Retractable Photovoltaic System 3D Printer Model

Author: @
License: CC BY-NC-SA
File formats: stl
Download type: zip
Size:1.2MB

The file 'Retractable Photovoltaic System 3D Printer Model' is (stl) file type, size is 1.2MB.

Summary

Hello everybody, this is my prototype of a Retractable Photovoltaic System.

WHY I DID IT

2015 has been proclamed by UNESCO "International Year of Light".
It is " a global initiative adopted by the United Nations to raise awareness of how
optical technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in energy, education, agriculture, communications and health. "

University of Padua (02/11/2015) has launched a contest in order to increase awareness of worldwide issues among students from secondary schools.


So I decided to join the competition focusing on solar energy.

WHAT IS MY PROJECT ABOUT?
  • How Does It Work

It consists on six panels, arranged as the petals of a flower, and a mechanism (using servos) which allows them to move. My idea was to close the "petals" when there is bad weather (such as rain, snow, hail...), in order to avoid damages to the solar panels, and let them opened when the sun is shining.

  • What's the purpose

I've invented this "solar flower" to be placed in every kind of place you like (desert, hills, mountains...).
If we think of all those solar parks located in a place where snow fallings are not rare, we can notice that they lose a lot of energy because of the whole layer of snow, previously felt on the surface. An issue brought by this problem is the need of a daily routine maintenance, to make them working again (often very expensive).
So, I've focused my mind toward only one thing: increase efficiency and reduce panel cleaning costs

Demostration Video

Base_Bow.stl 57.7KB
Base_Rotation.stl 163.6KB
Base_Servo_Support.stl 92.1KB
Bearing_Support.stl 179.8KB
Circuit_Base.stl 79.2KB
Elevation_Nacelle_1.stl 366.7KB
Elevation_Nacelle_2.stl 133.9KB
External_Hinge.stl 26.1KB
Fan_Circuit_Base.stl 222.8KB
Gear_Servo.stl 159.3KB
Internal_Hinge.stl 91.5KB
Lower_Base_Petals.stl 204.8KB
Lower_Petal.stl 58.7KB
Lower_Umbrella.stl 237.8KB
Opening_Fork.stl 63.6KB
Opening_Servo_Support.stl 76.8KB
Rotation_Gear.stl 217.1KB
Rotation_Servo_Support.stl 469.5KB
Servo_Elevation_Support.stl 464.8KB
Top_Bow.stl 55.0KB
Top_Rotation.stl 82.4KB
Top_Servo_Support.stl 78.7KB
Umbrella_Radius.stl 44.4KB
Upper_Base_Petals.stl 165.7KB
Upper_Petal.stl 84.3KB
Upper_Umbrella.stl 173.9KB
Vertical_Flange.stl 387.4KB