Modification of Flux Profiles Using a Faceted Concentrator

    Research output: NRELTechnical Report

    Abstract

    The use of a faceted solar concentrator allows for some flexibility in aiming strategy and in the intensity of the resulting flux profile at the target. This can be an advantage when considering applications that do not necessarily require maximum concentration, particularly emerging, new applications in solar processed advanced materials. This paper will describe both an analysis of predictedflux profiles for several different aiming strategies using the SOLFUR computer code and experiments to characterize the actual flux profiles realized with a selected aiming strategy. The SOLFUR code models each of the furnace components explicitly. Aim points for each facet can be specified. Thus many strategies for adjusting aim points can be easily explored. One strategy calls for creating asuniform a flux over as large an area as possible. We explored this strategy analytically and experimentally. The experimental data consist of flux maps generated by a video imaging system calibrated against absolute flux measurements taken with circular foil calorimeters. Results from the analytical study and a comparison with the experimental data indicate that uniform profiles can be producedover fairly large areas.
    Original languageAmerican English
    Number of pages8
    StatePublished - 1993

    NREL Publication Number

    • NREL/TP-471-5352

    Keywords

    • aiming strategy
    • faceted solar concentrator
    • flux profiles
    • SOLFUR

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