The present invention limits fluid temperature at a point in a fluidic system to below a predetermined temperature by cooling the fluid when needed and without requiring a separate cold fluid source. The present invention “clips” the temperature of the fluid at a point in the system to within a temperature range and prevents overcooling the fluid. When the fluid temperature is below the temperature range, the temperature of the fluid is unchanged as it passes through the apparatus of the present invention. The present invention may operate without external power, can function in any orientation, and works for unpressurized and pressurized systems. The present invention has application in the areas of solar thermal energy systems, fluid tanks, engine oil and coolant systems, transmission fluid systems, hydraulic systems, machining fluid systems, cutting fluid systems, nuclear reactors and chemical reactors, among others.

Reactors are provided that can include a first set of fluid channels and a second set of fluid channels oriented in thermal contact with the first set of fluid channels. The reactor assemblies can also provide where the channels of either one or both of the first of the set of fluid channels are non-linear. Other implementations provide for at least one of the first set of fluid channels being in thermal contact with a plurality of other channels of the second set of fluid channels. Reactor assemblies are also provided that can include a first set of fluid channels defining at least one non-linear channel having a positive function, and a second set of fluid channels defining at least another non-linear channel having a negative function in relation to the positive function of the one non-linear channel of the first set of fluid channels. Processes for distributing energy across a reactor are provided. The processes can include transporting reactants via a first set of fluid channels to a second set of fluid channels, and thermally engaging at least one of the first set of fluid channels with at least two of the second set of fluid channels.

A spectrum-splitting concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module utilizes direct fluid cooling of photovoltaic cells in which an array of photovoltaic cells is fully immersed in a flowing heat transfer fluid. Specifically, at least a portion of both the front face and the rear face of each photovoltaic cell comes into direct contact with heat transfer fluid, thereby enhancing coupling of waste heat out of the photovoltaic cells and into the heat transfer fluid. The CPV module is designed to maximize transmission of infrared light not absorbed by the photovoltaic cells, and therefore may be combined with a thermal receiver that captures the transmitted infrared light as part of a hybrid concentrator photovoltaic-thermal system.

A hybrid power and heat generating device (100) comprising: a photovoltaic solar power collector (102) configured to collect solar power from solar radiation received on an active side (103) of the photovoltaic solar power collector; and a heat exchanging unit (104) configured to cool the photovoltaic solar power collector, which heat exchanging unit includes a cooling plate (106;404;504704) arranged to transfer heat from the photovoltaic solar power collector (102) to a cooling medium. The heat exchanging unit (104) is adapted to transport the cooling medium away from the cooling plate (106;404;504;704) for heat extraction from the cooling medium. The cooling plate (106;404;504;704) is arranged with a gap (110) from a rear side (111) of the photovoltaic solar power collector (102) and the cooling medium is arranged to cool the cooling plate (106;404;504;704) to a temperature which allows water vapor of the ambient air in the gap (110) to condensate into water on the cooling plate (106;404;504;704) in the gap (110). The hybrid power and heat generating device (100) being operable in at least two operation modes; a normal operation mode in which the gap (110) is at least partly filled with condensed water, which condensed water transfers heat from the photovoltaic solar power collector (102) to the cooling plate (106;404;504;704); and a security operation mode in which the gap (110) is filled with air to thereby reduce the heat transfer from the photovoltaic solar collector (102) to the cooling plate (106;404;504;704).

A hybrid power and heat generating device (100) comprising: a photovoltaic solar power collector (102) configured to collect solar power from solar radiation received on an active side (103) of the photovoltaic solar power collector; and a heat exchanging unit (104) configured to cool the photovoltaic solar power collector, which heat exchanging unit includes a cooling plate (106;404;504704) arranged to transfer heat from the photovoltaic solar power collector (102) to a cooling medium. The heat exchanging unit (104) is adapted to transport the cooling medium away from the cooling plate (106;404;504;704) for heat extraction from the cooling medium. The cooling plate (106;404;504;704) is arranged with a gap (110) from a rear side (111) of the photovoltaic solar power collector (102) and the cooling medium is arranged to cool the cooling plate (106;404;504;704) to a temperature which allows water vapor of the ambient air in the gap (110) to condensate into water on the cooling plate (106;404;504;704) in the gap (110). The hybrid power and heat generating device (100) being operable in at least two operation modes; a normal operation mode in which the gap (110) is at least partly filled with condensed water, which condensed water transfers heat from the photovoltaic solar power collector (102) to the cooling plate (106;404;504;704); and a security operation mode in which the gap (110) is filled with air to thereby reduce the heat transfer from the photovoltaic solar collector (102) to the cooling plate (106;404;504;704).

A device is provided which reduces the temperature of a solar PV panel. The device includes an enclosure comprising a heat sink attachable to a bottom side of the solar PV panel to provide an air channel, and a tornado tube. The tornado pipe may be oriented vertically to the plane of the earth, and may act as a solar chimney, instigating a flow of air to enter the enclosure through an air inlet. This air flow may be drawn across the heat sink and exit back to the atmosphere through the tornado tube.

A low profile flexible solar thermal panel has low-cost, thin sheet foil and film materials fabricated as an integrated airtight solar thermal panel and a dual-port bifurcated duct adapter and formed metal foil air passages. The bifurcated air duct and formed metal foil layer enables, the panel to require only a single duct orifice through a mounting surface (such as a roof or wall) to provide both ingress and egress for air flow. The formed metal foil layer supplies a rigid support for two laminar air passages that steer forced air from the ingress port through a lower laminar air passage and returns it through the upper laminar air passage to the egress port in the bifurcated duct. The air duct enables measurement of the inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature and circulated air volume, further enabling electronic measurement of total energy produced in standard units.

A solar thermal collector and an accessory structure of a building are provided. The solar thermal collector includes at least one heat absorbing plate and at least one heat insulating plate. Each of the heat absorbing plate includes at least one first slab and first engaging parts connected with the first slab. Each of the heat insulating plate includes at least one second slab and second engaging parts connected with the second slab. The first engaging parts are respectively engaged with the second engaging parts, and a gap is maintained between the first slab and the second slab to define a heat collecting channel, through which a heat transfer fluid flows between the heat absorbing plate and the heat insulating plate. A heat conductivity of the heat absorbing plate is at least 30 times greater than a heat conductivity of the heat insulating plate.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for user-preference driven control of electrical and thermal output from a photonic energy device are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes automatically modulating an amount of thermal output and/or electrical power output generated by a solar photovoltaic module in response to an input of one or more user preferences by: adjusting at least one variable pertaining to a fluid positioned on the solar photovoltaic module based on the one or more user preferences; and adjusting at least one variable pertaining to one or more reflective surfaces physically connected to the solar photovoltaic module based on the one or more user preferences.

A solar collector is provided. The collector comprises a monolithic flow control component to direct a flow of the heat transfer fluid between an inlet and outlet; and a solar absorber supported by the monolithic flow control component. The monolithic flow control component is able to support the solar absorber without any additional structural components to lend mechanical strength to the monolithic flow control component.