Programmer's Manual for the University of Houston Computer Code RCELL: Cellwise Optimization for the Solar Central Receiver Project

摘要

The optical analysis of the central receiver system is concerned with the geometry of the heliostats, their neighborhoods in the collector field, the central receiver and the sun. The code exists in three versions. The cellwise optimization program contains the RCELL subroutine and is referred to as the RC code system. The individual heliostat performance model (for small systems and/or final design studies) is referred to as the IH code system. Systems having more than 2500 heliostats require an impractical amount of core and CPU if they are represented by the IH version. Consequently, a cellwise performance model is maintained that contains a cell model of the collector field. The field cells are square and have a north-south orientation. Hence the cellwise performance model is referred to as the NS code. The RCELL optimization program determines the optimum heliostat spacing parameters in each cell and the optimum trim of the collector field using a detailed cost and performance model for the thermal energy available at the base of the tower. Optimization is based on estimates of thermal system cost and total annual energy available at the base of the tower. The estimate of annual energy depends on the insolation model, the receiver interception fractions which are input to RCELL from a previous NS code execution, and the loss model. The arrangement of heliostats is largely determined by the shading and blocking losses. (ERA citation 06:018315)