Dynamics Of Flexible Solar Updraft Towers

• Author / Creator

  Chi, Michael

• Solar updraft towers offers a simple and alternative method of generating
  electricity. However, it is unclear on how to build a tall, free standing structure
  that can withstand the unpredictable and destructive force of the wind. A
  tower consisting of stacked inflatable toroidal elements have been suggested
  and the dynamics of the tower will be analyzed. Using Lagrangian reduction
  by symmetry, the theory for the 3D motion for the tower is developed. By
  confining the motion to two-dimensions, numerical simulations are performed
  to study the tower's stability and is compared with the data collected from a
  experimental prototype showing good agreement with theoretical results.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Geometric mechanics
  • Solar towers
  • Flexible
  • Lagrangian
  • Reduction by symmetry
  • Dynamical equations
  • Updraft

• Graduation date

  Fall 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3HX0T

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.