Preliminary Monte-Carlo Ray Tracing code for modeling linear Fresnel systems

The work presented in this paper belong to CHAMS-1 project supported by the IRESEN (Institute of Research on Solar and New Energy-Morocco). Its scientific and technological aim is to develop a new generation of Concentrating Solar Power plant (CSP) suitable for a medium concentrating solar thermal electricity generation closed to the grid parity. The originality of this project lies on using a new generation of a linear Fresnel concentrating thermal solar field for thermal applications taking into account cost reduction, material enhancement and efficiency gain. To attempt this goal, a preliminary Monte-Carlo Ray Tracing model was developed that will be used to analyze, optimize and design solar concentrating linear Fresnel optical systems. The code consists of a detailed three dimensional geometrical model for the optical solar field behavior. In this paper, technical approach used to model optically and geometrically an optical system is presented. Preliminary results are presented for a simplified configuration of an optical system and for a Linear Fresnel solar field.