Optical analysis of a hemispheric concentrator with a manual tracking system for the declination

Abstract

We present in this paper, a craft prototype of a fixed hemispheric concentrator, built from small square mirrors with a moon crescent receiver. The position of the receiver is adjusted every three days taking into account the declination. This system achieves a geometric mean concentration of 122 and the experimental measurements lead to temperatures varying between 120°C and 260°C in the plan for the least diffusion. The proposed improvements should allow for more competitiveness and convenience than the Scheffler system with its electromechanical sun tracking.

KEYWORDS: hemispheric concentrator, Fixed Mirror Distributed Focus – FMDF, Solar bowl, Scheffler,