AUTOMATED DEFLECTOMETRY SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING REFLECTOR QUALITY

摘要

An automated deflectometry system and method for assessing the quality of a reflective surface for use in a concentrating solar power plant. The deflectometry system comprises a holding fixture for mounting a heliostat reflector opposite a target screen having a known pattern. Digital cameras embedded in the target screen take pictures of the known pattern as reflected in the surface of the reflector. Image processing software then detects the features of the pattern in the reflector images and calculates the slope profile of the reflective surface. The slope field can be calculated by comparing the images of the reflective surface to those of a reference surface. Based on the slope profile of the reflective surface, a ray tracing calculation can be performed to simulate flux as reflected from the reflective surface onto a receiver and a quality metric can be ascribed to the heliostat reflector. The result of the quality assessment can displayed using a graphical user interface on an automated assembly line.

主权项

1. An automated deflectometry system for assessing the quality of a reflector, the deflectometry system comprising:
a target screen having a known pattern and at least one aperture; a reflector having a reflective surface mounted to a frame; a holding fixture capable of interfacing with the frame to hold the reflector parallel to the target screen; at least one digital camera having a lens positioned to see through at least one aperture; an image processor connected to the at least one digital camera, wherein the image processor takes as an input images taken by the digital camera and outputs the slope profile of the reflective surface.