Assessment of heliostat control system methods

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6315196· OSTI ID:6315196

Pearson, J; Chen, B

Automatic control and communication between the major components in solar thermal central receiver systems is critically needed for the optimal and safe operation of these systems. This report assesses novel and cost-effective approaches to the control of the solar collector field and the communication with the central plant computer/control system. The authors state that radio frequency and carrier-current communication approaches have the greatest potential to improve cost-effectiveness relative to the current dedicated control wiring approaches. In addition, based on their analysis, the authors recommend distributed control, which is becoming an industry-wide control standard, for the individual concentrators within the collector field rather than the current central computer approach. The vastly improved cost and performance ofmicroprocessors and other solid-state electronics, which has continually and rapidly proceeded for more than five years, is the major reason for these conclusions.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 6315196
• Report Number(s): SERI/SP-253-2390; ON: DE86004416
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
HELIOSTATS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
COST
DATA TRANSMISSION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RF SYSTEMS
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
COMMUNICATIONS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
COMPUTERS
CONTROL
140702* - Solar Thermal Power Systems- Central Receiver
141000 - Solar Collectors & Concentrators