In accordance with exemplary inventive practice, a catalytic system and a temperature swing adsorption system are thermally integrated. The temperature range of the adsorption system is lower than the catalyst operating temperature. Benefits of inventive practice include reduction of total energy consumption and of generated waste-heat. Total energy consumption is reduced by transferring some of the waste-heat generated by the catalytic system into the adsorption system during the sorbent heat-up portion of the sorbent regeneration cycle. The heat is transferred using a thermal reservoir, which accumulates heat from the catalytic apparatus and transfers it to the adsorption apparatus at a later time, and which is repeatedly cycled as the sorbent is cycled. The catalytic system and the adsorption system can be inventively integrated in various ways to reduce the total energy consumed, and/or to modify the sorbent regeneration temperature profile, and/or to obtain an optimum power load profile.

Systems and methods for selectively producing steam from solar collectors and heaters, for processes including enhanced oil recovery. A representative system includes a water source, a solar collector that includes a collector inlet, a collector outlet, and a plurality of solar concentrators positioned to heat water passing from the collector inlet to the collector outlet, a fuel-fired heater, a steam outlet connected to an oil field injection well, and a water flow network coupled among the water source, the solar collector, the heater, and the steam outlet. The system can further include a controller operatively coupled to the water flow network and programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct at least one portion of the flow through the solar collector and the fuel-fired heater in a first sequence, and direct the at least one portion or a different portion of the flow through the solar collector and the fuel-fired heater in a second sequence different than the first sequence.

Systems and methods for selectively producing steam from solar collectors and heaters, for processes including enhanced oil recovery. A representative system includes a water source, a solar collector that includes a collector inlet, a collector outlet, and a plurality of solar concentrators positioned to heat water passing from the collector inlet to the collector outlet, a fuel-fired heater, a steam outlet connected to an oil field injection well, and a water flow network coupled among the water source, the solar collector, the heater, and the steam outlet. The system can further include a controller operatively coupled to the water flow network and programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct at least one portion of the flow through the solar collector and the fuel-fired heater in a first sequence, and direct the at least one portion or a different portion of the flow through the solar collector and the fuel-fired heater in a second sequence different than the first sequence.

Provided is a self-propelled robot that can prevent damage due to dropping of the self-propelled robot and efficiently perform the operation on a flat surface. A self-propelled robot 1 that self-travels on a structure SP having a flat surface SF to perform operation on the flat surface SF of the structure SP, the self-propelled robot includes: a robot main body 2 in which a moving unit 4 for the self-travel is provided; and a controller 30 that controls movement of the robot main body 2. At this point, the controller 30 includes an edge detector 31 that detects an end edge of the flat surface SF, and the controller 30 has a function of controlling activation of the moving unit 4 such that a distance between the end edge of the flat surface SF and the moving unit 4 is maintained to a given extent or more based on a signal from the edge detector 31.

Provided is a self-propelled robot that can prevent damage due to dropping of the self-propelled robot and efficiently perform the operation on a flat surface. A self-propelled robot 1 that self-travels on a structure SP having a flat surface SF to perform operation on the flat surface SF of the structure SP, the self-propelled robot includes: a robot main body 2 in which a moving unit 4 for the self-travel is provided; and a controller 30 that controls movement of the robot main body 2. At this point, the controller 30 includes an edge detector 31 that detects an end edge of the flat surface SF, and the controller 30 has a function of controlling activation of the moving unit 4 such that a distance between the end edge of the flat surface SF and the moving unit 4 is maintained to a given extent or more based on a signal from the edge detector 31.

A solar tower system is disclosed in which the heat transfer media is a molten salt at a temperature greater than 650? C. The components that carry or hold the molten salt are made from commercially available alloys made by Haynes International and sold under the designations HR-120? alloy, 230? alloy and 233? alloy whose compositions are described herein. The molten salt preferably is MgCl.sub.2KCl.

In various representative aspects, an assembly for securing a solar panel rail and rail-less support structures to a shingle roof. More specifically, the apparatus includes a connection bracket and flashing device for use in installing solar panel rail support structures. The connection bracket is secured to the flashing device by rotating its base around a threaded connection until it locks in place so that a solar panel rail support guide can be connected to a generally U-shaped connection on the top of the bracket. The apparatus also offers an improved means to cover the penetration point on the flashing to protect it and prevent water from leaking into the roof as well as an improved way to install the apparatus over existing products. An alternate embodiment of the apparatus is offered to support a rail-less pivot mount as well.

The present invention relates to a solar evacuated heat collecting panel for collecting solar energy and more particularly, to a solar evacuated heat collecting panel having a heat absorbing plate and a heat medium circulating tube mounted therein so as to withstand external stress by means of a glass window structure and to minimize loss of solar energy collected therein. The present invention provides a solar evacuated heat collecting panel for collecting solar heat to obtain energy, the solar evacuated heat collecting panel comprising: a case made of glass or a metallic material; a glass window mounted on the upper portion of the case so as to form a space together with the case; a heat collecting portion comprising a heat collecting plate seated inside the case and the glass window and at least one heat medium circulating tube attached to the lower portion of the heat collecting plate by brazing welding and mounted so as to penetrate one side of the case; a side spacer made of a metallic material so as to connect a edge of the glass window and a edge of the case to each other; an inner spacer that penetrates the heat absorbing plate so as to support the case and the glass window at a predetermined interval; and an evacuating tube mounted on one side of the case so as to evacuate the interior of the panel.

A heliostat correction system includes an image acquisition module for acquiring the image of a celestial body in a field of view and sending the image to a data analysis module which analyzes the deviation value between the celestial body image and the image center in an image coordinate system and transmits the deviation value to a correction calculation module which decomposes the deviation to a corresponding rotation axis according to the rotation mode of a heliostat to obtain the deviation angle of each rotation axis; a data storage module is used to store the correction result of the heliostat and the single correction period control command list of the heliostat; a communication module reads the single correction period control command list from the data storage module, sends the list to the heliostat, and simultaneously controls the image acquisition module to shoot according to the rotation period of the heliostat.

A heliostat correction system includes an image acquisition module for acquiring the image of a celestial body in a field of view and sending the image to a data analysis module which analyzes the deviation value between the celestial body image and the image center in an image coordinate system and transmits the deviation value to a correction calculation module which decomposes the deviation to a corresponding rotation axis according to the rotation mode of a heliostat to obtain the deviation angle of each rotation axis; a data storage module is used to store the correction result of the heliostat and the single correction period control command list of the heliostat; a communication module reads the single correction period control command list from the data storage module, sends the list to the heliostat, and simultaneously controls the image acquisition module to shoot according to the rotation period of the heliostat.