The present invention offers an improvement to existing canting, slope error, and/or pointing measurement approaches, by using one or more cameras to observe the reflections of points of light in the firmament, such as the reflections of stars and/or planets as visible within the night sky in the heliostat facets. An illustrative heliostat measurement system comprises a plurality of heliostats, and at least one camera that observes at least one heliostat. The heliostats reflect an image of the firmament that can be observed by the at least one camera. The system further comprises (i) at least one captured image of the firmament reflected from at least one of the heliostats; and (ii) a computer comprising programming that determines a heliostat imperfection from the captured image, wherein the heliostat imperfection is selected from at least one of a slope error, a canting error, and a pointing error.

The invention is a system and method for heliostat mirror control. Here, each heliostat mirror generates a low intensity signal beam, directed at an angle off from the heliostat mirror's high intensity and sensor blinding main beam of reflected solar energy. The low intensity signal beams may be created by reflecting a small portion of the incident solar light at an angle from the main beam, by reflected artificial light, or from lasers shinning onto mirrors from known locations. The signal beams are detected by optical sensors mounted way from the main heliostat receiver focus, and can be used in a closed loop control system to efficiently ensure that individual heliostat mirrors in a heliostat array accurately track sunlight and direct the sunlight to a central receiver. Because heliostat mirrors need not be taken off sun for positioning, the system allows heliostat arrays to be run at high efficiency.

Calibration method for heliostats that comprises carrying out at least a search to visualize at least a reference by means of an artificial vision device arranged in a fixed manner to each of the heliostats to be calibrated; recognizing the reference searched; carrying out a capture of the reference for each of the searches, the capture comprising a taking of an image visualized by the artificial vision device in which the reference appears and a reading of the value of the sensors; collecting and storing data of the taking and the reading; comparing value of sensors of the capture with the value of the sensors according to a kinematic relation that is in effect; stablishing an error for each of the captures; and determining a new kinematic relation.

A method of determining post elevations in a single axis solar tracker that includes a tracker row with a plurality of posts, comprises providing location data (X, Y) in a plane for each of the plurality of posts in the row, and for each of the plurality of posts in the tracker row providing elevation data (Z) indicative of post elevation with respect to the plane. The method automatically generates nonlinear curve fit data that assigns initial post elevation values for each of the plurality of posts in the tracker row. For each of the plurality of post locations in the tracker row, the method automatically compares the initial post elevation values against a numerical constraint, and assigns a new initial post elevation value if the numerical constraint is violated. This method reduces the quantity of grading or extra support lengths needed to accommodate undulation of the terrain. The method may also use an iterative approach without using a curve fit.

A solar tracking system comprises multiple solar panel modules forming a grid of solar panel modules, wherein the multiple solar panel modules are orientatable to a solar source independently of each other; and a control system configured to orient each of the multiple solar panel modules to the solar source independently of each other based on a performance model to optimize an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules, wherein the performance model predicts an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules based on a topography of the area containing the grid of solar panel modules and weather conditions local to each of the solar panel modules.

The present invention relates to a solar position tracking accuracy measurement system based on an optical lens, by which the solar position tracking accuracy of a tracker can be effectively analyzed and detected in real-time by using a technique on the basis of an astronomical analysis on the trajectory of the sun through an accurate measurement based on an optical lens, thereby establishing the reproducibility of a physical measurement method, calculating an error angle according to the vertical incidence of solar light and minimizing physical errors.

A digital fluid heating system may include a solar collection system configured for focusing sunlight on a focal axis, an elongated flow element arranged and configured for transporting fluid along the solar collection system at the focal axis, and a flow-control assembly comprising a digitally controlled valve configured to control the flow of the fluid in the elongated flow element such that pathogens present in the fluid are substantially inactivated before the fluid exits the fluid heating system and at a maximized flow rate under the given energy providing conditions. The system may also include one or more digital controls and communication systems for remote and/or automatic control.

A heliostat includes a heliostat frame and a plurality of reflective surfaces, each reflective surface is movably mounted within the heliostat frame. The heliostat also includes a plurality of actuators, wherein each individual actuator of the plurality of actuators is associated with a single reflective surface of the plurality reflective surfaces and capable of moving the single reflective surface.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to provide a control system for the purpose of redirecting light from a source onto a target. The present invention appreciates that the optical properties of light that is both modified and/or distributed, e.g. by diffraction, diffusion, or some other process, and also redirected by a heliostat, can be a function of how the light redirecting element is aimed. This means that the aim of the light redirecting element can be precisely determined once the aim of the modified and/or distributed light is known. Advantageously, the characteristics of modified and/or distributed light indicative of how that light is aimed can be determined from locations outside the zone of concentrated illumination in which sensors are at undue risk. This, in turn, means that modified and/or distributed light characteristics can be detected at a safe location, and this information can then be used to help precisely aim the light redirecting element onto the desired target, such as a receiver in a CSP system. The aim of the modified and/or distributed light is thus an accurate proxy for the light beam to be aimed at the receiver.

A robotic actuator comprises a mass manufactured bellows, wherein the mass manufactured bellows allows a volume change by localized bending, and wherein the mass manufactured bellows is formed from a material that has a higher strength in at least two axes relative to at most one other axis, and an end effector, wherein the end effector is coupled to the manufactured bellows.