About AixRays.

AixRays is a software tool to model central receiver systems (CRS) and analyze their optical performance. As the tool is in general be used for heliostat field layout optimization, AixRays was developed with both computational efficiency and accuracy in mind. With sophisticated mathematical methods the accuracy was increased to reach highly precise results, while fast code libraries reduce the overall computational burden. Three different raytracing approaches and its parallelization on CPU and GPU result in one of the fastest and most accurate raytracer.

AixRays is used by researchers, industry technology developers, and academics to evaluate technology performance, quantify the value of research findings, and provide third-party, independent validation for privately developed tools.

Features.

Linear CSP Parabolic

Three Ray tracer methods

Create heliostat field layouts that account for local solar and atmospheric conditions, receiver geometry and tower height, market pricing factors, and other considerations

Offshore Wind Farm

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Constrain heliostat field positions with customizable land shapes and easily define complex land-boundary geometry with software that generates KML files (e.g., Google Earth).

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Create systems with multiple heliostat or receiver geometries.

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Simulate receiver flux profiles using smart aiming techniques at any specified time or solar position.

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Execute parametric simulations to quickly investigate sensitivity to a design parameter.

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

View field layouts, flux plots, and aim-point plots with an interactive plotting tool.

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Optimize the heliostat field layout and receiver dimensions to minimize expected cost of energy.

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Calculate solar field cost.

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Execute multi-threaded simulations to reduce simulation time.

Central Receiver System

Three Ray tracer methods and something more

Execute scripts that provide in-depth control of heliostat positioning, aiming, land boundaries, and calculation procedures.

 

Research.

Journal Publications
  1. F. Hoevelmann, L. Aldenhoff, P. Richter: Analytic ray tracer on GPU for central receiver systems, Solar Energy (2023).
  2. N. Speetzen, P. Richter: Dynamic Aiming Strategy for Central Receiver Systems, Journal of Renewable Energy (2021).
  3. P. Richter, T. Trimborn, L. Aldenhoff: Predictive Storage Strategy for Optimal Design of Hybrid CSP-PV Plants With Immersion Heater, Journal of Solar Energy (2021).
  4. P. Richter, J. Tinnes, L. Aldenhoff: Accurate Approximation Method for the Annual Simulation of Solar Central Receiver Systems Using Celestial Coordinate System, Journal of Solar Energy (2020).
  5. S. Kuhnke, P. Richter, F. Kepp, J. Cumpston, A. Koster, C. Büsing: Robust Optimal Aiming Strategies in Concentrated Solar Tower Power Plants, Journal of Renewable Energy, 152 (2020): 198-207.
Refereed Proceedings
  1. L. Aldenhoff, P. Richter: Accelerating Raytracers for Central Receiver Systems using a GPU, In AIP Conference Proceedings. AIP Publishing (2021).
  2. P. Richter, F. Hövelmann: Computationally Fast Analytical Ray-Tracer for Central Receiver Systems, In AIP Conference Proceedings. AIP Publishing (2020).
  3. P. Richter, N. Speetzen: Accelerated Aiming Strategy in Central Receiver Systems Using Integer Linear Programming, In AIP Conference Proceedings. AIP Publishing (2020).
  4. T. Reuscher, L. Pyta, T. Konrad, P. Richter, D. Abel: Proper Orthogonal Decomposition and Bilinear Lyapunov Control of Parabolic Trough Collectors, 27th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED). IEEE, pp. 439-444, (2019).
  5. P. Richter, F. Kepp, C. Büsing, S. Kuhnke: Optimization of robust aiming strategies in solar tower power plants, In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2126, No. 1, pp. 030045). AIP Publishing (2018).
  6. P. Richter, J. Tinnes, P. Schwarzbözl, A. Rong, M. Frank: Efficient Ray-Tracing with Real Weather Data, In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2033, No. 1, pp. 210014). AIP Publishing (2017).
  7. P. Richter, G. Heiming, N. Lukas, M. Frank: SunFlower: A New Solar Tower Simulation Method for Use in Field Layout Optimization, In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2033, No. 1, pp. 210015). AIP Publishing (2017).
  8. P. Richter, D. Laukamp, L. Gerdes, M. Frank, E. Ábrahám: Heliostat Field Layout Optimization with Evolutionary Algorithms, In EPiC Series in Computing (Vol. 41, pp. 240-252). GCAI 2nd Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence (2016).
  9. C. A. Domínguez-Bravo, S. J. Bode, G. Heiming, P. Richter, E. Carrizosa, E. Fernández-Cara, M. Frank, P. Gauché: Field-Design Optimization With Triangular Heliostat Pods, In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1734, No. 1, pp. 070006). AIP Publishing, (2016).
  10. P. Richter, M. Frank, E. Ábrahám: Multi-objective Optimization of Solar Tower Power Plants, Proceedings of the 18th European Conference on Mathematics for Industry (ECMI), Volume of Progress in Industrial Mathematics at ECMI 2014, Springer (2014): 771-778.
  11. P. Richter, E. Ábrahám, G, Morin: Optimisation of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power Plants with Neural Networks, Proceedings of the International Conference on Adaptive and Natural Computing Algorithms (ICANNGA), Volume 6593 of LNCS, Springer (2013), 190–199.
  12. G. Morin, P. Richter, P. Nitz: New Method and Software for Multi-Variable Techno-Economic Design Optimisation of Parabolic Trough Power Plants, Proceedings of the 16th SolarPACES International Conference (2010).
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