Heliostat optimization wizard for Southern hemisphere

Hi all,

I'm experimenting with the Power Tower Circular Field Optimization Wizard. At present, whether I select a Location in the Northern (positive latitude) or Southern (negative latitude) hemisphere, the field is dominated by Heliostats at the 0.0 position.

Could anyone clarify whether "up" on this diagram genuinely corresponds to North (as opposed to, perhaps, "towards the equator") and, if so, whether the heliostat arrangement in both hemispheres should really be the same?

I've read elsewhere on the forum that, "For the PV Component model (and the CSP and solar water heating models), an azimuth angle of 0 degrees represents an array (or collector) facing the equator in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres." but I can't find anything explicit in the documentation, so would like to clarify if possible.

Thanks in advance!

Hello Paul,

sorry for reviving this rather old thread, but I came across
a similiar question.

I made some calculations to cross check the SAM results with another
tool using a singular heliostat with rectangular coordinates.

Two locations at latitude +30 and -30 were examined,
both with a single heliostat being 500 m north or south
of the tower, according to the "^north" indicator.

Coordinates were

X = 500 ("North")
Y = 0

or

X = -500 ("South")
Y = 0

In both cased the better heliostat was on the
northern side (X=500) of the tower, which should
only be true for the northern hemisphere.

So to me the little north arrow seems kind of pointing
away from or the equator?!?

Can someone reproduce this behavior?

Kind regards,
Joe

No ideas on this issue?

Hello Paul,

thanks for you reply.

Kind regards,
Joe.