Theoretical concentration of solar radiation by central receiver systems

Solar concentrations by central receiver systems have been calculated theoretically for various values of obliquity of the incident radiation, assuming that plane heliostat-mirrors, sufficiently small in dimension, cover a circular field without clearance. Through this calculation, the performance characteristics of this system such as the availability of the radiant energy incident on the heliostat-field, the distribution of interruption by an adjacent mirror, the optimum rim-angle for the mean area- and the mean volume-concentration and the attainable temperature were revealed. The study was extended towards the practical problem of decreasing the number of heliostats by increasing the dimensions of heliostat-mirrors, and the effect of increasing mirror-dimensions was argued for both plane and curved mirrors.