A Universal Heliostat Control System

Abstract

The heliostat field collects, reflects and concentrates solar radiation and irradiates the receiver of a solar power plant. The task of controlling the irradiation is challenging because of several competing targets: maximizing the intercepted radiative power whilst respecting flux limitations and temperature gradients to enhance the life span of the receiver. A heliostat control system has to ensure safe operation, reduce spillage and satisfy the Receiver requirements. The paper is organized as follows: The first section describes the system architecture and its modular design principle. Then, we present the core task of system control and the achieved performance in terms of temperature control and update rate. Next follow the important support tasks of heliostat calibration and monitoring. The presentation of the graphical user interface (GUI) shows the key features of the implementation. Finally, we summarize and provide an outlook.