Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of a Lightweight Sandwich Composite Structure for Solar Central Receiver Heliostats

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aut.relation.endpage30
aut.relation.journalMechanics Based Design of Structures and Machinesen_NZ
aut.relation.startpage1
aut.researcherAnderson, Timothy
dc.contributor.authorFadlallah, SOen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorAnderson, TNen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorNates, RJen_NZ
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-01T01:31:48Z
dc.date.available2022-02-01T01:31:48Z
dc.description.abstractCentral tower concentrating solar power systems are moving to the forefront to become the technology of choice for generating renewable electricity, but their widespread implementation is limited by cost. Heliostats contribute almost 50% to the plant’s cost and are thus the most significant element in central tower systems. For both large and small-area heliostats, the drive elements demonstrate the largest cost element in these systems. While large-area heliostats (>100 m2) have proven offer the best economy compared to other sizes, they require high-torque drives due to the heavy steel-based support structure. Heliostat costs could be reduced by decreasing the support structure’s weight, avoiding large drive units and reducing energy consumption. However, the structure must be able to cope with the aerodynamic loads imposed upon them during operation. Although honeycomb sandwich composites have been widely used where high structural rigidity and low weight are desired, there is an absence of studies that rigorously investigated their suitability as the structure for heliostat mirror. Here, a fluid-structure interaction study investigated, for several loading conditions at various tilt and wind incidence angles, the aero-structural behavior characteristics of honeycomb sandwich composites used as a heliostat support structure. The honeycomb sandwich panel showed markedly different behavior characteristics at various operational conditions. The effect of tilt orientation on the sandwich panel’s maximum deflection and stresses became more pronounced as wind velocity increased above 10 m/s, and increasing wind incidence angle reduced their magnitudes at different rates. The supporting components and torque tube had a noticeable wind-shielding effect, causing pronounced changes in the deflection and stresses experienced by the heliostat. The worst operational condition was at a tilt angle of 30° with wind flow of 20 m/s at 0° to the heliostat surface. However, the heliostat maintained its structural integrity according to relevant optical and material failure standards.
dc.identifier.citationMechanics Based Design of Structures and Machines, DOI: 10.1080/15397734.2021.2011744
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/15397734.2021.2011744en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn1539-7734en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn1539-7742en_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/14858
dc.languageenen_NZ
dc.publisherInforma UK Limiteden_NZ
dc.relation.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15397734.2021.2011744
dc.rights2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.
dc.rights.accessrightsOpenAccessen_NZ
dc.subjectHeliostat; Lightweight; Sandwich composite; Honeycomb; Fluid-structure interaction
dc.titleFluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of a Lightweight Sandwich Composite Structure for Solar Central Receiver Heliostatsen_NZ
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.elements-id448187
pubs.organisational-data/AUT
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies/School of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies/School of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences/Centre for Energy & Power Engineering
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Design and Creative Technologies
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Design and Creative Technologies/PBRF ECMS
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