An Integration Model for Flux Density Distribution Formed by a Heliostat

An accurate flux density calculation is essential for optimizing and designing solar tower systems. Most of the existing methods introduce multiple assumptions, and the accuracy and scope of the application are limited. This paper proposes an integration model used to calculate the flux density distribution after only applying the Gaussian model for solar brightness distribution. It is the first time that multiple reflections and the influence of the optical error transferred from different planes of the glass mirror are considered in order to build an optical model for the flux density of a heliostat. The reflection from two surfaces of the glass mirror used to form three main parts of beams was considered in the present model, and Fresnel’s equations were applied to calculate the energy of the three parts of reflected rays. An elliptic Gaussian model was applied for the optical error distribution of the heliostat. The model error was evaluated using the experimental data of ten heliostats, and the applicability and accuracy of the model were verified through flux distribution and an intercept factor. The average relative prediction error of the present model from the experimental data was only 2.83%, which is less than SolTrace and other models.