Nonlinear thermoelastic stress analysis of spherically curved solar panels

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6498814

Vallabhan, C V.G.; Vungutur, K; Selvam, R P

Spherically curved glass panels are used to concentrate solar energy onto a line focus in fixed mirror distributed focus type solar collectors. These solar panels consists of thin flat glass plates bent to form a spherical surface, glued onto a paper honeycomb backing, and covered with steel plate at the back and with plastic strips on the sides. Stresses are produced in the glass plates as they are formed into spherical surfaces. In addition, when the solar receiver is not in focus relative to the bowl and the sun, a mirror hot spot condition is developed, resulting in large thermally induced stresses within glass plates. The curved glass panel is modeled as a plate on elastic foundation in order to represent the behavior of the plate in relation to other panel components. Since lateral deflections of these plates are large compared to their thickness, nonlinear von Karman plate equations are used in the analysis. A computer model has been prepared to assist in the nonlinear analysis of stresses using finite difference method. The model has flexibility to analyze a variety of rectangular plate geometries subjected to thermal and other applied loads.

• Research Organization: Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock (USA). Dept. of Civil Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-83AL21557
• OSTI ID: 6498814
• Report Number(s): DOE/AL/21557-T3; ON: DE86000001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
FIXED MIRROR COLLECTORS
STRESS ANALYSIS
GLASS
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PLATES
THERMAL STRESSES
THERMOELASTICITY
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
ELASTICITY
EQUIPMENT
ITERATIVE METHODS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STRESSES
TENSILE PROPERTIES
141000* - Solar Collectors & Concentrators
140700 - Solar Thermal Power Systems