• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.82-90
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• 2013

Concentration errors critically affect the performance of solar concentrator, so their evaluation is important to the concentrated solar power technology. However, the evaluation is very challenging because error sources are various and not easy to measure individually. Therefore, the integrated effect of concentration errors is often more interesting and useful for large-scale applications. In the present work, we analytically investigate and classify various concentration error sources and then explain that the effect of various concentration errors can be represented in terms of a root mean square value of reflector surface slope error. We present an indirect approach to assessing the reflector surface slope error by comparing solar flux measurement data with modeling calculations. We apply the approach for solar furnaces with different thermal capacity and investigate its advantages and disadvantages.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.989-996
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• 2011

An understanding of the concentrated solar flux is critical for the analysis and design of solar-energy-utilization systems. The current work focuses on the development of an algorithm that uses the Monte Carlo ray-tracing method with excellent flexibility and expandability; this method considers both solar limb darkening and the surface slope error of reflectors, thereby analyzing the solar flux. A comparison of the modeling results with measurements at the solar furnace in Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) show good agreement within a measurement uncertainty of 10%. The model evaluates the concentration performance of the KIER solar furnace with a tracking accuracy of 2 mrad and a maximum attainable concentration ratio of 4400 sun. Flux variations according to measurement position and flux distributions depending on acceptance angles provide detailed information for the design of chemical reactors or secondary concentrators.