design optimization

[...]

Just so you all know, when the time comes to cut mirror slats and place them, or erect a receiver tower, we can optimise these variables.

I am talking about the python solar concentrator software: http://permafacture.org/weblog/?p=60

It can be done now through scripting, but someone is working on an optimisation object for this project.  either way, the ray tracing model will be the "function", the number of rays hitting the target will be the output, and the program can use an fsolve() to maximize the output by varying tower height, slat positions, etc.

We could even include financial costs and difficulty of fabrication as factors in the optimization. 

[Ozheliguy]

This is great!

I have seen, in my limited looking at these systems, many different
configurations. I have my own views on them and some alternate
arrangements as you will have probably noticed from some of my recent
posts. But all of those variable crunched by a program has got to be
the way to go. We just have to figure out what variables to plug in to
the models. Some are obvious.

Cheers.