Structural Geometric Design on Parabolic Trough Collector with Distributed Load and Several Rotations in Solar Tracking

Within the principal parameters highly studied in solar collector’s research, sun tracking has been found, due to the impact in systems performance and efficiency, whereby, it is required to involve the analysis of this technique into design phase. The results of the structural geometric design and analysis on a parabolic trough collector with distributed load and several rotations in solar tracking are presented in this paper, with the aim to evaluated physical conditions as deformation and stress on structure which supports a concentrator surface of a parabolic collector at different rotations during tracking performance. In order to model and construct a mechanical system, SolidWorks® and Matlab® have been used. Then, different schemes have been submitted to finite element analysis on Simulation tool, associated to SolidWorks®. Materials, fixed beams, distributed load and mesh parameters have been configurated during the study. It has been possible to obtain a maximum displacement of 0,26 mm in the structure with a rotation of 60° and -60°, while a minimum displacement of 0,21 mm with structure rotation of 30°, which means that a greater angle, generate a greater deformation in the structure. In addition, the maximum stress has been achieved by model rotated -45° with a value of 9,43 N/m2.