Abstract: A microporous organic-inorganic hybrid membrane based on silica of the invention has an average pore diameter of less than 0.6 nm, and comprises bridging organosilane moieties of the formula ?O1.5Si—CHR—SiO1.5? or ?O1.5Si—CH(CH3)—SiO1.5?. The membrane can be used in the separation of hydrogen from mixtures comprising hydrogen and CH4, CO2, CO, N2, and the like, and in the separation of water from alcohols having 1-3 carbon atoms, optionally in the presence of an inorganic or organic acid.

Abstract: A device for measuring strain on a surface of an object (3) includes a carrier (5) which is provided with a central section (6) and two end sections (8) which are arranged on either side of the central section (6). A strain element (10) is connected to the carrier (5) and is provided with a strain sensor. The device (1) for measuring strain includes two supporting feet (9) which can be directly attached to the surface of the object (3) at a distance apart. The end sections (8) of the carrier (5) are detachably connected to in each case one supporting foot (9).

Abstract: Heat integrated distillation column for separating components in a fluid mixture. The heat integrated distillation fluid column is provided with a stripper part (S), a rectifier part (R) and a compressor (2) between the stripper part (S) and the rectifier part (R). Furthermore, a heat exchange assembly for transferring heat between the stripper part (S) and the rectifier part (R), and a mass transfer assembly for condensation and vaporization in the heat integrated distillation column are provided. The stripper part (S), the rectifier part (R), or the stripper part (S) and rectifier part (R), comprise a channel assembly (6) which forms a structural part of the heat integrated distillation column and a functional part of the heat exchange assembly and of the mass transfer assembly.

Abstract: Heat integrated distillation column for separating components in a fluid mixture. The heat integrated distillation column is provided with a stripper part (S), a rectifier part (R) and a compressor (2) between the stripper part (S) and the rectifier part (R). Furthermore, a heat exchange assembly for transferring heat between the stripper part (S) and the rectifier part (R), and a mass transfer assembly for condensation and vaporization in the heat integrated distillation column are provided. The stripper part (S), the rectifier part (R), or the stripper part (S) and rectifier part (R), comprise a channel formed by adjacent channel assemblies (6), each forming a structural part of the heat integrated distillation column and a functional part of the heat exchange assembly and of the mass transfer assembly. A plate (8) and a structured packing in the form of two or more corrugated plates (7) are provided.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell from a semiconductor substrate (1) of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor substrate having a front surface (2) and a back surface (3). The method includes in a sequence: texturing (102) the front surface to create a textured front surface (2a); creating (103) by diffusion of a dopant of the first conductivity type a first conductivity-type doped layer (2c) in the textured front surface and a back surface field layer (4) of the first conductivity type in the back surface; removing (105; 104a) the first conductivity-type doped layer from the textured front surface by an etching process adapted for retaining texture of the textured front surface; creating (106) a layer of a second conductivity type (6) on the textured front surface by diffusion of a dopant of the second conductivity type into the textured front surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a water gas shift process comprising a reaction stage. The reaction stage comprises (a) providing a gas mixture comprising CO, H2O and an acid gas component to a reactor containing an adsorbent, and (b) subjecting the gas mixture to water gas shift reaction conditions to perform the water gas shift reaction. The adsorbent comprises an alkali promoted alumina based material. The acid gas component comprises H2S.

Abstract: A device for producing a product gas from biomass includes a reactor which is delimited by a base part and reactor walls. The reactor walls include a circumferential wall and an upper wall. The reactor includes a supply opening for the supplying of biomass, and also at least one riser for the chemical conversion of supplied biomass to a product gas and a solid substance. The riser is attached within the circumferential wall and includes an upper end and a lower end. The reactor also has a discharge opening for the discharging of the product gas. The riser is fastened to at least one reactor wall. The base wall of the reactor has a through-opening through which the lower end of the riser movably extends.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photovoltaic cell, comprising a plate shaped substrate of a semiconductor material with a solar face and a connection face, a first volume of the substrate adjacent to the solar face is doted with a first polarity, the second volume is doted with a second polarity and the volumes are separated by a pn-junction, a number of apertures in the substrate extending between both faces and in which a plug has been positioned of which a part is conducting, contact tracks at the solar face of the substrate connected with the first volume and the conducting part of the plug, first contacts at the connection face of the substrate connected with the conducting part of the plug and second contacts located at the connection face of the substrate connected with the second volume, wherein the specific electrical conductivity of the plug decreases from its centre to the contact face with the substrate.

Abstract: A thin-film broadband antireflection layer for use with an optical element or an optoelectronic device is described, wherein the thin-film broadband antireflection layer comprises: at least a thin-film dielectric layer; and, at least one array of nanoparticles disposed onto or in said thin-film dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric constant of said nanoparticles is substantially distinct from distinct from the dielectric constant of said dielectric layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar cell (1) comprising an emitter layer (11) at a front side (10) and a base layer (12) at the rear side (20). The solar collects first charge carriers at the front side (10) and second charge carriers at the rear side (20). The solar cell (1) further comprises at least one collecting point (14?) provided at the rear side (20) and a corresponding electrical conducting path to guide the first charge carriers from the front side (10) to the at least one collecting point (14?). An insulating layer (40) is provided between at least part of the electrical conducting path and the base layer (12) to provide electrical insulation between the electrical conductive path and the base layer (12).

Abstract: Selective retaining a relatively hydrophilic molecule from a mixture of a relatively hydrophobic molecule and the relatively hydrophilic molecule can be achieved using a hydrophobic, microporous hybrid membrane based on silica, wherein at least 25% of the silicon atoms is bound to a bridging C1-C12-hyrdocarbylene group. The average number of carbon atoms of the bridging groups and any additional monovalent organic groups, taken together, is at least 3.5. The membrane can be part of a production facility for separating alcohol/water mixtures.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a crystalline silicon solar cell, subsequently including: providing a crystalline silicon substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; pre-diffusing Phosphorus into a first side of the substrate to render a Phosphorus diffused layer having an initial depth; blocking the first side of the substrate; exposing a second side of the substrate to a Boron diffusion source; heating the substrate for a certain period of time and to a certain temperature so as to diffuse Boron into the second side of the substrate and to simultaneously diffuse the Phosphorus further into the substrate.

Abstract: A method for torrefaction of biomass using a torrefaction reactor vessel having stacked trays including: feeding the biomass to an upper inlet of the vessel; cascading the biomass down through the trays by passing the biomass through an opening in each of the trays to deposit the biomass on a lower tray; heating the biomass material with an oxygen deprived gas; extracting moisture from below each of the upper trays; as the biomass undergoes torrefaction in the lower trays retaining the gas with the biomass until the biomass falls from the stacked trays to a pile of biomass in the reactor vessel; exhausting gases containing organic compounds through a gas outlet at an elevation between the stacked trays and the pile of biomass, and discharging torrefied biomass from the torrefaction reactor vessel.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar ceil from a silicon semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the substrate having a front and a rear surface; and creating on the rear surface a doped layer of the first conductivity type, as rear surface doped layer as back surface field in the solar cell; creating on the front surface a doped, layer of a second conductivity type as front surface doped layer as an emitter layer in the solar cell, the second conductivity type being opposite to the first conductivity type; wherein the method further includes: creating recesses in the rear surface to pattern the rear surface doped layer of the first conductivity type so as to create back surface field areas, the recesses being void of rear surface doped layer material, and creating via holes in the substrate, each via hole being positioned within an associated recess.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a silicon semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The substrate has a front surface and a rear surface, of which the front surface is arranged for capturing radiation energy. The rear surface includes a plurality of first electric contacts and a plurality of second electric contacts. The first and second electric contacts are arranged in alternation adjacent to each other. Each first electric contact is a heterostructure of a first type as contact for minority charge carriers, and the front surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate includes a highly doped silicon front surface field layer. The conductivity of the front surface field layer is the first conductivity type.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell includes providing a first conductivity type doped crystalline silicon wafer, depositing on one side a first intrinsic a-Si:H buffer layer, followed by a second conductivity type doped a-Si:H layer, turning over the wafer and depositing on the opposite side a surface passivating anti-reflection coating, applying a first mask having a grid opening on the second conductivity type doped a-Si:H covered surface of the wafer, dry etching to remove the second conductivity type doped a-Si:H layer not covered by the first mask, while maintaining the first mask in position: depositing a second intrinsic buffer layer of a-Si:H, depositing a first conductivity type doped a-Si:H layer.

Abstract: A solar panel module includes a transparent carrier and semi-conductor substrate portions that have a front surface and a rear surface. The front surface is arranged for capturing radiation energy. The semiconductor substrate portions are arranged adjacent to each other on the transparent carrier and are separated from each other by a groove. Each semiconductor substrate portion is attached with the front surface to the transparent carrier. Each groove includes a side wall of each of the adjacent semiconductor substrate portions. The front surface of each semiconductor substrate portion is provided with a doped layer of a first conductivity type. Each semiconductor substrate portion includes a first electric contact for minority charge carriers and a second electric contact for majority charge carriers in the semiconductor substrate portion. The first electric contact is arranged on at least the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate portion as a heterostructure of a first type.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar cell (1), comprising a front side (10) and rear side (20). In use, the front side (10) is turned towards the light, on account of which charge carriers accumulate on the front side (10) and charge carriers of an opposite type accumulate on the rear side (20). The front side (10) is provided with a first pattern (13) of conductive elements (51, 52) which are connected to first contact points (15) on the rear side (20) by means of a number of vias (14) in the solar cell. The rear side (20) is provided with a second pattern of conductive elements (22) which are connected to second contact points (21) on the rear side (20). The first and second contact points (15, 21) are situated along a number of lines (30). The first contact points (15) are situated on a first side of the lines (30) and the second contact points (21) are situated on a second side of the lines (30).

Abstract: A hydrothermally stable, microporous organic-inorganic hybrid membrane based on silica, having an mean pore diameter of between 0.2 and 1.5 nm, is characterised in that between 5 and 40 mole % of the Si—O—Si bonds have been replaced by moieties having the one of the formulas: Si—{[CmH(n-1)X]—Si—}q, Si—[CmH(n-2)X2]—Si or Si—CmHn—Si{(CmHn)—Si—}y in which m=1-8, n=2m, 2m?2, 2m?4, 2m?6 or 2m?8; provided that n?2, X=H or (CH2)pSi, p=0 or 1, and q=1, 2, 3 or 4. The membrane can be produced by acid-catalysed hydrolysis of suitable bis-silane precursors such as bis(trialkoxysily)alkanes, preferably in the presence of monoorganyl-silane precursors such as trialkoxy-alkylsilanes.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell from a semiconductor substrate (1) of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor substrate having a front surface (2) and a back surface (3). The method includes in a sequence: texturing (102) the front surface to create a textured front surface (2a); creating (103) by diffusion of a dopant of the first conductivity type a first conductivity-type doped layer (2c) in the textured front surface and a back surface field layer (4) of the first conductivity type in the back surface; removing (105; 104a) the first conductivity-type doped layer from the textured front surface by an etching process adapted for retaining texture of the textured front surface; creating (106) a layer of a second conductivity type (6) on the textured front surface by diffusion of a dopant of the second conductivity type into the textured front surface.