Mechanical Modeling and Design Optimization of Heliostat Based on Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

The paper studies the mechanical modelling and optimal design of a heliostat lens farm for a tower photovoltaic plant. In this paper, geometrical optics, coordinate transformation and multi-objective optimisation methods are used to construct the model of the optical efficiency of the heliostat field. Firstly, the change of the sun position is simulated to derive the coordinate transformation equation to calculate the shadow shading between the heliostats. Secondly, the optical efficiency calculation model is established, including mirror reflectivity, cosine loss, attenuation loss, shading and collector truncation efficiency. Finally, the particle swarm optimisation algorithm is used to optimise the mirror arrangement to improve the overall optical efficiency. The research provides an essential theoretical foundation and technical support for the design and operation of tower-type photovoltaic power plants.