Group 10: biaxis solar
Team Members: Kevin Diaz, Ethan E. Hinds, Joseph A. Miller, Brendan J. Reiss, Charles G. Stone, Darian A. Visosevic, Devon M. Yon
Abstract : Our BiAxis heliostat works by combining two independent axes of rotation to track the Sun. The niche our heliostat design occupies among competitors is a focus on simplicity of design. The two motors individually control the axes of rotation through gears, creating an easily understood system from sight alone, and allowing all moving parts to be on the outside for quick maintenance. The design is also modular, allowing the swapping out of parts to facilitate a different gear ratio for more stringent or lax accuracy needs. The simple column support of the mirror also supports all other parts used by the heliostat, with no external connections besides power.
The leading aspects of the design are its balance in cost, simplicity in manufacturing, and emphasis on externally accessible parts for serviceability in large scale unit operation. This would greatly improve the processes of installation and servicing, where many identical heliostats would require very little work on an individual basis to reach the level of functionality required of them. The BiAxis heliostat’s use of gears also functions as the mirror surface support in addition to angle control, as the points of connection are at the edges of the plane, providing the most protection against outside forces such as wind. The range of motion of the gear-driven mirror surface is nearly 90 degrees in the South direction and nearly 180 degrees East-West, allowing complete tracking of the Sun anywhere it is needed when considering position and height of the collection tower.
Group’s 90-Second Pitch:
Archived Oral Design Presentation
Group’s Presentation Slides