Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure
The tracking requirements of all heliostats in a field are not the same, and they vary according to day, time, and latitude. In this work, a graphical ray tracing (GRT) based model is developed and demonstrated with two-axis Azimuth-Elevation (AE) and Spinning-Elevation (SE) tracking techniques. The...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | e-Prime: Advances in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Energy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772671123002498 |
| _version_ | 1797388602583285760 |
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| author | Sainath A. Waghmare Bhalchandra P. Puranik |
| author_facet | Sainath A. Waghmare Bhalchandra P. Puranik |
| author_sort | Sainath A. Waghmare |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The tracking requirements of all heliostats in a field are not the same, and they vary according to day, time, and latitude. In this work, a graphical ray tracing (GRT) based model is developed and demonstrated with two-axis Azimuth-Elevation (AE) and Spinning-Elevation (SE) tracking techniques. The procedure is simple and obviates the complex rotation-matrices formulation reported in the previous literature. Using the GRT, a new Center-Oriented Spinning-Elevation (COSE) tracking technique is proposed and demonstrated in which, instead of at the target, heliostats are pointed towards the on-field center-point of the tower. Tracking based on this co-ordinate system results in a substantial reduction in rotations of tracking motors and parasitic-energy of heliostats. Motion analysis of eight heliostats placed at different on-field locations and distances from the tower are conducted, and their tracking characteristics are explained in detail with respect to time, latitude, and tracking modes. The effect of on-field position and distance is presented with fast-tracking requirements and reflected mirror images on the receiver plane. The COSE method obtains a better shape of the reflected-image with less aberration on the receiver plane than SE and AE methods. The analysis performed in this work addresses the trade-off between tracking speed and cost while designing a tracking system for heliostat field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:43:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3fdd8bd4600e4e69a82587559b341a26 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-6711 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T22:43:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | e-Prime: Advances in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Energy |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fdd8bd4600e4e69a82587559b341a262023-12-17T06:43:31ZengElseviere-Prime: Advances in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Energy2772-67112023-12-016100354Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedureSainath A. Waghmare0Bhalchandra P. Puranik1Corresponding author.; Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, IndiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, IndiaThe tracking requirements of all heliostats in a field are not the same, and they vary according to day, time, and latitude. In this work, a graphical ray tracing (GRT) based model is developed and demonstrated with two-axis Azimuth-Elevation (AE) and Spinning-Elevation (SE) tracking techniques. The procedure is simple and obviates the complex rotation-matrices formulation reported in the previous literature. Using the GRT, a new Center-Oriented Spinning-Elevation (COSE) tracking technique is proposed and demonstrated in which, instead of at the target, heliostats are pointed towards the on-field center-point of the tower. Tracking based on this co-ordinate system results in a substantial reduction in rotations of tracking motors and parasitic-energy of heliostats. Motion analysis of eight heliostats placed at different on-field locations and distances from the tower are conducted, and their tracking characteristics are explained in detail with respect to time, latitude, and tracking modes. The effect of on-field position and distance is presented with fast-tracking requirements and reflected mirror images on the receiver plane. The COSE method obtains a better shape of the reflected-image with less aberration on the receiver plane than SE and AE methods. The analysis performed in this work addresses the trade-off between tracking speed and cost while designing a tracking system for heliostat field.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772671123002498Azimuth-elevationHeliostat trackingImage reflectionLatitude orientedMotion studyRay tracing |
| spellingShingle | Sainath A. Waghmare Bhalchandra P. Puranik Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure e-Prime: Advances in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Energy Azimuth-elevation Heliostat tracking Image reflection Latitude oriented Motion study Ray tracing |
| title | Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure |
| title_full | Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure |
| title_short | Analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure |
| title_sort | analysis of tracking characteristics of a heliostat field using a graphical ray tracing procedure |
| topic | Azimuth-elevation Heliostat tracking Image reflection Latitude oriented Motion study Ray tracing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772671123002498 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sainathawaghmare analysisoftrackingcharacteristicsofaheliostatfieldusingagraphicalraytracingprocedure AT bhalchandrappuranik analysisoftrackingcharacteristicsofaheliostatfieldusingagraphicalraytracingprocedure |