Completely open-foldable domes remaining cool in sunshine

Robert H. Hammerschlag; Sander Deelen; Pieter W. Hoogendoorn; Johannes N. M. Kommers; Thomas Sonner; Roberto Simoes; Olivier Grassin; Andreas Fischer; Simon Visser; Kristof Thewissen

doi:10.1117/12.2232097

22 July 2016 Completely open-foldable domes remaining cool in sunshine

Robert H. Hammerschlag, Sander Deelen, Pieter W. Hoogendoorn, Johannes N. M. Kommers, Thomas Sonner, Roberto Simoes, Olivier Grassin, Andreas Fischer, Simon Visser, Kristof Thewissen

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9912, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation II; 99121E (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2232097
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

These open-foldable very light-weight domes, based on very strong textile membranes highly tensioned between steel bows, are designed for bad-weather protection and maintenance of instruments for astronomical, meteorological and civil-engineering measurements and have extremely high wind stability. The domes of the GREGOR telescope and the Dutch Open Telescope are the two existing prototypes. Improvements were developed with all parts light-colored to remain cool in solar light. The new specially made connection parts (eyes) between the textile parts are made from white-colored PETP, a very strong and UV-stable synthetic, and have a better geometrical shape giving higher stability. The rubber seal tubes on top of the dome were of black-colored chloride rubber CR (neoprene), strong and UV stable, but very warm in sunlight. New UV-stable EPDM rubber tubes were produced in natural light color. To get this rubber stiff enough to give good sealing, a black-colored stiff EPDM rubber is put inside the light-colored one. Tests were performed and the forces necessary for compression of the rubber tubes were measured. An inside black tube with a circa 1.3 times larger compression force than the original black tubes was applied. The assembling of the black tubes into the light-colored tubes was successfully applied at the DOT and GREGOR domes.

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Robert H. Hammerschlag, Sander Deelen, Pieter W. Hoogendoorn, Johannes N. M. Kommers, Thomas Sonner, Roberto Simoes, Olivier Grassin, Andreas Fischer, Simon Visser, and Kristof Thewissen "Completely open-foldable domes remaining cool in sunshine", Proc. SPIE 9912, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation II, 99121E (22 July 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2232097

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