Innovative solar concentrator design for space: Self-deployment and energy flux density uniformization

This study tackles the challenge of improving energy efficiency in space exploration by developing space-based solar power systems. Recognizing the need for lightweight and efficient energy solutions in space, the research introduces an innovative solar concentrator design, featuring a lightweight, high-precision self-deployment concentrator with elastic hinge mechanisms and custom-shaped ribs to optimize energy flux distribution. Through Monte Carlo simulation, the study demonstrates that the 1-meter diameter concentrator achieves up to 92.24 % uniformity in energy flux density at the focal plane. Dynamic simulations of the deployment process achieve a packing ratio of 59.61, enabled by the novel application of elastic hinges. Experimental validation of deployment accuracy shows a root mean square error of approximately 0.35 mm, corroborating the simulation results. These findings underscore the concentrator's potential to enhance solar power efficiency in space missions. The novelty of this work lies in integrating elastic hinges with custom rib designs, surpassing previous solar concentrator designs in both deployment efficiency and energy distribution uniformity, offering a new approach for future space solar energy technology development.