Analysis of a novel low-cost solar concentrator using lunar flux mapping techniques and ray-tracing models

Abstract

Concentrated solar power is a growing but expensive alternative energy resource. One of the most common issues faced when it comes to solar dish design is the complex trade-off between cost and optical quality. A novel solar dish reflector setup that makes use of low-cost, commercial television satellite dishes to support aluminised plastic membranes in a multifaceted vacuum-membrane concentrator was investigated in this work. The design aims to reduce costs while maintaining high optical accuracy with the added benefit of optical adjustability. The flux distribution of the novel solar dish reflector setup had to be determined to make recommendations on the feasibility of the design. This research presents a method to determine the expected solar flux distribution from lunar tests using a Canon EOS 700D camera. Experimental tests and different pollution treatment methods were conducted using lunar flux mapping techniques. A numerical model of the experimental setup, based on photogrammetry results of the membrane surface, was also developed in SolTrace to ascertain the sources of error and allow for further design improvements. Preliminary testing proved that JPEG image formats yielded insufficient accuracy in capturing the incident flux when compared to RAW images. Based on the flux ratio maps, the intercept factor for a large multifaceted dish setup was calculated as 88.6% for an aperture size of 0.25 m × 0.25 m, with a maximum solar flux of 1 395 kW/m2 for a 1 000 W/m2 test case.