Article

Computer Modelling of Heliostat Fields by Ray-Tracing Techniques: Simulating the Mechanical Rotations

Applied Sciences

José Carlos Garcia Pereira; Luís Guerra Rosa — 2025 — MDPI

Key information

Authors:

José Carlos Garcia Pereira (José Carlos Garcia Pereira); Luís Guerra Rosa (Luís Manuel Guerra da Silva Rosa)

Published in

04/19/2025

Abstract

Featured Application: This work is directly applied to optimize the performance of heliostat fields used in solar concentrating facilities. Abstract: In this work, solar concentrating heliostat fields are modeled using accurate solar-tracking algorithms and a wide range of rotation models to investigate the parameters controlling the mechanical efficiency of these solar facilities. Iterative procedures are first described to determine the rotation angles needed to properly orient a single heliostat for the most commonly used mechanical models, including the azimuth-elevation, tilt-roll, and target-aligned models. These mathematical techniques were integrated into our Light Analysis Modelling (LAM) software and used to study a realistic heliostat field with six different mechanical rotation models for the full year of 2024 and a daily working range of 08:00–16:00 Local Time (LCT). Two locations were chosen, representing the highest and lowest latitudes from the SFERA-III EU list of solar concentrating facilities with heliostat fields: Jülich (Germany) and Protaras (Cyprus). The results obtained show that tilt-roll models require less angular rotation (−15.2% in Jülich, −20.2% in Protaras) and a narrower angular range (−14.5% in Jülich, −20.2% in Protaras) than azimuth-elevation models. Seldom-used target-aligned models are more efficient with tilt-roll rotations (compared with the tilt-roll model: −35.1% rotations in Jülich, −29.2% in Protaras; −12.3% angular range in Jülich, −14.3% in Protaras) and less efficient with azimuth-elevation rotations (compared with the azimuth-elevation model: +53.2% rotations in Jülich, +39.2% in Protaras; +96.2% angular range in Jülich, +87.5% in Protaras).

Publication details

Authors in the community:

Publication version

VoR - Version of Record

Publisher

MDPI

Link to the publisher's version

https://www.mdpi.com/3217030

Title of the publication container

Applied Sciences

First page or article number

4508

Volume

15

Issue

8

ISSN

2076-3417

DOI

10.3390/app15084508

Fields of Science and Technology (FOS)

mechanical-engineering - Mechanical engineering

Keywords

  • heliostat mechanical models
  • azimuth-elevation
  • tilt-roll
  • target-aligned
  • heliostat modelling
  • heliostat rotation
  • ray-tracing simulations

Publication language (ISO code)

eng - English

Rights type:

Open access

Creative Commons license

CC-BY - CC-BY