Solar concentrator flux distributions using backward ray tracing

Abstract

Flux distributions produced by parabolic and circular cylinder solar concentrators subject to surface slope errors and defocusing are determined. The technique developed traces a set of rays from a point on the absorber back through the concentrator optics to the sun. The solar flux at the absorber point is the sum of the flux associated with each ray. Various models of the solar disk are introduced by weighting the flux associated with each ray as a function of where it strikes the solar disk.