Other Definitions
heliostat (dict)
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HeliostatA Heliostat is a device that tracks the movement of the sun. Its most common use is to direct a mirror which reflects sunlight onto a fixed spot. It was a key instrument used in surveying, allowing the accurate observation of a known point from a distance. It is also used in Solar Energy collectors as well as Solar observatories. The simplest devices would use a clockwork mechanism to turn the mirror in synchronisation with the roatation of the Earth. More complex devices need to compensate for the changing elevation of the Sun throughout a Solar year. Use in power production Using the experience from the earlier U.S. 10MWe experimental solar power plants (Solar One and Solar Two in Barstow, CA), the Solar Tres project in Spain is building a 15MW solar power plant with a 16 hour, 600 MWh thermal power storage system based on molten salt. Calculating the position of the sun Main article: Sun, Calculating the position of the Sun Since the path of the sun across the sky varies through the year, a completely automatic heliostat must be guided by continuous calculations. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has released its Solar Position Algorithm (SPA) with complete documentation. See Also Solar Power External Links
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