Computer aided optimization/innovation of passive tracking solar concentration Fresnel lens

Abstract

A passive solar tracker and concentrator device must be able to effectively concentrate solar radiation into a constant area throughout the day, without any mobile mechanism. The objective is to achieve 1000°C on the receptor area with concentrated solar energy, and to accomplish this target a compound Fresnel lens has been designed. Utilizing multidisciplinary CAE software, an integrated multi-objective optimization process based on genetic algorithms has been developed and a novel design solution has been achieved. The process consists of integrating genetic algorithms using optimization software Dakota from Sandia National Laboratories with Autodesk Inventor for parametric variation of the lens 3D-CAD geometry, Lambda Research TracePro software for ray tracing simulation, and Microsoft Excel to manage data input and output. Several simulation scenarios were developed, such as a solar tracker and concentrator device for two-dimensional (linear) concentration and three-dimensional (spot) concentration on equatorial and non-equatorial locations. © 2011 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.