Tower Illuminance Model (TIM): Interactive Real-Time Flyover Simulation Tool to Evaluate Glare and Avian-Flux Hazards: Paper No. 210017

Cianan Sims; Clifford Ho; Luke Horstman; Julius Yellowhair

doi:10.1063/1.5067219

Tower Illuminance Model (TIM): Interactive Real-Time Flyover Simulation Tool to Evaluate Glare and Avian-Flux Hazards: Paper No. 210017

Cianan Sims, Clifford Ho, Luke Horstman, Julius Yellowhair

Building Technologies and Science Center

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper

Abstract

Solar glare reflections and avian solar-flux hazards are an important concern for concentrating solar installations. Reflected sunlight from 'standby' heliostats has been noted by pilots as potentially hazardous, and reports of birds being singed by concentrated sunlight has created concern. This paper presents the Tower Illuminance Model ('TIM'), a software application developed to investigate glare and avian-flux hazards at concentrating solar power towers in a convenient and interactive manner. TIM simulates a field of heliostats in standby mode, wherein sunlight is not reflected toward the central receiver but at some location in the airspace around the receiver. The user can select a range of aiming strategies and field configurations and can navigate the simulated airspace above the heliostat field in real-time using an interactive 3D interface. As the user 'flies' through the airspace, TIM calculates the irradiance, glare hazard, and potential avian flux hazard. TIM is currently undergoing validation and industry testing.

Original language	American English
Number of pages	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5067219
State	Published - 2018
Event	SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems - Santiago, Chile Duration: 26 Sep 2017 → 29 Sep 2017

Conference

Conference	SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems
City	Santiago, Chile
Period	26/09/17 → 29/09/17

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-5500-72967

Keywords

birds
concentrated solar power
heliostats
industry
software engineering

Access to Document

10.1063/1.5067219

Cite this

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title = "Tower Illuminance Model (TIM): Interactive Real-Time Flyover Simulation Tool to Evaluate Glare and Avian-Flux Hazards: Paper No. 210017",

abstract = "Solar glare reflections and avian solar-flux hazards are an important concern for concentrating solar installations. Reflected sunlight from 'standby' heliostats has been noted by pilots as potentially hazardous, and reports of birds being singed by concentrated sunlight has created concern. This paper presents the Tower Illuminance Model ('TIM'), a software application developed to investigate glare and avian-flux hazards at concentrating solar power towers in a convenient and interactive manner. TIM simulates a field of heliostats in standby mode, wherein sunlight is not reflected toward the central receiver but at some location in the airspace around the receiver. The user can select a range of aiming strategies and field configurations and can navigate the simulated airspace above the heliostat field in real-time using an interactive 3D interface. As the user 'flies' through the airspace, TIM calculates the irradiance, glare hazard, and potential avian flux hazard. TIM is currently undergoing validation and industry testing.",

keywords = "birds, concentrated solar power, heliostats, industry, software engineering",

author = "Cianan Sims and Clifford Ho and Luke Horstman and Julius Yellowhair",

year = "2018",

doi = "10.1063/1.5067219",

language = "American English",

note = "SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems ; Conference date: 26-09-2017 Through 29-09-2017",

}

Sims, C, Ho, C, Horstman, L & Yellowhair, J 2018, 'Tower Illuminance Model (TIM): Interactive Real-Time Flyover Simulation Tool to Evaluate Glare and Avian-Flux Hazards: Paper No. 210017', Paper presented at SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, Santiago, Chile, 26/09/17 - 29/09/17. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5067219

Tower Illuminance Model (TIM): Interactive Real-Time Flyover Simulation Tool to Evaluate Glare and Avian-Flux Hazards: Paper No. 210017. / Sims, Cianan; Ho, Clifford; Horstman, Luke et al.
2018. Paper presented at SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, Santiago, Chile.

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper

TY - CONF

T1 - Tower Illuminance Model (TIM): Interactive Real-Time Flyover Simulation Tool to Evaluate Glare and Avian-Flux Hazards

T2 - SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems

AU - Sims, Cianan

AU - Ho, Clifford

AU - Horstman, Luke

AU - Yellowhair, Julius

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Solar glare reflections and avian solar-flux hazards are an important concern for concentrating solar installations. Reflected sunlight from 'standby' heliostats has been noted by pilots as potentially hazardous, and reports of birds being singed by concentrated sunlight has created concern. This paper presents the Tower Illuminance Model ('TIM'), a software application developed to investigate glare and avian-flux hazards at concentrating solar power towers in a convenient and interactive manner. TIM simulates a field of heliostats in standby mode, wherein sunlight is not reflected toward the central receiver but at some location in the airspace around the receiver. The user can select a range of aiming strategies and field configurations and can navigate the simulated airspace above the heliostat field in real-time using an interactive 3D interface. As the user 'flies' through the airspace, TIM calculates the irradiance, glare hazard, and potential avian flux hazard. TIM is currently undergoing validation and industry testing.

AB - Solar glare reflections and avian solar-flux hazards are an important concern for concentrating solar installations. Reflected sunlight from 'standby' heliostats has been noted by pilots as potentially hazardous, and reports of birds being singed by concentrated sunlight has created concern. This paper presents the Tower Illuminance Model ('TIM'), a software application developed to investigate glare and avian-flux hazards at concentrating solar power towers in a convenient and interactive manner. TIM simulates a field of heliostats in standby mode, wherein sunlight is not reflected toward the central receiver but at some location in the airspace around the receiver. The user can select a range of aiming strategies and field configurations and can navigate the simulated airspace above the heliostat field in real-time using an interactive 3D interface. As the user 'flies' through the airspace, TIM calculates the irradiance, glare hazard, and potential avian flux hazard. TIM is currently undergoing validation and industry testing.

KW - birds

KW - concentrated solar power

KW - heliostats

KW - industry

KW - software engineering

U2 - 10.1063/1.5067219

DO - 10.1063/1.5067219

M3 - Paper

Y2 - 26 September 2017 through 29 September 2017

ER -

Tower Illuminance Model (TIM): Interactive Real-Time Flyover Simulation Tool to Evaluate Glare and Avian-Flux Hazards: Paper No. 210017

Abstract

Conference

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

Access to Document

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