CONCENTRATOR PACKAGING ON CIRCULAR BASES: A GRASP APPROACH APPLIED TO SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS.

The growing interest in solar energy, recognized as a clean and strategic source, has driven research focused on the optimization of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems. These systems employ reflective surfaces, such as mirrors or lenses, to generate heat with high efficiency. However, their implementation faces practical limitations related to the available installation space, especially when restricted to circular bases. In these scenarios, arranging concentrators of different sizes effectively becomes a crucial challenge, involving not only geometric fitting but also the balance between space utilization, structural mobility, and overall system performance.

This study proposes an approach based on GRASP (Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure) to address the circular packing problem, in which the lenses also have a circular shape. The technique combines randomized choices with adaptive adjustments, enabling the exploration of multiple configurations and the achievement of progressively more robust solutions.

The main objective is to apply a metaheuristic that is efficient in terms of both computational time and solution quality—translated into better use of available space—thus providing a tool applicable to real-world solar energy contexts. By optimizing the distribution of concentrators, the study aims to maximize energy efficiency, reduce costs, and promote greater sustainability in CSP systems. Therefore, it highlights both a methodological contribution—through the application of GRASP to a complex spatial optimization problem—and a practical contribution, with direct impact on the energy sector.