A Silver Lining solar transfer module incorporates roof solar photovoltaic cells in a cased layer sandwiched between two water-handling layers. The bottom waste heat layer contains heat transfer pipes tuned for absorbing heat from the bottom of the photovoltaic layer and to dissipate heat into cool water pumped through the transfer pipes from ground level. The top cascade layer uses a casing transparent to solar radiation at the wavelengths used by the solar photovoltaic cells and containing a cascade of relatively cool water pumped from ground level, absorbing heat from the photovoltaic layer. The Silver Lining module is installed with a vertical slant, so that water is gravity fed from the top edge to the bottom edge in the waste heat layer and cascade layer. Fire sprinklers are incorporated into the plumbing of a system of Silver Lining solar transfer modules and provide protection to the roof in fire emergencies.

A solar thermal collector is provided. The collector comprises a housing defining an inlet, and an outlet for a heat transfer fluid, said housing comprising a window to allow sunlight to pass there through; a heat transfer core disposed within the interior of the housing said housing designed to be heated by exposure to said sunlight; and a heat absorbing component in proximity to the heat transfer core, said heat absorbing component designed to at least partially absorb heat losses from the heat transfer core; wherein a positioning the components within the housing defines at least one path for the heat transfer fluid for preheating of the heat transfer fluid prior to said heat transfer fluid passing through the heat transfer core.

The invention relates to a field of open-flow solar collectors, and specifically to flat solar collectors with wetting the underneath sides of their solar radiation absorbing plates with liquid heat transfer medium. More specifically, the invention proposes the flat solar collector, which operates with relatively low flow rate of the heat transfer medium on the underneath side of the solar radiation absorbing plate, with flow in form of some rivulets. The invention describes some technical solutions, which restrict meandering rivulets' flow. The proposed flat solar collector can be applied for heating water or other liquids and for evaporation and concentration of aqueous solutions.

The invention relates to a field of open-flow solar collectors, and specifically to flat solar collectors with wetting the underneath sides of their solar radiation absorbing plates with liquid heat transfer medium. More specifically, the invention proposes the flat solar collector, which operates with relatively low flow rate of the heat transfer medium on the backside of the solar radiation absorbing plate, with flow in the form of some rivulets. The invention discloses some technical solutions, which restrict meandering rivulets' flow.

These technical solutions are based on application of longitudinal strips attached by permanent magnets to the backside of the solar radiation absorbing plate fabricated from ferromagnetic metal.

A desalination system, including a membrane distillation portion, a solar power concentration portion, and a thermal vapor compression portion operationally connected to the membrane distillation portion and to the solar power concentration portion. The membrane distillation portion includes a first vessel having a first portion and a second portion separated by a hydrophobic membrane operationally connected therebetween and oriented to pass water from the first portion to the second portion, wherein the hydrophobic membrane further comprises a hydrophilic membrane and an air blocking layer connected to the hydrophilic membrane and disposed in the first portion, a vacuum gap adjacent the hydrophobic membrane and disposed in the second portion, a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet operationally connected to the first portion, and a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet operationally connected to the second portion. The solar power concentration portion includes a pump having a pump outlet and a pump inlet operationally connected to a water line and to the vacuum gap, a linear Fresnel mirror collector for collecting and focusing sunlight, and an outlet line operationally connected to the pump outlet and positioned to receive focused sunlight from linear Fresnel mirror collector. The thermal vapor compression portion includes an ejector having an ejector inlet portion and an ejector outlet portion, wherein the ejector inlet portion is operationally connected to the outlet line and to the vacuum gap, a second vessel fluidically connected to the outlet portion and further including a heat exchanger operationally connected to the ejector outlet portion and to a water pipe, a feed spray operationally connected to the second outlet and positioned to spray into the heat exchanger, and a collection portion for receiving concentrated feed spray. The heat exchanger receives desalinated water from the ejector and from the feed spray. The water line carries desalinated water from the heat exchanger. The first outlet passes concentrated brine, and the first inlet receives feed water to be desalinated.

A collector ring assembly can capture particles from a centrifugal solar receiver and reduce a speed of the particles. The collector ring assembly can include a collector ring and a stationary shroud. The collector ring can include a plurality of collection members disposed circumferentially around the collector ring. Each collection member can be formed as a shovel. Each shovel can include a front wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, an angled shield, a lateral lip, and a top wall. The front wall, the bottom wall, and the rear wall of each shovel can form a trough for collecting the particles. The stationary shroud can be disposed around the collector ring. The stationary shroud can receive and funnel particles exiting from the collector ring.

A particle suppressor can be used in a particle receiver to reduce the particle loss rate. The receiver can include a rotating drum with an inliner. The particle suppressor can include a retaining surface. The retaining surface can be spaced away from and extend concentrically with the inline. A spacing gap between the inliner and the retaining surface can dampen the motion of bouncing particles. The spacing gap can be between 15 mm and 20 mm. In some embodiments, the particle suppressor can include a support ring with a plurality of suppressor segments disposed circumferentially around the support ring. The particle suppressor can include a plurality of suppressor segments coupled directly to the inliner. A heat shield can be coupled to the particle suppressor. A support bracket can suspend the particle suppressor within the receiver.

A particle suppressor can be used in a particle receiver to reduce the particle loss rate. The receiver can include a rotating drum with an inliner. The particle suppressor can include a retaining surface. The retaining surface can be spaced away from and extend concentrically with the inline. A spacing gap between the inliner and the retaining surface can dampen the motion of bouncing particles. The spacing gap can be between 15 mm and 20 mm. In some embodiments, the particle suppressor can include a support ring with a plurality of suppressor segments disposed circumferentially around the support ring. The particle suppressor can include a plurality of suppressor segments coupled directly to the inliner. A heat shield can be coupled to the particle suppressor. A support bracket can suspend the particle suppressor within the receiver.

A collector ring assembly can capture particles from a centrifugal solar receiver and reduce a speed of the particles. The collector ring assembly can include a collector ring and a stationary shroud. The collector ring can include a plurality of collection members disposed circumferentially around the collector ring. Each collection member can be formed as a shovel. Each shovel can include a front wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, an angled shield, a lateral lip, and a top wall. The front wall, the bottom wall, and the rear wall of each shovel can form a trough for collecting the particles. The stationary shroud can be disposed around the collector ring. The stationary shroud can receive and funnel particles exiting from the collector ring.

A collector ring assembly can capture particles from a centrifugal solar receiver and reduce a speed of the particles. The collector ring assembly can include a collector ring and a stationary shroud. The collector ring can include a plurality of collection members disposed circumferentially around the collector ring. Each collection member can be formed as a shovel. Each shovel can include a front wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall, an angled shield, a lateral lip, and a top wall. The front wall, the bottom wall, and the rear wall of each shovel can form a trough for collecting the particles. The stationary shroud can be disposed around the collector ring. The stationary shroud can receive and funnel particles exiting from the collector ring.