Paper 13132-32
Paper 13132-32
Progress towards commercialization of a Non-Intrusive Optical (NIO) method and Reflected Target Non-Intrusive Assessment (ReTNA) system for measurement of heliostat opto-mechanical errors
20 August 2024 • 8:20 AM - 8:40 AM PDT | Conv. Ctr. Room 18
Abstract
Central Tower Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) harnesses heliostats, sun-tracking mirrors, to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver for thermal energy storage. Even slight surface errors in heliostats can lead to substantial performance losses. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed two tools to characterize heliostat optomechanical errors. The first, Non-Intrusive Optical (NIO) technology, employs Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) to capture outdoor images of mirror reflections, estimating slope, canting, and tracking errors. The second, Reflected Target Non-Intrusive Assessment (ReTNA) System, uses an indoor automated rail system to photograph reflected printed targets with a coded chessboard pattern. Both methods' methodologies have been validated, and efforts are underway to automate and commercialize them, with data collected from commercial heliostats aiding in validation and demonstration.
Presenter
Rebecca Mitchell
National Renewable Energy Lab. (United States)
Dr. Rebecca Mitchell has been a researcher at NREL for five years, where she develops optical metrology tools for Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) collectors using algorithm development, theoretical modeling, and laboratory and field testing. She now serves as the team lead on the development on the Non-intrusive Optical (NIO) technology which surveys Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) solar fields using UAS imaging. She has led UAS data collection campaigns of heliostats at Sandia National Labs, Crescent Dunes plant, and Cerro Dominador plant. She has been involved in three publications and a recently issued patent for the NIO technology. Dr. Mitchell has mentored several graduate and Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) interns and now serves as the lead of the Resource, Training, and Education topic for the Heliostat Consortium project. Dr. Mitchell will oversee all aspects of the project and be responsible for all milestones.