| Project Detail |
Advanced design and development of solar trackers Solar energy is considered one of the most viable renewable energy resources. In recent years, many solar energy collection systems have been developed that use solar trackers to increase the solar panel/mirror area exposed to sun radiation. However, existing solar tracker mechanisms are heavy, costly and high energy consuming, limiting the applications of solar energy collection. The EU-funded IDeCAST project will investigate the innovative design and control method of a pioneering generation of solar trackers with the characteristics of small torque, low energy consumption and high stiffness. The project expects to provide unique techniques and methodologies for the advanced design and development of solar trackers. Solar energy has been considered as one of the viable sources of renewable energy over the past years. Many solar energy collection systems have been developed to convert solar energy into either electrical or thermal power for the industrial and domestic applications. In these systems, solar trackers are generally utilized to increase the solar panel/mirror area exposed to the direction of the sun radiation. However, the current solar tracker mechanisms are heavy, expensive and extremely high energy consumption, which significantly limits the applications of solar energy collection. The objectives of this project are to investigate the innovative design and control method of a new generation of solar tracker which has the characteristics of small torque, low energy consumption and high stiffness. The expected achievements will provide unique techniques/methodologies for breakthrough design and development of solar trackers. In this project, the Grassmann Geometry and the work principle of stone mill in ancient China will be utilized to invent a novel solar tracker with small torque and high energy efficiency, and the performance atlas method will be explored for mechanical structure optimization. Further, the friction compensation and wind disturbance rejection control methodologies are established to improve the performance of the developed system. This project will bring the complementary expertise in advanced measurement and control, robotics and mechanisms led by the Warwick Group and the solar tracker design and analysis by Dr Wu. This combination has placed the team in the best position to achieve the ultimate objectives. The research will provide benefits for the sponsor by publishing high-ranking papers and inventing new solar trackers. The capability of development of new solar trackers is of prime importance to both UK and European engineers and scientists for better utilization of solar energy in the 21st century. |
