US 12,140,979 B2
Multi-phase backtracking of photovoltaic modules
Kyumin Lee, Albuquerque, NM (US); and Kendra Lynn Conrad, Littleton, CO (US)
Assigned to ARRAY TECH, INC., Alburquerque, NM (US)
Filed by ARRAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/932,240.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/243,938, filed on Sep. 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0078507 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. G05D 3/10 (2006.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.01)
CPC G05D 3/105 (2013.01) [H02S 20/32 (2014.12)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
calculating a solar position of the Sun;
calculating a projected solar zenith (PSZ) based on the solar position of the Sun and a position of first photovoltaic (PV) modules on a first tracker row and second PV modules on a second tracker row, wherein each of the first and second PV modules include an upper substring of solar cells and a lower substring of solar cells;
evaluating the following expressions to determine whether it is possible to position the PV modules in an orientation that limits shading of the upper substring of the PV modules by not more than a first threshold amount while shading the lower substring of the PV modules by at least a second threshold amount:

OG Complex Work Unit Math
where Row Spacing is a horizontal spacing between the first and second tracker rows, Table Width is the width of the first and second tracker rows, Rmin is a maximum tracker angle towards a direction that PSZ is negative, Rmax is a maximum tracker angle towards a direction that PSZ is positive, and CS is a slope angle between the first and second tracker rows;
responsive to determining that it is possible to position the PV modules in an orientation that prevents shading of the upper substring of the PV modules by at least the first threshold amount while shading the lower substring of the PV modules by at least the second threshold amount, calculating a target tracker angle that prevents shading of the upper substring of the PV modules by at least the first threshold amount while shading the lower substring of the PV modules by at least the second threshold amount; and
positioning the PV modules at the target tracker angle.