How to estimate the output of a power tower plant?

Why was the question closed? If I knew the reason, I could adjust it.

Hello!

I have a question and hope that you can help me.

Power tower plants consist of several thousand mirrors that focus solar radiation onto a receiver on the top of a tower.

The estimation of the output has to consider effects like shading and blocking amonst the mirrors.

Usually the output of a plant is estimated using one of the following techniques:

1. raytracing (straightforward, send ray, check collisions, binning of rays)
2. polygon clipping (project mirror outlines onto each other, check interaction)

Can you think of other approaches that might be suitable for this task?

[Marc Jakobi]

It was most likely closed for one of the following reasons

1. It sounds like you are asking for someone to do your homework for you (getting help for homework is okay here, but you should at least post your attempts and show that you have tried it yourself)

2. The way your question is asked, it doesn't seem like it has anything to do with Matlab.