Design and analysis of hydraulically driven actuation system For a parabolic solar trough

Abstract

This thesis documents Katarina Popovic's contribution to the design of hydraulic cylinder actuation system for day to day solar trough sun tracking, a semester long project within 2.752 Development of Mechanical Products class. The primary goal of this project was to design a robust mechanical system while reducing the complexity and thus overall cost of the solar trough assembly for the production line. The mechanism suggested in this thesis actuates both sides of the solar trough simultaneously, as well as exploit hydraulic cylinder's full range stroke in order to deliver +/-110° rotational requirement. The rotational motion is achieved through a pulley and a wire rope system, actuated by a single, double action double rod cylinder. As this project funding was received from our sole sponsor, an Italian multinational energy company, during the design process the ultimate goal of eventual production line was kept in mind. However slight design modifications have been made in order to install and test the actuation system on the already existing 4m solar trough prototype on site in Pittsfield, New Hampshire.