Minimizing the Cosine Loss in a Solar Tower Power Plant by a Change in the Heliostat Position and Number

Abstract

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) focuses sunlight in order to use the heat energy of the sun. In a central receiver system configuration, many mirrors (heliostats) individually track the sun and reflect the concentrated solar energy onto a receiver on top of a tower. The receiver contains the working fluid which is heated by the concentrated solar radiation. The useful energy that absorbed by the water flows through the receiver in solar tower plant depending on the angle between the solar rays and the position of heliostat in the region of work. Heliostat will reflect the incident solar radiation in the direction of the receiver founded in the top of the tower, in order to get a maximum incident solar radiation on the heliostat reflection area. Because of the cosine factor loss effect due to the sun position is variable along the day from sunrise to sunset, which must be in a minimum value, therefore an automated tracking system with dual axes as a control system with sensors had been built and used to stay the sunrays incident on the receiver, and enable the heliostat to flow the sun where it was