Provided is a solar collector that captures and utilizes solar energy and includes a plurality of vacuum tubes which are disposed by extending horizontally and are disposed parallel to each other with a predetermined distance; and a reflection plate having a substantially planar shape, which reflects solar light on an opposite side of the sun with respect to the plurality of vacuum tubes, in which the reflection plate includes a reflection surface having a serrated section at a corresponding position between vacuum tubes adjacent to each other, and in the reflection surface, one face of a serration forms a first reflection surface that reflects the solar light to the vacuum tube on a lower side among the vacuum tubes adjacent to each other.

A double line focusing solar energy collection apparatus of the present invention includes a heat collector, a secondary concentrator, and a bracket. The heat collector includes a primary concentrator and a heat collection tube, in which the primary concentrator has a focus line. The secondary concentrator has a focus line. The bracket supports the primary concentrator, the heat collection tube, and the secondary concentrator. The heat collection tube is located between the primary and secondary concentrators and located on the focus lines of the secondary and primary concentrators. The primary concentrator is a paraboloid reflector or Fresnel reflector. The secondary concentrator is a paraboloid reflector or Fresnel reflector. By adding the secondary concentrator, it achieves low light loss and high heat collection efficiency, and erosion of the heat collection tube by sand, rain, and snow can be effectively prevented, thereby extending the lifetime of the heat collection tube effectively.

A double line focusing solar energy collection apparatus of the present invention includes a heat collector, a secondary concentrator, and a bracket. The heat collector includes a primary concentrator and a heat collection tube, in which the primary concentrator has a focus line. The secondary concentrator has a focus line. The bracket supports the primary concentrator, the heat collection tube, and the secondary concentrator. The heat collection tube is located between the primary and secondary concentrators and located on the focus lines of the secondary and primary concentrators. The primary concentrator is a paraboloid reflector or Fresnel reflector. The secondary concentrator is a paraboloid reflector or Fresnel reflector. By adding the secondary concentrator, it achieves low light loss and high heat collection efficiency, and erosion of the heat collection tube by sand, rain, and snow can be effectively prevented, thereby extending the lifetime of the heat collection tube effectively.

The invention relates to a method which comprises making a hole in a metallic support of an absorber tube, putting a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the chamber of the absorber tube by means of the hole, actuating the vacuum pump to generate a vacuum in the chamber until reaching a predetermined vacuum threshold, and introducing an inert gas inside the chamber and performing a plurality of sweeps with said inert gas, removing hydrogen from the chamber, allowing to thus reduce or remove the accumulation of hydrogen in said chamber, such that, as a result, at least part of the hydrogen absorption capacity of the getter material is recovered.

Apparatuses and methods for using direct solar radiation. The apparatus may include a housing defining a window configured to transmit solar radiation and a secondary radiation source for transmitting a second radiation in response to the solar radiation via a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon and configured to be executed by a processor to measure the solar radiation and actuate the secondary radiation source.

Apparatuses and methods for using direct solar radiation. The apparatus may include a housing defining a window configured to transmit solar radiation and a secondary radiation source for transmitting a second radiation in response to the solar radiation via a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon and configured to be executed by a processor to measure the solar radiation and actuate the secondary radiation source.

A solar collector comprising a wide-angle, nonimaging asymmetric optical reflector comprising a reflective film, an absorber assembly positioned within the optical reflector having a transparent tube evacuated to a vacuum or partial vacuum and at least two pipes with fluid flowing through the pipes, the pipes arranged in a flow-through configuration, wherein the solar acceptance angle of the collector is about 40 degrees, allowing for passive (stationary) solar tracking, and where the solar energy collected is transferred to the fluid in the form of heat. The fluid exiting the solar collector is in the range of 100° C. to 250° C., and the thermal energy of the fluid may be used to generate high-quality steam for solar industrial process heat applications.

There is herein described energy storage systems. More particularly, there is herein described thermal energy storage systems and use of energy storable material such as phase change material in the provision of heating and/or cooling systems in, for example, domestic dwellings.

Systems and methods for radiative cooling and heating are provided. For example, systems for radiative cooling can include a top layer including one or more polymers, where the top layer has high emissivity in at least a portion of the thermal spectrum and an electromagnetic extinction coefficient of approximately zero, absorptivity of approximately zero, and high transmittance in at least a portion of the solar spectrum, and further include a reflective layer including one or more metals, where the reflective layer has high reflectivity in at least a portion of the solar spectrum.

An improved solar space heater collector may be constructed having a frame with extruded HDPE sides. The sides may have insulating pockets, as well as internally directed extensions for supporting at least one of insulation, absorbers, and/or baffles. Externally and downwardly directed fins may cooperate with shingles and/or flashing to facilitate a proper watertight connection of the collector to the roof. Finally, an improved jaw retainer may have a dual durometer grip which cooperates with a top glass.