Feb 12 2010
Practical Solar is a manufacturer of the computer-controlled heliostat system. This heliostat system is available in a rugged design along with user-friendly software and tracking technology. This system can be used to direct sunlight to various targets for different solar applications. The mirrors fixed on a single heliostat can reflect light similar to forty 100W incandescent light bulbs. One or two heliostats can be used to reflect sunlight for direct space heating purposes. Each heliostat system has the capacity to provide 600W of thermal energy.
Computer-Controlled Heliostat System
The Practical Solar heliostat system comprises one control system and can have any number of heliostats. Each heliostat consists of a housing and mirror frame. The control system includes a driver box and Windows-based software. With the sun-tracking facility, this system calculates the sun’s position and moves the mirror frame to the direction of the sun. When sunlight strikes the mirror, it is reflected onto a fixed target. The heliostat system is programmed and controlled by the software that operates on the computer. Through this system, multiple heliostats can be controlled to direct sunlight simultaneously at different targets. With the software’s timer function, users can switch between single and multiple targets.
The heliostat system is capable of directing sunlight through skylights, windows and atriums by using a secondary reflector. The reflector area is 8 feet square with a positioning accuracy of 0.11 degrees. This system from Practical Solar can be used for space heating, natural lighting, and drying applications.