Devices, methods, and systems for control of heliostats

A method for controlling heliostats, comprising:

• accessing projection data representing reflection characteristics of each of a plurality of heliostats, each being aimable at one or more receivers;
• at a first time:
• for each of the plurality of heliostats, for each of multiple aiming points, computing a metric indicating a contribution of the each of the plurality of heliostats to a distribution of flux over at least a portion of the one or more receivers;
• for each of the plurality of heliostats, selecting a one of the aiming points responsively to the metric and responsively to a real time measured condition;
• at a second time:
• repeating the computing and selecting;
• and
• generating a control command responsively to the selecting to cause at least some of the plurality of heliostats to target the selected ones of the multiple aiming points.

A control system for a concentrating solar collector system, comprising:

• a controller programmed to access stored projection data representing reflection characteristics of each of a plurality of heliostats, each being aimable at a receiver;
• the controller being programmed to, for each of the plurality of heliostats, calculate a predicted flux intensity projection pattern for each of multiple aiming points on the receiver responsively to the projection data respective to the each of the plurality of heliostats and, for each of a subset of the plurality of heliostats, to select one of the multiple aiming points corresponding to the each of the subset responsively to previously selected aiming points corresponding to others of the plurality of heliostats, by applying at least one rule;
• the at least one rule having the effect that when the selecting is repeated for all of the subset, a cumulative distribution of flux over the receiver surface is substantially uniform or substantially matches a predetermined pattern of flux;
• the controller configured to output a command to control the plurality of heliostats according to the aiming points selected by the controller.