Design of a compact, lightweight, and low-cost solar concentrator

Abstract

The objective of this mechanical design project was to improve the current design of large and heavy solar concentrators. The three main design goals were: making the system compact, making the system lightweight, and minimizing expenses. The main approach to achieving these design parameters was to use the plastic film Mylar in its aluminized form to create a paraboloid serving as a solar concentrator. The scope of design was limited to designing and prototyping the solar concentrator, and neglecting to design and prototype the container in which it should be kept while in its compact form. Two designs-the tube design and the rim design-are examined, although the rim design is emphasized because of its advantages over the tube design. The tube design included a bicycle tire tube serving as the structural element of the solar concentrator, while the rim design utilized a bandsaw blade (without teeth) as the structural element of the solar concentrator. The prototype of the rim design proved to work well as a mirror, although further work, such as improving the seal around the rim, must still be done due to the time frame and resources allowed for this project.