solar power
DESIGN OF A LOW COST SOLAR CONCENTRATOR by JEFFREY GENE WRIGHT, B.S. in M.E.
A THESIS
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Approved
Accepted
December, 1986
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•
f
IT- ...
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my chairman Dr. William B. Jones for his guidance and assistance in this project.
I would also like to thank the
other persons who served on my committee; Dr. Jerry R. Dunn, Dr.
Atilla Ertas, and Dr. James W. Oler.
I am also indebted to the foUowing people, for without their help, this project would not have been possible. These include the following:
1.
The Mechanical Engineering Lab Technicians:
a) Mr. Norman Jackson
b) Mr. BiU Morris
c) Mr. Jim Blanchard
2.
The Following Students:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
Robert Deal
Doug Sullivan
Randy Heinrich
Donna Wilson
Shane Bertish
Lonny Heinrich
Bobby Mack
I would also like to thank the Crosbyton Solar Power Project office and site personnel, and the Department of Energy for sponsoring the research (DE-AC04-83AL21667) contained within this report.
u
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ii
LIST OF TABLES
v
LIST OF FIGURES
vi
L
INTRODUCTION
1
Alternative Energy Sources
Solar Power Systems
Membrane Spherical Concentrator
n.
1
3
7
THEORY
13
Plate Deflection
Membrane Deflection
Evaluation
Theoretical Focus
13
14
18
20
m.
TECHNICAL APPROACH
24
IV.
MATERLVL SELECTION
27
Membrane Fabric Evaluation
Reflective Film Evaluation
Membrane Attachment
V.
27
36
40
43
Ring Buckling
Column Buckling
43
46
Assembly
VI.
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
47
CLOSURE
62
Results
Conclusions
Reconmiendations
LIST OF REFERENCES
52
58
60
65
m
APPENDICES
A. FORTRAN PROGRAM
©7
B. DEFLECTION
A THESIS
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Approved
Accepted
December, 1986
\ ...
/
•
f
IT- ...
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my chairman Dr. William B. Jones for his guidance and assistance in this project.
I would also like to thank the
other persons who served on my committee; Dr. Jerry R. Dunn, Dr.
Atilla Ertas, and Dr. James W. Oler.
I am also indebted to the foUowing people, for without their help, this project would not have been possible. These include the following:
1.
The Mechanical Engineering Lab Technicians:
a) Mr. Norman Jackson
b) Mr. BiU Morris
c) Mr. Jim Blanchard
2.
The Following Students:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
Robert Deal
Doug Sullivan
Randy Heinrich
Donna Wilson
Shane Bertish
Lonny Heinrich
Bobby Mack
I would also like to thank the Crosbyton Solar Power Project office and site personnel, and the Department of Energy for sponsoring the research (DE-AC04-83AL21667) contained within this report.
u
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ii
LIST OF TABLES
v
LIST OF FIGURES
vi
L
INTRODUCTION
1
Alternative Energy Sources
Solar Power Systems
Membrane Spherical Concentrator
n.
1
3
7
THEORY
13
Plate Deflection
Membrane Deflection
Evaluation
Theoretical Focus
13
14
18
20
m.
TECHNICAL APPROACH
24
IV.
MATERLVL SELECTION
27
Membrane Fabric Evaluation
Reflective Film Evaluation
Membrane Attachment
V.
27
36
40
43
Ring Buckling
Column Buckling
43
46
Assembly
VI.
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
47
CLOSURE
62
Results
Conclusions
Reconmiendations
LIST OF REFERENCES
52
58
60
65
m
APPENDICES
A. FORTRAN PROGRAM
©7
B. DEFLECTION
References: Energy. April 19-26, 1976, p, 3. Book Co., 1959, pp. 400-404. Weast, Robert C, CRC Handbook of Chemktry and Physics, Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, Inc., 1981, p Timoshenko, Stephen P. and Gere, James M., Theory of Elastic Stability, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1961, Juvinall, Robert C, Fundamentak of Machine Component Design, New York: James Wiley & Sons, 1983, pp New York: Academic Press, 1979, 351 p. Sons, 1985, 763 p. Co., 1982, 624 p. Weinberger, H.F., A First Course in Partial Differential Equations, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1965, 446 p.