Solar concentrating system

Abstract

A solar concentrating system includes a heliostat having an actuator that adjusts a reflecting direction of a mirror reflector. An anemometer measures wind direction and wind speed. A controller generates and outputs a target angle command to the actuator in order to control the actuator. The controller generates the target angle command based on the current position of the sun and on the wind direction and the wind speed measured by the anemometer.

1 . A solar concentrating system comprising:
 a heliostat that has an actuator that adjusts a direction of a mirror reflector;   a controller configured to output a target angle command to the actuator; and   an anemometer;   wherein the controller is configured to determine the target angle command based on a solar position and on a wind direction and a wind speed measured by the anemometer.   
     
     
         2 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 1 , wherein the target angle command determined by the controller is composed of a target angle first element determined from the solar position and a target angle second element determined based on the wind direction and the wind speed. 
     
     
         3 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 2 , further comprising an angle sensor that measures a rotation angle of an output shaft of the actuator;
 wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so as to cause any deviation between the target angle command and a measured angle measured by the angle sensor to become zero.   
     
     
         4 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the target angle first element is determined so that reflected light is directed toward a predetermined target position; and   the target angle second element corresponds to an estimated value of a twist angle, caused by wind pressure, from the output shaft of the actuator to a support shaft of the mirror reflector.   
     
     
         5 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the target angle first element is determined so that reflected light is directed toward a predetermined target position; and   the target angle second element corresponds to an estimated value of a twist angle, caused by wind pressure, from an output shaft of the actuator to a support shaft of the mirror reflector.   
     
     
         6 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 1 , wherein the heliostat further comprises a reduction gear and the actuator comprises a motor, the direction of the mirror reflector being adjustable by the motor via the reduction gear. 
     
     
         7 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 6 , wherein an output shaft of the motor is coupled to an input shaft of the reduction gear and an output shaft of the reduction gear is connected to the mirror reflector. 
     
     
         8 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an angle sensor is configured to detect a rotational position of the output shaft of the motor and to communicate the detected rotational position to the controller.   
     
     
         9 . The solar concentrating system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a solar tracking sensor configured to determine the solar position.   
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling a heliostat to set an inclination angle of a mirror reflector, comprising:
 determining a position of the sun and communicating a signal representative of the detected sun position to a controller,   using the controller to calculate a first value based upon the detected sun position,   measuring wind speed and wind direction using an anemometer,   using the controller to calculate a compensating value based in part upon the measured wind speed and wind direction,   adding the compensating value to the first angle to generate a target angle value command, and   using the target angle value command to control the heliostat and thereby set the inclination angle of the mirror reflector.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the compensating value compensates for twisting between an output shaft of a motor that drives the heliostat and a support shaft of the mirror reflector caused by wind pressure acting on the mirror reflector. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detecting a rotational angular position of the output shaft of the motor,   communicating the detected rotational angular position to the controller, and   controlling the motor so as to cause any deviation between the target angle command and the detected rotational angular position to become zero.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a heliostat comprising an actuator configured to adjust an inclination angle of a mirror reflector;   an anemometer configured to measure wind direction and wind speed; and   a controller configured to calculate a target angle command and to output the target angle command to the actuator, the target angle command being calculated based in part upon a current position of the sun, the measured wind direction and the measured wind speed.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate the target angle command by summing a first value representative of the current sun position and a second value representative of the measured wind direction and the measured wind speed. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an angle sensor configured to detect a rotational angular position of an output shaft of the actuator;   wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator so as to cause any deviation between the target angle command and the detected rotational angular position to become zero.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first value is representative of inclination value that will cause sunlight reflected by the mirror reflector to be directed toward a predetermined target position in the absence of any wind pressure on the mirror reflector; and   the second value is a compensating value that corrects any twist angle, caused by wind pressure, between the output shaft of the actuator and a support shaft of the mirror reflector.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the heliostat further comprises a reduction gear and the actuator comprises a motor, the direction of the mirror reflector being adjustable by the motor via the reduction gear. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein an output shaft of the motor is coupled to an input shaft of the reduction gear and an output shaft of the reduction gear is connected to the mirror reflector. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the second value is calculated to offset any inclination of the mirror reflector caused by wind pressure.