Some climates and applications ask for more. More strength, a wider operating temperature range and more payload to hold more, and heavier, instruments. Kipp & Zonen is proud to present the perfect sun tracker for these more demanding circumstances; the SOLYS Gear Drive.
KippZonen SOLYS Gear Drive sun tracker
Its high torque and large temperature range make it suitable for the harshest climates and carrying heavy loads. Thanks to its high precision gear drive system this new sun tracker does not require maintenance, making it ideal for operation in remote locations.
A sun tracker typically holds instruments such as pyrheliometers, absolute cavity radiometers or sun photometers that must be pointed precisely at the sun by following its arc throughout the day. However, it may also carry a shading assembly to block the direct sun beam from reaching pyranometers and pyrgeometers. Kipp & Zonen sun trackers are widely used in networks of solar monitoring stations that measure direct, diffuse and global solar radiation and thermal sky radiation, for inputs to weather forecasting, solar energy and climate models. The new SOLYS Gear Drive is the most powerful automatic sun tracker available for monitoring solar radiation.
After extensive testing Kipp & Zonen selected a state-of-the-art reduction gear system, with integrated high load bearings, that is maintenance-free, compact, durable and highly accurate. As a result the SOLYS Gear Drive has a payload of 80 kg and over 60 Nm of torque , allowing for the use of multiple and/or heavy instruments.
The wide temperature range is achieved thanks to a high capacity internal heater. For extremely cold regions an insulated cover is available that allows operation in temperatures down to -50°C and with wind speeds up to 20 m/s. For extremely hot regions the SOLYS Gear Drive can be fitted with a sun shield. This reduces heating of the housing by direct solar insolation and extends the upper operating temperature range to +60°C.
Kipp & Zonen has developed new and smart Windows™ software with an attractive user interface that allows remote monitoring and logging of the tracker status, solar zenith and azimuth angles, GPS time and date, and more; through Ethernet or an isolated RS-485 port. The integrated Web Interface with Ethernet connection allows operational parameters to be viewed and set, history log files can be downloaded, and firmware can be updated.
The new SOLYS Gear Drive sun tracker combines the highest payload, the widest temperature range and the most advanced communication with smart software for real-time status information.