BCS (CSP Beam Characterization System) [SWR-23-13]

Abstract

The Beam Characterization System (BCS) is an image-processing tool for estimating heliostat tracking errors. A large mirror, or heliostat, reflects the sun onto a distant target. A carefully calibrated camera then takes an image of this target to capture the shape of the reflected beam. The software kit hosts a series of scripts to identify key features and run analysis on the captured images.