Grating-embedded mirrors for heliostat tracking error metrology

Hayden J. Wisniewski; Ian J. Arnold; Daewook Kim; Heng Zuo; Brandon D. Chalifoux

doi:10.1117/12.2677723

4 October 2023 Grating-embedded mirrors for heliostat tracking error metrology

Hayden J. Wisniewski, Ian J. Arnold, Daewook Kim, Heng Zuo, Brandon D. Chalifoux

Proceedings Volume 12671, Advances in Solar Energy: Heliostat Systems Design, Implementation, and Operation; 1267104 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2677723
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2023, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants need to monitor the surface slope error of thousands of heliostats with sub-milliradian accuracy. We present grating embedded mirrors (GEMs) and the accompanying Diffractive AutoStigmatic Hartmann Camera (DASHCam) metrology system for measuring heliostat surface slopes. GEMs have multiple phase diffraction gratings written within a glass mirror substrate using an ultrafast laser. The gratings direct a small fraction of incident light to non-specular directions, which the DASHCam senses from a virtual center of curvature to measure the facet slopes at each grating location. Our results show, in a laboratory environment, 24 μrad RMS measurement repeatability and 47 µrad RMS accuracy, with single-shot image capture. GEMs and DASHCam are a compact, accurate, and high-speed heliostat slope error metrology system that is robust to the harsh environmental conditions at CSP plants.

Conference Presentation

(2023) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Hayden J. Wisniewski, Ian J. Arnold, Daewook Kim, Heng Zuo, and Brandon D. Chalifoux "Grating-embedded mirrors for heliostat tracking error metrology", Proc. SPIE 12671, Advances in Solar Energy: Heliostat Systems Design, Implementation, and Operation, 1267104 (4 October 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2677723

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