Comparison of the optical performance of different structural space solar power stations

The solar power satellite (SPS) concept is an elegant solution to the challenge of providing large-scale energy for humanity: a large platform, positioned in space in a high Earth orbit, continuously collects and converts solar energy into electricity. SPS-ALPHA is composed of a large number of small modules, which enables the modularity and lower cost of machining/space transport. Until now two options of SPS-ALPHA have been proposed, the Mark-I version (sigmoid-curve-based shape) and the Mark-II version (conical shape). The current study aims to find the optimal design parameters of the reflecting modules for these two versions where high optical efficiency and a stable irradiance distribution are both achieved for an effective photovoltaic layout design. To meet this target, the ant colony optimization algorithm, combined with dynamic source-target mapping, was adopted to find the optimal aiming vectors of the reflectors. The optical transmission characteristics under different incident degrees were investigated using a two-step Monte Carlo ray tracing method. The received heat flux distribution and error analysis of the two structural versions are compared as well. This article can provide basic data and a reference for engineering constructions of SPS-ALPHA for the next step.