Alignment method for solar collector arrays
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an improved method for establishing camera fixture location for aligning mirrors on a solar collector array (SCA) comprising multiple mirror modules. The method aligns the mirrors on a module by comparing the location of the receiver image in photographs with the predicted theoretical receiver image location. To accurately align an entire SCA, a common reference is used for all of the individual module images within the SCA. The improved method can use relative pixel location information in digital photographs along with alignment fixture inclinometer data to calculate relative locations of the fixture between modules. The absolute locations are determined by minimizing alignment asymmetry for the SCA. The method inherently aligns all of the mirrors in an SCA to the receiver, even with receiver position and module-to-module alignment errors.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1079238
- Patent Number(s):
- 8294886
- Application Number:
- 12/689,798
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY
Citation Formats
Driver, Jr., Richard B. Alignment method for solar collector arrays. United States: N. p., 2012.
Web.
Driver, Jr., Richard B. Alignment method for solar collector arrays. United States.
Driver, Jr., Richard B. Tue .
"Alignment method for solar collector arrays". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1079238.
@article{osti_1079238,
title = {Alignment method for solar collector arrays},
author = {Driver, Jr., Richard B},
abstractNote = {The present invention is directed to an improved method for establishing camera fixture location for aligning mirrors on a solar collector array (SCA) comprising multiple mirror modules. The method aligns the mirrors on a module by comparing the location of the receiver image in photographs with the predicted theoretical receiver image location. To accurately align an entire SCA, a common reference is used for all of the individual module images within the SCA. The improved method can use relative pixel location information in digital photographs along with alignment fixture inclinometer data to calculate relative locations of the fixture between modules. The absolute locations are determined by minimizing alignment asymmetry for the SCA. The method inherently aligns all of the mirrors in an SCA to the receiver, even with receiver position and module-to-module alignment errors.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 23 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Tue Oct 23 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}
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