Article

Computer Modelling of Heliostat Fields by Ray-Tracing Techniques: Simulating Shading and Blocking Effects

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

03/09/2025

Abstract

In this work, solar concentrating heliostat fields are modelled using computer ray-tracing techniques to investigate the parameters controlling the optical efficiency of those solar facilities. First, it is explained how the non-trivial problem of heliostat blocking and shading can be efficiently handled in ray-tracing simulations. These numerical techniques were implemented in our Light Analysis Modelling (LAM) software, which was then used to study realistic heliostat fields for a range of different geometries. Two locations were chosen, with the highest and the lowest latitudes, from the SFERA-III EU list of solar concentrating facilities with heliostat fields: Jülich (Germany) and Protaras (Cyprus). The results indicate that shading and blocking can substantially reduce the radiation collected during the year (up to 20%). Accurate figures of merit are proposed to quantify the thermal efficiency of a heliostat field, independently of its size. Increasing the tower height mostly reduces blocking (especially when the sun is high and most energy is collected), while increasing the distance between heliostats or increasing the ground slope mostly reduces shading (especially when the sun is low and little energy is collected).

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

2953

Volume

15

Issue

6

ISSN

2076-3417

DOI

10.3390/app15062953

WoS (Web of Science)

001453466200001

Fields of Science and Technology (FOS)

mechanical-engineering - Mechanical engineering

Keywords

  • heliostat field layout
  • heliostat modelling
  • heliostat shading and blocking
  • optical modelling
  • ray-tracing simulations

Publication language (ISO code)

eng - English

Rights type:

Open access

Creative Commons license

CC-BY - CC-BY