Optimal design of a novel dual-axis parallel solar tracker

Being renewable and readily available, solar energy has gained significant attention in addressing the global energy crisis and climate change. The efficiency of solar-energy harvesting using a concentrator depends on the angle between the incident sunlight and the solar concentrator. Therefore, a solar-energy collection system equipped with a solar tracker that follows the apparent motion of the sun offers the highest collection efficiency. In this study, a novel solar tracker with a parallel mechanism is proposed based on the line graph method. The proposed parallel solar tracker (PST) features a main column with passive movements and two UPU chains that share a common constraint. This design enhances the rotational workspace, stiffness, and load-bearing capacity of the system. To solve the forward kinematics problem of the PST efficiently and accurately, a geometric elimination method is employed, converting the three-dimensional kinematics into a simpler planar problem. This allows the forward kinematics problem to be solved analytically using planar equations. By considering key performance indices, such as the effective workspace, transmission, and manipulability, the structural parameters of the PST are optimized in two steps, thereby identifying the optimal region in the design space. Finally, the computational efficiency and accuracy of both the forward and inverse kinematic solutions for the PST with optimized structural parameters are validated, demonstrating their potential for use in real-time control systems. The proposed novel solar tracker has high stiffness and load-bearing capacity. The study provides a solid foundation for improving the efficiency of solar energy utilization.