Influences of Optical Factors on the Performance of the Solar Furnace

Zhiying Cui, Fengwu Bai, Zhifeng Wang and Fuqiang Wang
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Zhiying Cui: Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Fengwu Bai: Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Zhifeng Wang: Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Fuqiang Wang: Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai 264209, Shandong, China

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 20, 1-18

Abstract: In this paper, an optical structure design for a solar furnace is described. Based on this configuration, Monte Carlo ray tracing simulations are carried out to analyze the influences of four optical factors on the concentrated solar heat flux distribution. According to the practical mirror shape adjustment approach, the curved surface of concentrator facet is obtained by using the finite element method. Due to the faceted reflector structure, the gaps between the adjacent mirror arrays and the orientations of facets are also considered in the simulation model. It gives the allowable error ranges or restrictions corresponding to the optical factors which individually effect the system in Beijing: The tilt error of heliostat should be less than 4 mrad; the tilt error of the concentrator in the orthogonal directions should be both less than 2 mrad; the concentrator facets with the shape most approaching paraboloid would greatly resolve slope error and layout errors arising in the concentrator. Besides, by comparing the experimentally measured irradiance with the simulated results, the optical performance of the facility is evaluated to investigate their comprehensive influence. The results are useful to help constructors have a better understanding of the solar furnace’s optical behavior under conditions of multiple manufacture restrictions.

Keywords: solar furnace; Monte Carlo ray tracing; finite element method; factor influence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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