Group 3: arx thermal

Team Members

Jose Cespedes, Benjamin Gartside, Jacklyn Griffis, Janna Iklaas, Samuel Roshaven, Eri Vishka, Kellen Wallace, Jaxton WIllman

Abstract 

ARX Thermal focuses on designing a small heliostat with a minimal number of motors. The founders believe in sustainability, combining sustainable practices with reliable and recyclable materials, to foster development of renewable energy. Following its result-oriented business principle, ARX Thermal chose to increase profit per solar concentration.

One distinct feature of ARX Thermal’s heliostat is the square, four-mirror array. Each mirror is tilted by a custom amount, determined by trigonometric calculations to maximize solar concentration throughout the entire field by a single adjustment. This is on top of an ability to control the pitch and yaw of the array. This unique feature is inherent to ARX Thermal’s heliostat design and allows to reduce the required size of the central tower, while accommodating a nominal area of solar power into an area 40% smaller than a flat alternative.

ARX Thermal designed the heliostat for cost-efficiency. Manufacturing cost is reduced by combining injection molding of recycled materials with simple geometry, high tolerances, cheaper tooling, and off-the-shelf part costs. By reducing the number of motors and moving parts, it is possible to reduce the installation and lifetime maintenance costs. The ARX Thermal heliostat is designed to last. Thus, the heliostat can track the sun any time of the year thanks to a Wi-Fi enabled microcontroller in a weatherproof box. The entire module is secured in the ground by a fiberglass pole filled with concrete, to increase its rigidity. All parts were designed to resist UV, dust, corrosion, and regular cleaning.

Group 3’s 90-Second Pitch:

Poster Presentation Zoom: 

https://ufl.zoom.us/j/93382338812

Group 3 link to Poster

Oral Design Presentation Zoom:

https://ufl.zoom.us/j/98154769899

Group 3 link to Final Presentation Slides

Archived Oral Design Presentation