Abstract: Method for dimensioning a solar generation system and the solar generation system obtained, including a solar radiation heat absorber for a Stirling engine. The Stirling engine includes a head and a heat exchanger surrounding the head of the engine, the absorber having a cavity shaped so as to be joined onto the head of the engine and to transfer heat to the heat exchanger. The method includes the step of giving the absorber such a mass as to guarantee stable operation of the Stirling engine during temporary periods of predefined duration wherein the solar radiation is insufficient to guarantee operation of the engine (Pric<Pabs+Ploss).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device based on liquid crystals, comprising a nematic liquid-crystal material (10) with positive dielectric anisotropy sandwiched between two transparent confinement plates (20, 30) each provided with transparent electrodes (22, 32), characterized in that at least one of the plates, (30), defines a quasi-bistable anchoring and in that it is provided with main electrical supply means (40) suitable for applying a temporary electric field to the liquid-crystal material (10) capable of breaking the anchoring on the aforementioned plate (30) and subsequently allowing, due to the effect of hydrodynamic instabilities, various localized orientations of the liquid-crystal molecules (10) corresponding to the preferred orientations of the quasi-bistable anchoring.

Abstract: A bistable liquid crystal optical device includes two transparent plates (12, 14) provided with control electrodes (18, 19), between which is placed a nematic liquid crystal material (20). The transparent plates (12, 14) are surface-treated so as to define two stable configurations of molecules of the liquid crystal material generating respectively two flexoelectrical polarizations having components which are normal to electrodes P.sub.z 1P.sub.z 2 having opposite directions. Devices (30) are provided for applying perpendicular electrical field pulses to the plates (12, 14), said pulses being directed selectively one way or the other.