental temperature decreases. The coolant vapor
expands and enters the expansion chamber 21 when the environmental
temperature increases, e.g., in the day time. The coolant vapor
contracts and withdraws from the expansion chamber 21, under the
pushing action of the spring cylinder 206, going back most to the
coolant tank 207 when the environmental temperature decreases,
e.g., in the night time. A control unit 22 controls, e.g., turns on
or off, the flow of the coolant vapor between the coolant tank 207
and the expansion chamber 22 according to predetermined
conditions.
[0018] An electric valve 203 is coupled between the pipe 202 and
the expansion chamber 21 for controlling, e.g., turning on or off,
the flow of the coolant vapor. A pressure valve 201 is coupled as a
flow regulator between the coolant tank 207 and the pipe 202 to
adjust the flow pressure of the coolant vapor.
[0019] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of embodiments of this
invention.
[0020] A solar panel 205 is coupled to a spring cylinder 206, the
spring cylinder 206 is controlled by a control unit 22. The spring
cylinder 206 pushes the solar panel 205 when the environmental
temperature increases and the spring cylinder 206 pulls the solar
panel 205 when the environmental temperature decreases. The
push/pull force is generated from the expansion/contraction of a
coolant vapor supplied by a coolant tank 207. The spring cylinder
206 is coupled to the coolant tank 207. An electric valve 203 is
coupled to the control unit 22 to follow instructions from the
control unit 22 to turn on/off the flow of the coolant vapor which
is regulated by the pressure valve 201.
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of this invention.
[0022] The embodiment is similar to that shown in FIG. 3, the only
difference being that the spring cylinder 206 is reverse-arranged.
Referring to FIG. 5, the spring cylinder 206 has a shaft 24 which
is coupled to a solar panel 205 on its top. A piston 26 is on the
bottom end of the shaft 24. A spring 25 pushes the shaft 24
downward relative to the cylinder 206. The expansion chamber 21 is
on the bottom of the spring cylinder 206. When the expansion
chamber 21 expands to push the piston 26, the shaft 24 moves
upward. The push/pull forces are used to adjust the azimuth angle
of the solar panel 205. The other elements operate with the same
principle as described with respect to the structure of FIG. 3.
[0023] While several embodiments have been described by way of
example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
various modifications may be made in the embodiments without
departing from the spirit of the present invention. Such
modifications are all within the scope of the present invention, as
defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *