Heliostat control scheme using cameras

Abstract

A heliostat control system includes a receiver located within a receiver volume and a view port located proximate to the receiver volume. The receiver is configured to receive sunlight reflected from a mirror of a heliostat. The view port is optically connected to a camera, and the camera is configured to generate an image including pixels having a brightness dependent on an orientation of the mirror.

1 . A heliostat control system, comprising:
 a receiver located within a receiver volume, the receiver configured to receive sunlight reflected from a mirror of a heliostat; and   a view port located proximate to the receiver volume, the view port optically connected to a camera, the camera configured to generate an image including pixels having a brightness dependent on an orientation of the mirror.   
     
     
         2 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , wherein the view port is located within the receiver volume. 
     
     
         3 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of heliostats, the receiver is configured to receive sunlight reflected from a mirror of each of the plurality of heliostats, and the image includes pixels having a brightness dependent on an orientation of each of the mirrors. 
     
     
         4 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to receive the image from the camera and calculate an error in the orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The heliostat control system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to send a signal to change the orientation of the mirror based upon the determined error. 
     
     
         6 . The heliostat control system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to associate a portion of the image with the heliostat. 
     
     
         7 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system configured to cool the camera. 
     
     
         8 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is located in the receiver volume. 
     
     
         9 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is located outside of the receiver volume. 
     
     
         10 . The heliostat control system of  claim 9 , further comprising a reflecting mirror configured to reflect sunlight away from the receiver after it has entered the view port. 
     
     
         11 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , further comprising an optical filter configured to reduce the intensity of the sunlight after it has entered the view port. 
     
     
         12 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a shading layer configured to protect the camera from sunlight. 
     
     
         13 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , further comprising optics configured to alter the sunlight. 
     
     
         14 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of view ports, each view port optically connected to a corresponding camera. 
     
     
         15 . The heliostat control system of  claim 1 , wherein the view port is configured to receive a portion of the sunlight that is received by the receiver. 
     
     
         16 . A method of heliostat control, comprising:
 receiving sunlight in a receiver, the sunlight reflected from a mirror of a heliostat;   generating an image from a camera, the camera optically connected to a view port located within the receiver; and   determining an error in an orientation of the mirror based upon the image.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sunlight is reflected from a plurality of mirrors, each mirror having a corresponding heliostat, and wherein determining comprises determining an error in an orientation of each of the mirrors. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the error is determined based upon a brightness of a portion of the image. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising sending a signal to change the orientation of the mirror based upon the determined error. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising assigning a portion of the image to the heliostat. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising cooling the camera with a cooling system. 
     
     
         22 . The heliostat control system of  claim 16 , wherein determining comprises comparing images generated from a plurality of cameras. 
     
     
         23 . The heliostat control system of  claim 16 , wherein determining comprises comparing the image with an expected image. 
     
     
         24 . A method of heliostat control, comprising:
 receiving sunlight in a receiver, the sunlight reflected from a mirror of a heliostat;   generating a first image from a camera located proximate to the receiver;   oscillating the heliostat at a known frequency; and   assigning a portion of the image to the heliostat by identifying the oscillation in the first image.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 generating a second image from the camera;   locating in the second image the assigned portion; and   determining an error in an orientation of the mirror based upon the assigned portion.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising sending a signal to change the orientation of the mirror based upon the determined error.