Stabilization of a heliostat output mirror using an inertial reference beam

摘要

A heliostat including a mirror configured to reflect light directed towards a first surface of the mirror, the light being external to the heliostat, the first surface being opposite a second surface of the mirror. A control mechanism is connected to the mirror and configured to change at least two angles of the mirror. An inertial reference unit is in communication with the control mechanism and configured to produce a beam and use the beam to optically sample the second surface of the mirror, the beam at least reflecting from the second surface. The control mechanism is configured to use data from the beam and the inertial reference unit to control the least two angles such that a virtual beam from the inertial reference unit remains about co-aligned with a line of sight vector of the mirror when the heliostat is subjected to an exogenous disturbance.

主权项

1. A heliostat system comprising:
a mirror configured to reflect light directed towards a first surface of the mirror, the light being external to the heliostat system, the first surface being opposite a second surface of the mirror; a control mechanism connected to the mirror and configured to change at least two angles of the mirror; an inertial reference unit in communication with the control mechanism and configured to produce a beam and use the beam to optically sample the second surface of the mirror, the beam at least reflecting from the second surface, wherein the control mechanism is configured to use data from the beam and the inertial reference unit to control the least two angles such that a virtual beam from the inertial reference unit remains about co-aligned with a line of sight vector of the mirror when the heliostat system is subjected to an exogenous disturbance, the virtual beam comprising an imaginary beam from the inertial reference unit that would have been present had the beam passed straight through the mirror instead of being reflected.