Control of a heliostat field in a solar energy plant

For use in a solar energy plant, a heliostat field having a plurality of heliostat mirrors for the concentration of solar radiation and direction of the concentrated solar radiation towards a target plane and having at least one control system for the control of the alignment of heliostat mirrors in a controlled area of the heliostat field with respect to a selected zone in the target plane, said control system comprising a detection device associated with said target plane and having a detection surface, and adjusting means for adjusting the heliostat mirrors in said controlled area based on measurements made on the detection surface of the detection device;

• characterised in that
• said detection device of the control system is removed from the target plane in the direction of the concentrated solar radiation, said detection surface facing said concentrated radiation, said control system further comprising first means having an optical entrance located essentially in said selected zone of the target plane and capable of projecting on said detection surface the concentrated solar radiation delivered to the selected zone from the controlled area of the heliostat field to produce thereon an image of said controlled area, and second means associated with said detection device for measuring separately the light intensity of portions of said image of the controlled area.

For use with a heliostat field having a plurality of heliostat mirrors for the concentration of solar radiation and direction of the concentrated solar radiation towards a target plane, a system for control of the alignment of heliostat mirrors in a controlled area of the heliostat field with respect to a selected zone in the target plane, said system comprising a detection device associated with said target plane and having a detection surface, and adjusting means for adjusting the heliostat mirrors in said controlled area based on measurements made on the detection surface of the detection device;

• characterised in that
• said detection device of the control system is removed from the target plane in the direction of the concentrated solar radiation, said detection surface facing said concentrated radiation, said control system further comprising first means having an optical entrance located essentially in said selected zone of the target plane and capable of projecting on said detection surface the concentrated solar radiation delivered to the selected zone from the controlled area of the heliostat field to produce thereon an image of said controlled area, and second means associated with said detection device for measuring separately the light intensity of portions of said image of the controlled area.