Comparison of Three Methods for Optical Characterization of Point-Focus Concentrators

Three different methods for characterizing point-focus solar; concentrator optical performance have been developed for specific applications. These methods include a laser ray trace technique called the Scanning Hartmann Optical Test, a video imaging process called the 2f Test, and on-sun testing in conjunction with optical computer modeling. Three concentrator test articles, each of a differentdesign, were characterized using at least two of the methods and, in one case, all three. The results of these tests are compared. Excellent agreement was observed in the results, suggesting that the techniques provide consistent and accurate characterizations of solar concentrator optics.