Capital Equipment >
Solar Energy Concentration
Customer Need:
We listened to the customer who had been awarded a research contract to design, build, and test a 35 sun, photovoltaic collector system using photovoltaic collectors. It was a complete “from scratch” design challenge with only the desired output capacity and type of PV device being specified.
Added Value:
Working with the customer TriAxial completed the design of a low cost, 35 sun, photovoltaic collector system, including easily assembled steel structures. Mechanisms were designed to synchronize the focus and movement of 210 individual mirrors for both daily and seasonal variations. Also designed were semiconductor mounting, thermal, and the electrical current bus design. We assisted in construction and dealt with as build modifications as they arose. The system had an innovative coordinated stepper motor and extreme gear reduction mechanical interface with motion control.
Result:
Our deliverable was a complete designed, documented, installed, and functioning system. The Customer was very satisfied since the effort led to a successfully operating system with some clever dynamic mechanical systems to optimize energy performance.