Nontracking solar concentrators with louvered heliostats: A calculation algorithm

Abstract

An algorithm for calculating the solar radiation flux on the receiving surface of a nontracking parabolic trough concentrator with a louvered heliostat is presented. Cylindrical geometry of the concentrator and shape and arrangement of mirror lamellae of the heliostat make it possible to consider sunlight passage across the mirror system of the module as a whole band, which significantly increases the computational efficiency of the algorithm proposed.