A User's Manual for DELSOL3 - prod.sandia.gov - Sandia National ...

SAND 86-8018
Unlimited Release
Printed November 1986
UC-62a
A USER’S MANUAL FOR DELSOLS: A COMPUTER CODE FOR
CALCULATING THE OPTICAL PERFORMANCE AND OPTIMAL SYSTEM
DESIGN FOR SOLAR THERMAL CENTRAL RECEIVER PLANTS
Bruce L. Kistler
Solar Central Receiver Components Division
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore
ABSTRACT
DELSOLS is a revised and updated version of the DELSOL2 computer pro-
gram (SAND81-8237) for calculating collector field performance and layout and
optimal system design for solar thermal central receiver plants. The code consists
of a detailed model of the optical performance, a simpler model of the non-optical
performance, an algorithm for field layout, and a searching algorithm to find the
best system design based on energy cost. The latter two features are coupled to a
cost model of central receiver components and an economic model for calculating
energy costs. The code can handle flat, focused and/or canted heliostats, and ex-
ternal cylindrical, multi-aperture cavity, and flat plate receivers. The program op-
timizes the tower height, receiver size, field layout, heliostat spacings, and tower
position at user specified power levels subject to flux limits on the receiver and
land constraints for field layout. DELSOL3 maintains the advantages of speed
and accuracy which are characteristics of DELSOL2.