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The optical performance of a 2-axis solar concentrator was simulated with the COMSOL Multiphysics® software. The concentrator consists of a mirror array, which was created using the application builder. The mirror facets are preconfigured to form a focal point. During tracking all mirrors are moved simultaneously in a coupled mode by 2 motors in two axes, in order to keep the system in focus with the moving sun. Optical errors on each reflecting surface were implemented in combination with the solar angular cone of ± 4.65 mrad. As a result, the intercept factor of solar radiation that is available to the receiver was calculated as a function of the transversal and longitudinal angles of incidence. In addition, the intensity distribution on the receiver plane was calculated as a function of the incidence angles.
Using optimization to design a renewable energy system has become a computationally demanding task as the high temporal fluctuations of demand and supply arise within the considered time series. The aggregation of typical operation periods has become a popular method to reduce effort. These operation periods are modelled independently and cannot interact in most cases. Consequently, seasonal storage is not reproducible. This inability can lead to a significant error, especially for energy systems with a high share of fluctuating renewable energy. The previous paper, “Time series aggregation for energy system design: Modeling seasonal storage”, has developed a seasonal storage model to address this issue. Simultaneously, the paper “Optimal design of multi-energy systems with seasonal storage” has developed a different approach. This paper aims to review these models and extend the first model. The extension is a mathematical reformulation to decrease the number of variables and constraints. Furthermore, it aims to reduce the calculation time while achieving the same results.