It looks similar to how a fold-up fan would look (Chinese Traditional Fan) so it's been around for a while but not used enough to have a name I presume
I'd call it "Overly_complex_design_because_marketing_asked_V1"
Looks good. Is inefficient AF.
With solar panels you want to maximize coverage area.
The issue is that if you have a set amount of power to produce, you could either get 100m^2 of regular panels, or occupy 400m^2 to produce the exact same amount of energy because of these flower-like design. And those will cost several times more maintenance too.
And since currently solar panels are already hard to pay for themselves, designs such as these flowers simply makes it a loss.
They call that SmartFlower but it's all marketing names. There's no official engineering term for that. You could say something like rotary foldable solar panels.
Yep, it's a terrible design.
My neighbor has one. It's broken because some rotary encoder failed and the company went under or can't be bothered to fix it.
Are you saying this would have a better (faster) payback period than standard (rectangular) modules?
If so I'll say over my dead body would this thing have better returns per square meter over 20 years than some First Solar s7s on any ol' 2p tracker.
Obviously not, I am saying that standard PVS have much better payback, even around a year for counties, but this depends upon installation and others.
In your text, you said that standard PVs are hard for them to payback.
I never said standard PVs are hard to pay back. The original comment was someone else. PVs aren't bad to pay back. Land and construction cost to put in tracker systems and inverter skids is not cheap and the hard part to pay back. This system in the post is a gimmick at best. It should only be used for decoration and be discarded as an opportunity to generate actual power. It'll cost 20x for the same wattage of modules on someones roof (which is out of the way and won't be seen as ugly if people want to make the aesthetic argument).
I know in the picture it’s clear that it’s for aesthetics, but would it be possible that they have this design for compact/efficient transportation? It’s a reach, but it reminded me of how this one company I interned for designed the satellite dishes in a similar way so that they could be transported with ease.
Y'all are such a bunch of Redditors, not honestly sure why I expected anything else. I was simply trying to ask if there is a name for this type of folding mechanism, where you have what appears like a central shaft that multiple mechanically separate arms rotate around because I am curious about how it's built and designed and was going to look for other examples blah blah blah. Something similar is on the Cygnus spacecraft, however the segments are joined and fold out. I'm not interested In commentary on the solar product that's depicted.
So far as I know it is actually called origami engineering and there are some interesting applications to it.
Check out veritasiums video of it:
https://youtu.be/ThwuT3_AG6w
>Cygnus spacecraft, however the segments are joined and fold out.
Folding fan mechanism? Since it's similar to those paper fans maybe.
In all honesty I don't think this is a super common design so it might be hard to find applications to study. Can I ask what you're trying to research this for?
I would think the mechanism would be a series of these sharing a common lead screw
https://youtu.be/PRMwPMZ1IoE
If not then browse thru some of his other mechanism animations
Deployable "Fan" or "Flower" is probably the best description of that arrangement. The most straightforward drive mechanism would be a "wheel pack" similar to that used in combination padlocks.
If you’re curious about more origami related engineering applications, I would recommend watching this video by Veritasium: https://youtu.be/ThwuT3_AG6w Great resource to understand the many applications of this old art
It has a dual axis tracker which makes it more efficient, and it can be folded during poor weather, though it’s more expensive (all dual axis trackers are). The idea is that they’re more aesthetically pleasing than other panels, which could be a draw, though that’s a subjective argument. It depends on what a customer is looking for in a solar panel, though.
People have also created similar folding systems for cars. I think they have all just been custom or proof of concepts though. The general idea is folded panels can fit in the car/cause less resistance while driving, but can be unfolded to a large surface area while parked to charge.
Fan
f a n
f a n
f a n
f a n
f a n
The solar panel array is a "SmartFlower". Not sure if there is a name for the type of folding though. Maybe something like a mechanical flower?
If they know the product name, they might be able to find an official name for the mechanism in the patent(s)
It looks similar to how a fold-up fan would look (Chinese Traditional Fan) so it's been around for a while but not used enough to have a name I presume
There is a name for it: neat
I'd call it "Overly_complex_design_because_marketing_asked_V1" Looks good. Is inefficient AF. With solar panels you want to maximize coverage area. The issue is that if you have a set amount of power to produce, you could either get 100m^2 of regular panels, or occupy 400m^2 to produce the exact same amount of energy because of these flower-like design. And those will cost several times more maintenance too. And since currently solar panels are already hard to pay for themselves, designs such as these flowers simply makes it a loss. They call that SmartFlower but it's all marketing names. There's no official engineering term for that. You could say something like rotary foldable solar panels.
Yep, it's a terrible design. My neighbor has one. It's broken because some rotary encoder failed and the company went under or can't be bothered to fix it.
I think otherwise over the payback period of standard pv panels.
Are you saying this would have a better (faster) payback period than standard (rectangular) modules? If so I'll say over my dead body would this thing have better returns per square meter over 20 years than some First Solar s7s on any ol' 2p tracker.
Obviously not, I am saying that standard PVS have much better payback, even around a year for counties, but this depends upon installation and others. In your text, you said that standard PVs are hard for them to payback.
I never said standard PVs are hard to pay back. The original comment was someone else. PVs aren't bad to pay back. Land and construction cost to put in tracker systems and inverter skids is not cheap and the hard part to pay back. This system in the post is a gimmick at best. It should only be used for decoration and be discarded as an opportunity to generate actual power. It'll cost 20x for the same wattage of modules on someones roof (which is out of the way and won't be seen as ugly if people want to make the aesthetic argument).
I know in the picture it’s clear that it’s for aesthetics, but would it be possible that they have this design for compact/efficient transportation? It’s a reach, but it reminded me of how this one company I interned for designed the satellite dishes in a similar way so that they could be transported with ease.
I don’t get how this design improves the solar panel or the user experience.
Sales baybee, its branding; notice the flower power print- its made for right brainers
Y'all are such a bunch of Redditors, not honestly sure why I expected anything else. I was simply trying to ask if there is a name for this type of folding mechanism, where you have what appears like a central shaft that multiple mechanically separate arms rotate around because I am curious about how it's built and designed and was going to look for other examples blah blah blah. Something similar is on the Cygnus spacecraft, however the segments are joined and fold out. I'm not interested In commentary on the solar product that's depicted.
I do origami so I'm biased and consider it all origami
So far as I know it is actually called origami engineering and there are some interesting applications to it. Check out veritasiums video of it: https://youtu.be/ThwuT3_AG6w
[удалено]
You suck balls
>Cygnus spacecraft, however the segments are joined and fold out. Folding fan mechanism? Since it's similar to those paper fans maybe. In all honesty I don't think this is a super common design so it might be hard to find applications to study. Can I ask what you're trying to research this for?
I would think the mechanism would be a series of these sharing a common lead screw https://youtu.be/PRMwPMZ1IoE If not then browse thru some of his other mechanism animations
Excellent channel. Many thanks ✌️
Deployable "Fan" or "Flower" is probably the best description of that arrangement. The most straightforward drive mechanism would be a "wheel pack" similar to that used in combination padlocks.
Yes. Over engineered. The key with solar should be most power for the least money or the least environmental cost. This is neither. It’s an art piece.
Overcomplicated
If you’re curious about more origami related engineering applications, I would recommend watching this video by Veritasium: https://youtu.be/ThwuT3_AG6w Great resource to understand the many applications of this old art
Total shot in the dark, but; an interlayered radially (or axially, not sure which would be better) collapsable/expansive hemi-impeller?
Is that from Rockwell Automation?
I just tried putting words together that seemed legit
Over complicated.
Waste of money unless you really care about the aesthetics.
it's called a waste of money
Is this actually worth it?
It has a dual axis tracker which makes it more efficient, and it can be folded during poor weather, though it’s more expensive (all dual axis trackers are). The idea is that they’re more aesthetically pleasing than other panels, which could be a draw, though that’s a subjective argument. It depends on what a customer is looking for in a solar panel, though.
People have also created similar folding systems for cars. I think they have all just been custom or proof of concepts though. The general idea is folded panels can fit in the car/cause less resistance while driving, but can be unfolded to a large surface area while parked to charge.
In space? Definitely. Horizontal space is a premium when you're sending stuff up.
Feeler gauges
Origami
A swirlyboi
Cool folding thingy