Solar Collector Support Segments with Offset Shoulders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar collectors with parabolic troughs face challenges in achieving sufficient dimensional stability and resistance to high loads, particularly wind forces, while maintaining a lightweight construction.
Innovation Solution
The support segments are designed with a central rib and side ribs that bulge out of the shell base, forming offset shoulders and a stepped bottom section, which enhances bending and torsional rigidity, and tapering ribs improve transverse rigidity, allowing for precise alignment and attachment of mirror segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the support segments are designed as thin-walled plastic shells to reduce weight, then the weight of the support structure is reduced, but the bending and torsional rigidity is insufficient under high loads
Solution Approach 1:
The support segment is divided into multiple functional elements: a central rib extending from the connection-side end face, side ribs extending from the outlet-side end face, and lateral edge flanges. These segmented elements work together to provide the necessary rigidity while maintaining the lightweight plastic shell construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs are curved out from the shell base to form three-dimensional offset shoulders that project laterally. This dimensional transformation from a flat shell to a three-dimensional ribbed structure significantly increases the section modulus and resistance to deformation without substantially increasing weight.
2Weight of moving object
If the trough depth is reduced with increasing distance from the support to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the dimensional stability under wind loads deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support segment has varying depth along its length, with greater depth near the support connection and reduced depth towards the outlet. The rib configuration is optimized locally at each position to provide adequate stiffness for the specific load conditions at that location, maintaining dimensional stability while minimizing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The support segment combines the plastic shell material with the integrated rib structures to create a composite-like construction. The ribs act as internal reinforcement elements that significantly enhance the stiffness-to-weight ratio of the plastic shell structure.
3Strength
If additional ribs and end wall sections are added to increase rigidity, then the resistance to deformation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central rib, side ribs, and lateral edge flanges are integrated into a single monolithic support segment structure. This merging of multiple functional elements into one piece eliminates the need for separate components and assembly operations, reducing device complexity while maintaining high rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural reinforcement to prevent deformation, create offset shoulders for mirror segment support, and form parabolic support surfaces. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a solar collector comprising a substrate (1), having supporting segments made from open plastics shells (3) positioned alongside one another in rows and fastened to connection surfaces (2) provided on both sides of the substrate (1), the supporting segments having lateral edge flanges (17), which form a parabolic trough to accommodate mirror segments (16), as well as a central rib (8) bulging out from the shell base (7), starting from the connection-side end face and forming a mirror support surface (18) which follows the parabolic trough. In order to ensure good dimensional stability, the central rib (8) ends before the outlet-side end face opposite the connection-side end face, between the central rib (8) and the lateral shell walls (10) at least one lateral rib (11) bulges out from the shell base (7), starting in each case from a continuous end wall (9) of the outlet-side end face, ends before the connection-side end face and forms a mirror support surface (18) following the parabolic trough, and the lateral shell walls (10) rising from the shell base (7) as well as the walls (12) of the central rib (8) form offset shoulders (13).