A device suitable for use as a scanning directional radio receiver or transmitter.

A planar solar concentrator includes a light collecting assembly and a light condensing unit. The light collecting assembly includes a light collecting unit and a waveguide slab extending in a longitudinal direction. The light collecting unit includes a light collector having an input surface, an output surface, and a curved surface to direct an incident light toward a collecting zone on the output surface. The light condensing unit is slidably coupled to a rear end of the waveguide slab for condensing the incident light from the waveguide slab, and is coupled such that based on an elevation angle of the light source, the light condensing unit is permitted to be driven to slide in a transverse direction.

An electromagnetic radiation collecting and directing apparatus is described herein. The electromagnetic radiation collecting and directing apparatus facilitates directing light from an exterior of a structure to an interior of a structure. The directed light is then distributed as necessary within the structure for heating, illumination, or is stored for use at a later time.

A solar collector energy conversion system has a solar collector apparatus adapted to collect sunlight at a collection location and direct it to one or more light transport guides for transporting the sunlight to a conversion location separate from the collection location, and a solar energy conversion apparatus arranged at the conversion location and adapted to receive sunlight transported by the light transport guides and to convert the transported sunlight to an alternative form of energy.

Systems, devices and methods for increasing the concentration level, longevity and efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems via optical filtering waveguides. The waveguides can transfer absorbed heat via steam (or other gasses) and water (or other liquids) for subsequent solar thermal (ST) energy conversion and provide low-loss transmission of the filtered light over a grid of PV systems. These include new balloon/bulb type collectors interfacing with the optical filtering waveguides which then mode-couple solar energy into the PVs.

A system and process for producing carbon nano-materials is disclosed. A carbonate material such as Li.sub.2CO.sub.3 is heated via a furnace to transform into molten carbonate. CO.sub.2 is bubbled into the molten carbonate. The molten carbonate is subjected to electrolysis by passing current from an anode to a cathode. A transition metal nucleation agent is added to result in nucleation sites that grow carbon nano-materials at the cathode. This process separates oxygen at the anode and carbon nano-materials at the cathode. The characteristics of the carbon nano-material may be controlled by varying current density, feed gas, transition metal composition, temperature, viscosity and electrolyte composition.

The light emitting structure of the present invention includes a sheet-shaped structure which absorbs excitation light and emits light with wavelength conversion and which has a maximum emission wavelength of 400 nm or more; and an antireflection material provided on a side surface of the sheet-shaped structure.

A planar solar concentrator includes a light collecting assembly and a light condensing unit. The light collecting assembly includes a light collecting unit and a waveguide slab extending in a longitudinal direction. The light collecting unit includes a light collector having an input surface, an output surface, and a curved surface to direct an incident light toward a collecting zone on the output surface. The light condensing unit is slidably coupled to a rear end of the waveguide slab for condensing the incident light from the waveguide slab, and is coupled such that based on an elevation angle of the light source, the light condensing unit is permitted to be driven to slide in a transverse direction.

A concentrated multifunctional solar energy system, comprising a concentrating-form layer (110) containing a Fresnel concentrated device (111), a light-guiding-form layer (120) containing a light-guiding tube (121), at least one light-energy utilizing device (130), and a bottom tray (140). The light-energy utilizing device (130) is disposed at the bottom of the light-guiding tube (121), or disposed in the light-guiding tube (121); the periphery (122) of the light-guiding-form layer (120) is closely matched with the periphery (112) of the concentrating-form layer (110) and the periphery (141) of the bottom tray (140) separately so as to form closed first and second spaces; the second space accommodates a working substance (142) in thermal conductive connection with a photoelectric conversion device in the light-energy utilizing device (130); the electrical utilization and thermal utilization of the light energy are respectively achieved by means of the two closed spaces.

Disclosed is a reflective solar apparatus comprising a light receiving device and at least one light reflecting device. The light receiving device delimits a first light receiving surface used for receiving sunlight. The light reflecting device is provided on a side face of the first light receiving surface and has a curtain-type reflecting surface and a driving mechanism used for driving the curtain-type reflecting surface to expand and retract. When the curtain-type reflecting face is completely or partially expanded, sunlight reaching the curtain-type reflecting surface is at least partially guided to an area where the first light receiving surface is located. Since a curtain-type reflecting surface able to expanded or retract is used, not only can the sun be tracked but also the curtain-type reflecting surface can be expanded or retracted according to the strength of wind power.