Long range heliostat target using array of normal incidence pyranometers to evaluate a beam of solar radiation
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsCheryl M. Ghanbari, Clifford K. Ho, Gregory J. Kolb
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various technologies described herein pertain to evaluating a beam reflected by a heliostat. A portable target that has an array of sensors mounted thereupon is configured to capture the beam reflected by the heliostat. The sensors in the array output measured values indicative of a characteristic of the beam reflected by the heliostat. Moreover, a computing device can generate and output data corresponding to the beam reflected by the heliostat based on the measured values indicative of the characteristic of the beam received from the sensors in the array.
Claims19
An apparatus, comprising:
- a portable target;
- and
- a plurality of sensors affixed to the portable target, the plurality of sensors are configured to capture a beam reflected by a heliostat and output measured values indicative of a characteristic of the beam reflected by the heliostat, wherein the characteristic of the beam is an irradiance of the beam reflected by the heliostat.
A system, comprising:
- a heliostat;
- a portable target that includes an array of sensors configured to capture a beam reflected by the heliostat and output measured values indicative of a characteristic of the beam reflected by the heliostat;
- and
- a computing device that receives the measured values indicative of the characteristic of the beam reflected by the heliostat from the sensors, generates data corresponding to the beam reflected by the heliostat based on the measured values indicative of the characteristic of the beam, and outputs the data corresponding to the beam reflected by the heliostat, wherein the characteristic of the beam reflected by the heliostat is an irradiance of the beam reflected by the heliostat.
A method comprising:
- positioning a portable target and a heliostat such that the heliostat reflects a beam of solar radiation to the portable target;
- causing an array of sensors mounted on the portable target to capture the beam from the heliostat and output measured values indicative, of a characteristic of the beam from the heliostat;
- generating a measured irradiance distribution of the beam from the heliostat based upon the measured values indicative of the characteristic of the beam from the heliostat;
- and
- outputting the measured irradiance distribution of the beam from the heliostat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.