An octahedral space frame includes a first plurality of double octahedral structures disposed in a first row in a longitudinal direction, adjacent ones of the first plurality of double octahedral structures sharing two common members. Each of the first plurality of double octahedral structures includes respective first and second single octahedron structures joined in a transverse direction and sharing three common members, the transverse direction being orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

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 device for storage and exchange of thermal energy of solar origin, which device is configured to receive a concentrated solar radiation using an optical system of beam down type, which device comprises:a containment casing which defines an internal compartment and has an upper opening configured to allow entry of the concentrated solar radiation, which opening puts in direct communication the internal compartment with the external environment having no closure or screen means;a bed of fluidizable solid particles, received within the internal compartment, which bed has an irradiated operative region directly exposed, in use, to the concentrated solar radiation that enters through said opening and a heat accumulation region adjacent to said operative region;fluidization elements of the bed of particles, configured to feed fluidization air within the compartment, which fluidization means is configured to determine different fluid-dynamic regimens in the operative region and in the accumulation region, based upon different fluidization speeds, wherein, in use, the particles of the operative region absorb thermal energy from the solar radiation and they give it to the particles of the accumulation region.

A combination fence and solar heater. The fence for enclosing a swimming pool and heating water from the swimming pool in order to provide more comfortable swimming conditions and a longer swimming season. The fence includes posts, upper and lower rails, and pickets. The rails include first and second conduits, each having a passageway for carrying water being circulated in communication with the swimming pool. The first conduit has an exterior surface that is exposed to the sun; absorbing solar energy which heats the stream of water therein. The second conduit is nested within the first conduit and absorbs a portion of the energy absorbed by the first conduit. Often, water temperatures within the first and second conduits differ from each other, allowing for discharge of heated water over a range of temperatures to the swimming pool.

A system for heating a work fluid and for air circulation comprises a plurality of collectors fitted top-to-top in one or more columns, such that air ducts of the modules constitute a single duct along a column, wherein the solar collector comprises: one solar radiation planar absorber with one anterior face exposed to solar radiation and another posterior face affixed to the work fluid piping; one duct for exchanging heat with the planar absorber via the air duct which has its air inlet and outlet on opposite tops of the solar collector. The system can additionally comprise a descendent air duct to collect air from the upper part of the building and to supply air to the lower side of one or more columns of the facade.

An absorber tube is provided that has a central metal tube, a glass cladding tube, and a glass-metal transition element. The metal tube and the glass-metal transition element are connected to each other by an expansion compensation device such that they can be displaced relative to each other in the longitudinal direction. The expansion compensation device is arranged at least partially in an annular space between the metal tube and the glass-metal transition element. In the annular space, at least one shielding device is arranged, which has a first annular disc-shaped segment arranged at an axial distance in front of the end face and covers at least the connection region of the attachment element and the inner end of the expansion compensation device.

An extremely low cost solar concentrator made of membranes or films is inflated into a Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) a non-image concentrator. The portion of the inflatable concentrator, which is shaped into a CPC concentrator, is formed with reflective membranes or films, and the portions of the inflatable concentrator on the top of CPC and on the bottom of the concentrator are made of clear membranes or films. The incident light including parallel rays of light and diffuse light, as long as falling into the half acceptance angle of the CPC, will be concentrated to the bottom exit aperture of the CPC. Therefore, this type concentrator reduces the requirement to the accuracy of tracking for concentration. In addition, this type of concentrator demonstrates more tolerance to shape distortion for concentration than imaging system.

Solar energy collection and storage systems and processes of using such systems. Non-direct solar energy collection and storage systems can generate electricity from solar radiation using a solar thermoelectric generator and at the same time capture solar thermal energy in a working fluid. The working fluid can then transfer the heat to a thermal storage medium where the heat can be retrieved on demand to generate electricity and heat a fluid. Direct solar energy collection and storage systems can store solar thermal energy in a thermal storage medium directly from solar radiation and the heat from the thermal storage medium can be used on demand to generate electricity and heat a fluid.

Provided is an hybrid solar heat absorption cooling system comprising: an absorption refrigerator; a solar heat steam generator configured to generate steam using solar heat; a daytime steam supplying unit configured to supply steam generated by the solar heat steam generator during the day as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a daytime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the day; a nighttime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the daytime hot water storage tank during the night as a heat source for the absorption refrigerator; a nighttime hot water storage tank configured to store hot water discharged from the absorption refrigerator during the night; and a daytime hot water supplying unit configured to supply hot water stored in the nighttime hot water storage tank during the day to the solar heat steam generator.

A heat-collecting forage drying system with wind-solar complementary energy supply includes a drying storehouse, an energy supply device and a drying system. The energy supply device includes a solar photovoltaic power generation plate, a wind turbine and a storage battery. The drying system includes an air-heat drying device and a hydrothermal drying device. The air-heat drying device includes a first solar collector, an air collector tube, an air blower and a standby electric auxiliary heater. The drying storehouse is provided with a flow equalizing plate. The flow equalizing plate separates the drying storehouse into an air inlet chamber and a storage chamber. The hydrothermal drying device includes a second solar collector, a water flow collector tube, a circulating water pump and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is mounted on the forage placing station, and the heat exchanger is in communication with the circulating water pump.