Digital Signal Processing Techniques for Positioning of Off-Axis Solar Concentrators

Abstract

This paper will discuss the results of using digital signal processing (DSP) techniques to determine the location of the focal point of an off-axis solar concentrator projected onto a visually complex thruster absorber and secondary concentrator. Once the location of the focal spot is located, position control information is generated to move the concentrator to a location that maximizes power transfer. A program that simulates an off-axis solar concentrator is used to generate binary "image" files to analyze for positioning information. The analysis progresses from Discrete Fourier analysis on the two-dimensional images, through spectrograms, to introduce wavelets and wavelet analysis to verify conceptually using DSP techniques to determine position information.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 23, 2002
Accession Number
ADA410937

Entities

People

  • Joseph N. Beasley

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Charge Coupled Devices
  • Computer Programs
  • Detectors
  • Digital Signal Processing
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Frequency
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Signal Processing
  • Simulations
  • Solar Energy
  • Solar Propulsion
  • Spacecraft
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional
  • Wavelet Transforms

Readers

  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.
  • Statistical inference.

Technology Areas

  • Space