Heliostat Field Looks Incorrect in PySAM (SolarPILOT Optimization)

Hello,
I am trying to create a scenario slightly different from the default configuration of SAM for CSP Tower Molten Salt without a financial model (a.k.a. "No financial" in PySAM). For this, I used the attached Python script.The problem arises when I simulate the scenario and plot the heliostat field. The results do not look correct; in fact, they look very bad. I am unsure if I assigned an incorrect value to a variable.I have also attached the weather data, which is one of the official SAM datasets.I have identified the optimization setting in the Python script with a comment. The variable responsible is called .

Hi Luis,

First, please update your PySAM to Version 6.0.0. I could not get your script to work in PySAM 5.1.0.

If you run your script, you will get a field with the maximum allowable number of heliostats given the default boundaries for the SolarPILOT optimization algorithm, which results in the receiver under-performing:



Because these default boundaries scale with tower height, you could solve this problem by increasing the tower height. Or, you could use the field optimization method (field_model_type = 0), which will optimize the tower height, receiver height, and receiver diameter using a cost and performance objective:

 

Best regards,
Paul.