DOI: https://doi.org/10.61435/ijred.2025.60977

Modelling and analysis of wind loading effects for heliostat mirrors using computational fluid dynamics

1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (Main Campus), Lahore, Pakistan

2CMT-Motores Termicos, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n. 46022 Valencia, Spain

3Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54800, Pakistan

4 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania

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Received: 15 Dec 2024; Revised: 19 Jul 2025; Accepted: 30 Aug 2025; Available online: 12 Sep 2025; Published: 1 Nov 2025.
Editor(s): H Hadiyanto
Open Access Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Centre of Biomass and Renewable Energy (CBIORE)
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

This study examines the impact of wind forces on the structural integrity of heliostat assemblies in concentrated solar power systems, specifically tailored to local climatic conditions. The objective is to assess how varying elevation angles influence aerodynamic parameters, thereby informing design optimizations for enhanced operational efficiency. A computational fluid dynamics approach, utilizing the standard k-ε turbulence model, second-order implicit time formulation, and the Green-Gauss cell-based method, was employed to simulate wind interactions with a heliostat model at elevation angles of 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°. The simulation process encompassed model development, mesh refinement, boundary condition setup, and numerical solution techniques. Post-processing analysis focused on aerodynamic characteristics such as drag and lift forces, static and dynamic pressures, turbulent kinetic energy, and turbulence intensity. Results indicate that drag force increases with elevation angle, peaking at 90°, while lift force is maximized at 30°. Additionally, static and dynamic pressures, skin friction coefficients, and turbulence parameters exhibit strong dependence on the heliostat's elevation angle. The minimum values of the skin friction coefficient, drag coefficient, and turbulence intensity were found to be 0.0111, 0.3580, and 11.42%, respectively, at an elevation angle of 0°. Moreover, the finite element analysis of the heliostat structure to evaluate its resistance under wind loading demonstrated structural integrity with acceptable stress and displacement levels. These findings provide valuable insights for engineers and researchers aiming to optimize heliostat structural dimensions, thereby enhancing the economic and operational performance of concentrated solar power systems.

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Keywords: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD); Heliostat mirror, static pressure; turbulent kinetic energy; skin friction; wind loading effects

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Section: Original Research Article
Language : EN
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