An automated wirelessly-controlled solar pool heater including a photothermal module atop a floatation vessel for exposure to the sun, an internal pump assembly, a first temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the photothermal module, a second temperature sensor for sensing ambient pool water, a microcontroller board with wireless transceiver for remote monitoring and operation, and a solar-charging battery. In operation, the pump assembly self-primes and automatically fills the entire photothermal module with pool water. Water in the photothermal module begins to heat via heat absorption from the sun's rays and, when heated, the microcontroller activates the pump assembly to intermittently expel a partial volume of the heated water back into the pool, simultaneously refilling the photothermal module with unheated pool water. The recirculation program continues until the water temperature of the entire pool reaches its desired temperature.

A multi-function solar panel, the panel being of the tilted tray type which is divided into three chambers, one chamber being used for electricity generation, and cooling of the PV panel and partial preheating of the feed water to a still, one for processing the feed water to produce potable water and the other for water storage and other ancillary devices used in the production process and PAYG functionality of the multi-function solar panel.

A multi-function solar panel, the panel being of the tilted tray type which is divided into three chambers, one chamber being used for electricity generation, and cooling of the PV panel and partial preheating of the feed water to a still, one for processing the feed water to produce potable water and the other for water storage and other ancillary devices used in the production process and PAYG functionality of the multi-function solar panel.

A solar thermal cladding structure includes a frame, a membrane extending along the frame, the membrane having a first layer and a second layer, and an inflation blower connected to the membrane and in fluid communication with a space between the first layer and the second layer of the membrane. The frame includes a plurality of connectors and a plurality of beam struts. The plurality of connectors connect the plurality of beam struts together.

A swimming pool cover with lenses is disclosed. The swimming pool cover uses lenses to focus ambient solar energy into the water of a swimming pool. In one embodiment, a plurality of rectangular lenses is connected at their edges by a minimal amount of connecting or gusset material, in order to create an impermeable sheet, while maximizing the amount of incident solar energy absorbed by the swimming pool water. The swimming pool cover also protects detritus from falling into the swimming pool, while at the same time, reduces the amount of heat loss through evaporation. In another embodiment, the gusset material connects a plurality of lenses, varying in both size and shape.

The invention discloses an efficient solar flat plate heat absorption system, composed of a primary circulating pipe network, a secondary circulating pipe network and a control system, wherein the primary circulating pipe network is formed by communicating a pipeline in a pressure bearing water tank with a heat exchange tube I in a flat plate heat collector group through a pipeline I and a pipeline III, the secondary circulating pipe network is formed by communicating a pipe network at the bottom of a swimming pool with a heat exchange tube II in the flat plate heat collector group through a pipeline II and a pipeline IV, wherein thermometers are arranged at a water outlet of the heat exchange tube I, at the water outlet of the heat exchange tube II, in the swimming pool and in the pressure bearing water tank, and circulating pumps are arranged on the pipeline I and the pipeline II. The invention makes full use of the heat energy by using the two circulating pipe networks formed by the parallel double heat exchange tubes in the flat plate heat collector group to realize the automatic and constant-temperature heating of the water in a swimming pool and avoid the water temperature in the swimming pool fluctuating suddenly, meanwhile the redundant heat can be recycled, thereby making full use of energy, saving resources and having obvious social and economic benefits.

A water cooling and heating system for swimming pools and hot tubs for heating and/or cooling a flow of water drawn from a body of water and then returning the heated and/or cooled flow of water back to the body of water wherein the system includes an inner conduit within an outer conduit, the outer conduit having an exterior conduit surface that is exposed to solar energy from the sun whereby a portion of the solar energy absorbed by the outer conduit is transferred to and heats an outer water flow within the outer conduit and the outer water flow in the outer conduit heating an inner water flow of water in the inner conduit, the system further including at least one control valve to selectively control a flow of water to the inner and outer conduits and a bypass flow of water that is directed back toward the body of water.

A solar panel support unit of an embodiment includes a first support member, a second support member, and a third support member. The first support member includes a first support section and a first attachment section. The first attachment section is disposed at a position spaced by a first distance from the first support section. The second support member includes a second support section and a second attachment section. The second attachment section is disposed at a position spaced by a second distance from the second support section in the panel thickness direction, the second distance being smaller than the first distance, the second attachment section having a second hole to be in communication with the first hole, the second attachment section being to overlap the first attachment section. The third support member includes a third support section and a third attachment section. The third attachment section has a third hole to be in communication with the first hole and the second hole, and is to overlap the second attachment section.

Apparatus operable using concentrated solar radiation, the apparatus comprising a body having a cavity adapted to receive concentrated solar radiation, a heat energy absorber associated with the cavity to receive heat from concentrated solar radiation within the cavity, a chamber containing a body of matter, the chamber being in heat exchange relation with the heat energy absorber to receive heat therefrom for heating the body of matter, and an inlet means for introducing fluid into the chamber for contacting the contained body of matter. Also, a reactor system for contacting a reactant liquid with two gaseous reactants, the reactor system comprising two reactors interconnected for circulation of a reactant liquid therebetween, whereby the circulating reactant liquid is enabled to react with a gaseous reactant introduced into one reactor and to also react with a gaseous reactant introduced into the other reactor.

Apparatus operable using concentrated solar radiation, the apparatus comprising a body having a cavity adapted to receive concentrated solar radiation, a heat energy absorber associated with the cavity to receive heat from concentrated solar radiation within the cavity, a chamber containing a body of matter, the chamber being in heat exchange relation with the heat energy absorber to receive heat therefrom for heating the body of matter, and an inlet means for introducing fluid into the chamber for contacting the contained body of matter. Also, a reactor system for contacting a reactant liquid with two gaseous reactants, the reactor system comprising two reactors interconnected for circulation of a reactant liquid therebetween, whereby the circulating reactant liquid is enabled to react with a gaseous reactant introduced into one reactor and to also react with a gaseous reactant introduced into the other reactor.