Optical Research Associates has expanded its LightTools illumination design and analysis software with the addition of tools to support solar energy solutions. The tools will enable engineers to model nonimaging concentrators, including compound parabolic, elliptical and hyperbolic types — components that can be used to virtually prototype solar collectors for photovoltaic and heating systems. The software enables the creation and incorporation of a sun model in a solar collection system prototype and also loading of isolation data for a particular location, latitude, longitude and time zone for accurate measurements of radiation incident on a solar collection system. Among other functions, the movement of the sun across the sky can be simulated, and a solar day scan can be performed.

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