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ARTICLE
Multi-Layer and Multi-Objective Optimization Design of Supporting Structure of Large-Scale Spherical Solar Concentrator for the Space Solar Power Station
Yang Yang, Jun Hu, Lin Zhu*, Mengchen Pei
School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China
* Corresponding Author: Lin Zhu. Email:
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Computational Tools for Renewable Materials)
Journal of Renewable Materials 2022, 10(11), 2835-2849. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.021840
Received 08 February 2022; Accepted 21 March 2022; Issue published 29 June 2022
Abstract
Space solar power station is a novel renewable energy equipment in space to provide the earth with abundant and
continuous power. The Orb-shaped Membrane Energy Gathering Array, one of the alternative construction
schemes in China, is promising for collecting space sunlight with a large-scale spherical concentrator. Both the
structural and optical performances such as root mean square deformation, natural frequency, system mass,
and sunlight blocking rate have significant influences on the system property of the concentrator. Considering
the comprehensive performance of structure and optic, this paper proposes a novel mesh grid based on normal
polyhedron projection and spherical arc bisection for the supporting structure to deal with the challenge of the
large-scale structural modular design. For both achieving low system mass and high surface precision, a multilayer and multi-objective optimization model is proposed by classifying the supporting structure into different
categories and optimizing their internal and external diameters. The Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm is
adopted to find optimal sectional dimensions of the different kinds of supporting structure. The infinite model
is also established and structural analysis is carried out, which are expected to provide a certain reference for
the subsequent detailed structural design. The numerical results indicate that the spherical concentrator designed
by the novel mesh grid would obtain as high as 94.37% sunlight collection efficiency. The supporting structure
constructed with the multiple layers would reduce the system quality by 6.92%, sunlight blocking rate by
28.54%, maximum deformation by 41.50%, and root mean square by 9.48% to the traditional single layer,
respectively.
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Cite This Article
APA Style
Yang, Y., Hu, J., Zhu, L., Pei, M. (2022). Multi-layer and multi-objective optimization design of supporting structure of large-scale spherical solar concentrator for the space solar power station. Journal of Renewable Materials, 10(11), 2835-2849. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.021840
Vancouver Style
Yang Y, Hu J, Zhu L, Pei M. Multi-layer and multi-objective optimization design of supporting structure of large-scale spherical solar concentrator for the space solar power station. J Renew Mater. 2022;10(11):2835-2849 https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.021840
IEEE Style
Y. Yang, J. Hu, L. Zhu, and M. Pei "Multi-Layer and Multi-Objective Optimization Design of Supporting Structure of Large-Scale Spherical Solar Concentrator for the Space Solar Power Station," J. Renew. Mater., vol. 10, no. 11, pp. 2835-2849. 2022. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.021840