Mechanical development of the actuation system of a parabolic solar trough

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 47).This thesis documents my personal contribution to the engineering and design of an actuation system with the purpose of rotating a parabolic solar trough to track the sun throughout the day. The primary focus of the design was to create a robust system with minimal cost while meeting a number of functional requirements. After considering a number of possible designs and conducting an in-depth analysis into two of them, the final design chosen was a slider crank mechanism that rotates the trough about its focus. This mechanism uses a lead screw to drive the base of two passively extensible arms in a lateral direction and translates that force into a rotational motion. Whichever arm is in compression actuates the trough. One of these bases is driven by the lead screw while the other is fixed a distance away using a rigid connection. The model for this system was optimized for cost and design simplicity resulting in the selection and purchase of parts for a full scale prototype at a site in New Hampshire using one 4ft lead screw and a 0.16 horsepower motor to drive each end of the trough.by Conor R. O'Rourke.S.B