Abstract: A solar collecting system is incorporated into a natural rock mass having an upright face with a substantially direct exposure to the sun, for example a south facing granite cliff. A solar passage is formed in the rock mass to extend between an opening in the upright face of the rock mass and an internal collection area within the rock mass. One or more converging elements, for example solar converging lenses, are aligned with the solar passage and arranged to focus solar rays from the sun onto a target within the collection area. The target is in communication with a surrounding portion of the rock mass so as to be arranged to transfer heat from the target to the surrounding portion of the rock mass. A heat transfer fluid conduit may further be arranged to communicate a heat transfer fluid between the rock mass and an auxiliary device.

Abstract: A solar collector is provided having an absorber (100), which has a front side (102) facing toward the solar radiation during use and a back side (103) facing away from the solar radiation during use, a transparent cover (200) arranged essentially plane-parallel opposite the front side (102) of the absorber (100), and a back wall (300) arranged opposite the back side (103) of the absorber (100). The solar collector distinguishes itself in that the back wall (300) is constructed as a transparent pane, in particular a glass pane or plastic pane, and contains, at least in some regions, a medium which reflects infrared radiation and is reflective in the direction of the back side (103) of the absorber (100). Further, a composite pane is provided, in particular a composite glass pane (1), an absorber (100), and a use of such an absorber (100) in solar collectors and composite panes. This absorber can also have a coating for the reduction of heat emission (low-e).

Abstract: A solar receiver for a solar thermal power system includes a silicon carbide body having a passage therethrough. A coating on an outer surface of the silicon carbide body may increase absorption of solar radiation relative to the silicon carbide body. A plurality of silicon carbide fins may extend outwardly from the silicon carbide body, the fins oriented such that when the receiver is placed on a tower of a solar thermal power system having a plurality of heliostats, the fins are substantially perpendicularly to solar radiation received on the silicon carbide body from the plurality of heliostats.

Abstract: A solar collector is provided that has a base material and a nanostructured layer integrated into the base material so as to form a light-absorbing surface. The nanostructured layer has nanoparticles of an inorganic material.

Abstract: A central tube for linear concentrating solar thermal power plants, has an absorber layer. The absorber layer is generated by cold gas sputtering, wherein suitable method parameters can in particular generate an increased surface roughness by means of pores in the surface region of the absorber layer. An absorber layer can thus be advantageously produced, having a quadratic roughness of no more than 1 ?m, measured in a close range of no more than 50 ?m diameter, and preferably being made of a corrosion-proof hard alloy comprising tungsten carbide, in particular WC—CoCr, WC—Co, WC—FeCo, WC—FeC, WC—FeNi, WC—Ni or WC—NiCr.

Abstract: A solar thermal energy collection module formed by a sandwich of metal plates. The metal plates collect solar radiant energy and convert that to thermal energy in a heat transfer fluid that flows through conduits and manifolds formed between the plates. The collector module may be directly integrated into the exterior of building structures in an array. The collector module also may be glazed or integrated with photovoltaic solar panels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar thermal collector for heating a fluid to be heated (600), comprising:—a thermally insulating body (1);—a light transparent barrier (2);—a heat accumulator (3) comprising a thermal accumulating material (30), and—a heat exchanger (5) designed for transmit thermal energy from the thermal accumulating material to the fluid to be heated (600), wherein heat exchanger (5) is formed by a pileup of die-forged metal sheets and wherein the thermal accumulating material consists of a phase transfer material comprising a salt solutions based hydrogel and gelling agents.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a coating on a metal surface can include heating a metal surface to a temperature not greater than its melting point; while heating the metal surface, applying a vacuum thereto; and while heating the metal surface, releasing the vacuum and backfilling with a first purge gas, where the first purge gas is reactive with the heated metal surface so as to deposit at least one layer of a coating thereon. The present methods can be used to deposit a coating in situ during the fabrication of solar receivers, in which the solar receivers contain an annulus defined by a metal tube as the inner surface and a material that is at least partially transparent to solar radiation as the outer surface.

Abstract: A solar thermal panel is disclosed. An example evacuated flat solar thermal panel includes a first evacuated cavity enclosed between first and second layers of material. A second evacuated cavity is enclosed between third and fourth layers of material. A high temperature working fluid cavity is enclosed between the second and third layers of material. A plurality of pillars are disposed between the first and second layers of material, and disposed between the third and fourth layers of material.

Abstract: A solar thermal power plant is provided. The solar thermal power plant includes a solar collection system configured for utilizing incident solar radiation to heat a heat transfer fluid (HTF) and a power block configured for utilizing the heated HTF to generate power. The solar collection system includes a plurality of pipes for carrying HTF characterized by a first degree of permeability to hydrogen, at least some of the pipes including portions exposed to the atmosphere, and including a membrane made of a material being characterized by a second degree of permeability to hydrogen, the second degree of permeability being higher than the first degree of permeability to hydrogen.

Abstract: An outer side of a receiver is covered with a housing, so that the receiver is not exposed to the open air and no heat of the receiver is taken by winds, to improve thermal efficiency. Although the outer side of the receiver is covered with the housing, a lower side thereof has an opening, so that sunlight reflected by heliostats is introduced through the opening to the inside of the receiver and is surely received by an inner face of the receiver.

Abstract: A solar receiver is provided. The solar receiver may include a receiver housing with front and rear ends. The solar receiver may also include a window configured to allow radiation to pass therethrough. The window may be mounted at the front end and project within the housing. The solar receiver may also include a receiver chamber defined between the housing and the window. The receiver chamber may include a working fluid inlet for ingress of working fluid to be heated therewithin, and a working fluid outlet for egress therethrough of the heated working fluid. The solar receiver may also include a solar radiation absorber configured for absorbing the radiation and heating the working fluid thereby. The absorber may be located within the receiver chamber and may surround at least a portion of the window. The solar radiation absorber may be formed with projections.

Abstract: Thermal solar energy collector, in which a solar radiation absorption panel, inside which the heat-conducting fluid flows, is situated inside a parallelepipedal box, with an opening having a transparent cover at the front, which may be doubled so as to leave an atmospheric space in the middle. The rear wall of the box has a system of seals and reservoirs which are inset in the wall so that they accommodate the expansion and contraction of vertical tubes of the panel and horizontal connections by means of gentle changes in curvature of the tube bends and slight rotations of the reservoirs, with the addition of a system for filling the box with an inert gas, the pressure of which may be chosen from a range of between a thousandth of an atmosphere and one atmosphere, there being provided for this purpose an external gas circuit, with low- and high-pressure tanks, an intermediate compressor.

Abstract: A solar collector apparatus with Dewar-type evacuated tubes results in the more efficient collection of solar radiation by, for example, maintaining the level of a volatile liquid flowing into the solar collector so that no more than 80% of the volume of an inner cylinder of a collection tube is filled with liquid and a corresponding manifold collects the vapor produced when heat is transferred from the surface of the inner glass cylinder that absorbs solar radiation to the volatile liquid. The aforementioned apparatus may likewise be used to heat a liquid within an absorber tube, the liquid having a volatile and a non-volatile component. As heat is transferred to the liquid, a fraction of the volatile component is converted to vapor, leaving the liquid more concentrated in the non-volatile component.

Abstract: A collector system (12) is disclosed that comprises a row of linearly conjoined collector structures (13). The collector system is arranged to be located at a level above a field of reflectors (10) and to receive solar radiation reflected from the reflectors within the field. The collector structure (13) comprises an inverted trough (16) and, located within the trough, a plurality of longitudinally extending absorber tubes (30) that, in use, are arranged to carry a heat exchange fluid. The absorber tubes (30) are supported side-by-side within the trough and each absorber tube has a diameter that is small relative to the aperture of the trough. The ratio of the diameter of each absorber tube to the trough aperture dimension is of the order of 0.01:1.00 to 0.10:1:00 and, thus, a plurality of absorber tube functions, in the limit, effectively to simulate a flat plate absorber.

Abstract: A solar absorber module is described. The module has a housing with a longitudinal axis with a first tapered housing section with a first, free end, and a second end with a reduced cross-sectional area compared to the first end, and with a second housing section adjoining the second end of the first housing section with a substantially constant cross-section over its length. The module also has a ceramic solar absorber element accommodated in the first end of the first housing section with a first surface that can be oriented toward the solar radiation with an axis of symmetry, and a second surface lying across from the first surface, wherein the solar absorber element has a large number of substantially straight channels connecting the first surface to the second surface. The solar absorber module is accommodated in the first end of the first housing section such that the axis of symmetry of the first surface is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

Abstract: A high-efficiency solar radiation collection and conversion system is described. An array of evacuated collector tubes each includes two or more inner heat pipes that capture the solar energy and conduct it as heat through a condenser portion into a manifold that operates as part of a closed-loop circulation system. In another part of the loop, a heat exchanger transfers the heat into a hot-water holding tank or otherwise applies the heat energy in the circulating fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar collector. The collector has a heat regulating medium which defines a cavity therein. An aperture communicates with the cavity so as to allow solar energy incident on the aperture to enter the cavity. An energy collection device is disposed in the cavity and in thermal contact with the heat regulating medium to collect solar energy entering the cavity.

Abstract: A solar collector, comprising: (a) a plurality of thermosiphon tubes in which water flows, each tube having a top opening and a bottom opening; (b) a top manifold having a water inlet and water outlet and disposed at the top opening of the tubes, providing both a water feed into at least one of the plurality of tubes and a water exit from the rest of the tubes; and (c) a bottom basin connecting the bottom openings of the tubes. In some embodiments the plurality of tubes are divided into at least one inlet tube and the rest as outlet tubes by a stopper disposed in the top manifold.

Abstract: A solar receiver is provided, comprising a receiver housing extending along a longitudinal axis, having front and rear ends; a window configured to allow radiation to pass therethrough, the window being mounted at the front end and projecting within the housing; a receiver chamber defined between the housing and the window, the receiver chamber having a working fluid inlet for ingress of working fluid to be heated therewithin, and a working fluid outlet for egress therethrough of the heated working fluid; and a solar radiation absorber configured for absorbing the radiation and heating the working fluid thereby, the absorber being located within the receiver chamber and surrounding at least a portion of the window, the solar radiation absorber being formed with channels and made of a foam material, such as a ceramic or metallic foam material, having a characteristic average pore diameter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for collecting and utilizing energy generated by the sun, comprising a layered construction provided with a substrate layer and a cover layer comprising a curable mortar, wherein there is arranged on the substrate layer a tube system through which a fluid can be transported in order to regulate the temperature in the tube system, this tube system being at least partially embedded in the mortar, and wherein the mortar of the cover layer comprises insulating granules, cement, water and additives. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a layered construction for a device for collecting and utilizing energy generated by the sun.

Abstract: The invention provides a large trailing-type Fresnel lens point-focusing solar power system, it comprises a box body, a point-focusing glass matrix Fresnel lens, a reflecting low-radiation glass, a photovoltaic component, a high-temperature heat accumulator and a tracker. The point-focusing glass Fresnel lens, the reflecting low-radiation glass and the photovoltaic component are arranged in proper sequence from up to down, and respectively arranged on the upper part, the middle part and the low part of the box body. The high-temperature heat accumulator is positioned on the point-focusing glass matrix Fresnel lens. The high-temperature heat accumulator is fixed and arranged on a transverse bracket connected with the box body. The box body is arranged on the tracker, and traces the sun by the drive of the tracker. The invention relates to a trailing and spotlighting technique and a sunlight selective transmission technique, it is a high-efficiency clean photoelectric and photothermic utilization method.

Abstract: The radiation-selective absorber coating, in particular for an absorber tube of a parabolic trough collector, includes a reflective layer which is reflective in the infrared range, at least one barrier layer arranged below the reflective layer, at least one absorption layer arranged above the reflective layer, an antireflection layer arranged above the absorption layer and at least one adhesion-enhancing layer arranged between the barrier layer and the reflective layer. The adhesion-enhancing layer preferably is a molybdenum layer, but can also be provided by a copper, titanium, titanium oxide, or silicon layer. The adhesion-enhancing layer preferably has a thickness of 5 to 50 nm.

Abstract: A solar thermal receiver capable of improving the power generation efficiency in solar thermal power generation, reducing the production cost, and enhancing the thermal shock resistance and a solar thermal power generation facility using the solar thermal receiver are provided. The solar thermal receiver that receives solar radiation to heat fluid includes a heat-receiving section that is made of metal and that constitutes a flow path in which at least the fluid flows; and a coating layer that is disposed on at least a surface of an area of the heat-receiving section irradiated with the sunlight, that absorbs energy of the sunlight, and that has heat resistance.

Abstract: An outdoor air conduit or plenum is provided with a UV transmissive surface for allowing the air circulated through the conduit to be exposed to the UV rays of the natural sunlight, thereby providing for the sterilization of the air using free energy. The air sterilization system can be integrated to a building ventilation system or combined with a solar heat collector.

Abstract: A temperature control system (100) includes a heating system (1), a cooling system (2) and a control unit (3). The heating system has a heated fluid. The heated fluid is heated by a solar energy for increasing the mold temperature. The cooling system has a cooled fluid. The cooled fluid cools for decreasing the mold temperature. The control unit controls the heating system and the cooling system to be opened or closed.

Abstract: A solar thermal panel is disclosed. The solar thermal panel includes a body, the body comprising a plurality of rubber particles bound by a binding agent and defining one or more channels within the body, the or each channel including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connectable to a fluid circulation circuit.

Abstract: The solar absorber is equipped with an absorber body (10) that absorbs incident solar energy (12) and converts it to heat. The absorber body has a selective absorption layer (17) on a side (36) oriented toward the concentrator (13) and another selective absorption layer (18) on an opposite side (38) oriented away from the concentrator (13). The selective absorption layers (17, 18) have threshold wavelengths below which solar radiation is absorbed and above which a reradiation capacity of the absorber body is suppressed. The threshold wavelength of the selective absorption layer (17) on the side (36) of the absorber body that is oriented toward the concentrator is greater than the other threshold wavelength of the other selective absorption layer(18) on the opposite side (38) of the absorber body oriented away from the concentrator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sun collector comprising a flat absorber body (1) on or in which one or more absorber channels (17) for the flow of a heat transfer medium are configured. In areas which are not occupied by the one or more absorber channels (17), the absorber body (1) of the present sun collector has penetrable openings (4, 10, 13) for sunlight to pass through. The sun collector therefore provides the double function of a sun collector with a partially transparent sun protection device.

Abstract: The radiation-selective absorber coating (20) has two barrier layers (24a, 24b), an IR-reflecting layer (21) arranged thereon, an absorption layer (22) arranged above the IR-reflecting (21) and an antireflection layer (23) over the absorption layer (22). The absorber tube (13) is a steel tube (1) with the radiation-selective absorber coating (20) applied to the outside thereof. In the process of coating the absorber tube (13) a first oxide barrier layer (24a) is applied to a steel tube by thermal oxidation; a second barrier layer (24b) is then applied by physical gas phase deposition of silicon with supply of oxygen; the IR-reflecting layer (21) is then applied by gas phase deposition of gold, silver, platinum or copper; the absorption layer (22) is then applied by deposition of aluminium and molybdenum; and a final antireflection layer (23) is applied by deposition of silicon with supply of oxygen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar collector element having an absorber part and a tube for a heat transfer liquid connected thereto on a first side. The absorber part consisting of a composite material having a metallic substrate and an optically active coating on a second side of the substrate. The coating is a multilayer system having three layers. The top layer is a dielectric layer, preferably an oxide, fluoride or nitride layer of chemical composition MeOz, MeFr, MeNs, having a refractive index n<1.8. The middle layer is a chromium oxide layer of chemical composition CrOx. The bottom layer is gold, silver, copper, chromium, aluminium and/or molybdenum. The indices x, z, r and s indicate a stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric ratio in the oxides, fluorides or nitrides.

Abstract: A solar collector plate (1) comprises a dark-colored absorber plate (2) facing the sun, parallel wall sheets (4) arranged perpendicularly to the rear side of the absorber sheet (2), fixed thereto and also fixed to a support sheet (3) arranged parallel to the absorber sheet (2), whereby cavity channels (5) are provided between said sheets (2, 3, 4) for flowing cooling liquid (6) which is intended to transport heat away from the absorber sheet (2). In order to provide a good thermal contact between the liquid (6) and the absorber sheet (2) at a low rate of liquid flow in the cavity channels, the cavity channels (5) are filled with particles (7), which particles lift the cooling liquid (6) to contact with the absorber sheet (2) by means of a capillary effect.

Abstract: A compound solar water heating and dehumidifying device including an adsorption bed disposed at a lower rim of a plate type heat collector of a solar water heating element for causing a heat collector element to absorb heat in the day-time and the adsorption bed to regenerate and accumulate heat. At night, the heat of adsorption and heat of condensation are released to the heat collector element to retard the drop of temperature of water in water channels that are in contact with the heat collector element. Therefore, dissipation of heat from the hot water in a water tank may be retarded and water moisture may be removed.

Abstract: An unglazed transpired solar collector using solar radiation to heat incoming air for distribution, comprising an unglazed absorber formed of low thermal-conductance material having a front surface for receiving the solar radiation and openings in the unglazed absorber for passage of the incoming air such that the incoming air is heated as it passes towards the front surface of the absorber and the heated air passes through the openings in the absorber for distribution.

Abstract: A radiant gas heating apparatus of the present invention includes a cylindrical member of a porous ceramic material adapted to be heated by radiation, and a flow passageway which directs gas radially through the pores of the ceramic material from one cylindrical surface of the cylindrical member to the other cylindrical surface thereof. A steam electrolyzing apparatus of the present invention includes a light focusing section having a porous ceramic member disposed within a transparent light-receiving section vessel, an electrolyzing cell having an oxygen electrode and a hydrogen electrode disposed on inner and outer surfaces of a cylindrical electrolyte, and a heat-insulating vessel covering the electrolyzing cell. In the steam electrolyzing apparatus, after low-temperature gas has passed through the space between the porous ceramic member and the light-receiving section vessel, the gas passes through the porous ceramic thereby being heated.

Abstract: A solar collector converts solar radiation to heat energy over a specified surface area and collects the heat energy by trickle feeding a heat transfer fluid over a trickle feed absorber surface having improved absorber surface area to volume ratio. The elements of the solar collector include a glazing first layer for receiving and passing incident solar radiation over the specified surface area and an impervious backing layer spaced from the glazing first layer. The absorber layer is sandwiched between the glazing first layer and backing layer with the glazing first layer and backing layer contacting the absorber layer on opposite sides. The absorber layer is a layer of fiber material defining capillary channels and spaces in the absorber layer between the glazing first layer and backing layer.