Design And Optimization Of The Concentrating Photovoltaic Tracking System

With the worsening of energy crisis in recent years, people gradually turn to clean and pollution-free solar energy resources which can be used sustainably due to its abundant storage. The higher the concentration ratio of CPV is, the smaller the angle range of the light received by concentrating photovoltaic system is. Therefore, the utilization efficiency of solar energy resources improves. It is necessary to assist concentrating photovoltaic systems with an accurate solar tracking system so as to use sunlight much more fully. Many domestic and foreign researchers have conducted a lot of studies on the solar tracking system, which promotes the continuous progress of solar power. However, due to the specific characteristics of solar energy resources, the development of concentrating photovoltaic tracking system has had a greater result. Further improvements are needed in such aspects as tracking accuracy and tracking structure. Adopting the methodology of preliminary design and simulation, concentrating photovoltaic tracking system is designed and optimized in the current thesis, aiming at making up the shortage of the current tracking system. The contents and results are of practical and theoretical significance in the design of the trackingsystems.The present study consists of the following aspects:Taking a minimum 5kW concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) tracking system as an example, the preliminary dynamical and structure design were carried out. Firstly, the area and arrangement of CPV components were determined, and then, calculated the associated force and moment according to the selected wind load coefficient from some related materials; Secondly, accomplished the preliminary design of azimuth and elevation angle of tracking mechanism on the basis of the calculated data; Finally, the preliminary design and verification of supporting structures, such as the girder of CPV components and supporting piller, are completed.Numerical simulation analysis of CPV components were implemented by using the fluid analysis software CFX. Then, according to the obtained wind load coefficients under different air leakage rates, combinging the area occupancy rates of CPV components, we optimized the layout of CPV components and the best result. The pitching moment of CPV components and the rolling moment of the system were recalculated according the analysis result above, then the dynamic and structure of the elevation angle tracking mechanism were optimized; the dynamics of the azimuth angle tracking mechanism were optimized too to make the necessary torque decreases so as to select the smaller stepper motor.Considering synthetically the wind load, the simplification of the support structure of CPV components and the weigh of the CPV components and it support the optimization of support structures was implemented and obtained the optimal result.