Visual HFLCAL - A Software Tool for Layout and Optimisation of Heliostat Fields

Abstract

HFLCAL is a program for layout and optimization of heliostat fields of central receiver systems (CRS) based on annual performance calculation. Computation time for performance estimation is saved by using a simplified mathematical model for the concentrator optics: the reflected image of each heliostat is described by a circular normal distribution. This approximation is justified when the standard deviation of the statistical mirror error exceeds 1 mrad. The paper shows details about the mathematical model and its validation. The HFLCAL code has been continuously used and enhanced in numerous R&D projects. The current features of HFLCAL comprise (among others) automatic multi-aiming, secondary concentrator optics, tower reflector systems, various receiver models and the ability of least-cost optimization with various optimization algorithms. A graphical user interface has been added to the program that supports menu-driven interactive commands and depicts calculation results in a display window.