Solar energy is a renewable energy whose harvesting depends on the incidence of solar rays on solar panels. Solar trackers are basically made of mechanically or pneumatic actuating systems enable to adapt the solar panel inclination with solar daily course. Although this action may lead to more effective solar panel, it costs actuating energy and requires maintenance which is detrimental in extreme environment like space.
The idea is an autonomous solar tracker based on biologically inspired adaptive structures (sunflower) made with stimuli-responsive (temperature and radiation) continuous basalt fibre reinforced composites architectured materials and manufactured by 4D printing. By the shape-changing function embedded in their architecture, this material will autonomously control the inclination of a platform where solar panel are located. Morphing will occur according to the time, solar radiation and temperature variation improving yield of solar panel installation and reducing maintenance issues.
The aim of this thesis is to design, fabricate and evaluate experimentally and numerically the effect of photo-thermo-mechanical couplings on the actuation performance of 4D printed architectured materials, made of partially lunar based composites (continuous basalt fibers). The methodology implemented for the project is divided into 5 Work-Packages (WP), corresponding to the expertise of partner laboratories.
