The Application of Gravity Balance Method on Solar Tracker Design and Analysis

• Main Author: 王建智
• Other Authors: Cheng Pi-Ying
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/51671354920046922989

碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 機械工程學系 === 100 === In this paper, we apply the gravity balance theory to design the solar tracker. We select springs to add into the solar tracker in order to achieve the conditions of gravity balance. It makes the solar tracker to drive the loading object approaching the agravic situation in the whole process at the slow speed. Then it can reduce the output torque and loading of the driving motor under rotating and fixed position so as to achieve the goal of lowering power depletion. We are here mainly concerned with the four-bar mechanism of the gravity balance structure. First of all, we need to determine the requirements of the solar tracker in the design process, analyze the various solar tracker systems of the references, figure out the directions of current developments, and compare the characteristics of those systems. Also, we try to design the initial linkage mechanism that fits in with the demands which make the solar plate can be continuously rotated at least 90 degrees in the whole process by means of mechanism synthesis. After that, we use the Taguchi method to deal with optimization planning and analysis of linkage dimension in order to select the optimum linkage combinations that have minimum output torque of drive motor. Finally, we adopt the gravity balance theory, under static equilibrium conditions, to calculate the spring coefficients and the spring connecting positions. Then we put the design idea through CAD system to fit model and analyze the dynamics for the purpose of assessing and comparing the efficiency changes of tracking mechanism after applying gravity balance theory. The results of our simulation show that the driving motor torque of the mechanism approaches to zero in the slow rotation. Our research can be used as a foundation of improving mechanical efficiency in designing solar tracker.