The present invention describes an improved multilayer solar selective coating useful for solar thermal power generation. Solar selective coating of present invention essentially consists of Ti/Chrome interlayer, two absorber layers (AlTiN and AlTiON) an anti-reflection layer (AlTiO). Coating deposition process uses Ti and Al as the source materials, which are abundantly available and easy to manufacture as sputtering targets for industrial applications. The present invention allows deposition of all the layers in a single sputtering chamber on flat and tubular substrates with high absorptance and low emittance, thus making the process simpler and cost effective. The process of the present invention can be up-scaled easily for deposition on longer tubes with good uniformity and reproducibility. The coating of the present invention also displays improved adhesion, UV stability, corrosion resistance and stability under extreme environments.

A heat receiver tube having first, second, and further partial heat receiver tube surfaces for absorbing and transferring solar energy to heat transfer fluid is presented. The first and further partial heat receiver tube surfaces are formed by solar absorptive coatings deposited on partial surfaces of core tube. The second partial heat receiver tube surface is formed by emission radiation inhibiting coating deposited on second core tube surface for inhibiting emissivity for infrared radiation. The further partial heat receiver tube surface is arranged in radiation window of second partial heat receiver tube surface such that direct sunlight impinges further partial heat receiver tube surface. The heat receiver tube is arranged in focal line of parabolic mirror of parabolic trough collector. The first partial heat receiver tube surface and sunlight reflecting surface is arranged face to face, second and further partial heat receiver tube surfaces are averted to reflecting surface.

There is disclosed a receiver panel. In an embodiment, the panel is configured to receive a curtain of particles in a solar central receiver system. A porous structure of the panel has a top end and a bottom end. The porous structure is disposed between the top end and the bottom end. The porous structure has a size to impede movement of the particles during downward travel from the top end to the bottom end. There is disclosed a solar central receiver system. In an embodiment, the receiver system includes a plurality of receiver panels, a tower supporting the plurality of receiver panels in a configuration to receive solar irradiation, and a hopper forming a slot configured to dispose the particles at a given location on to the porous structure. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Devices and methods for concentrated radiative cooling using radiative cooling coatings in combination with mid-infrared reflectors. Concentrated radiative cooling (CRC) devices include an object to be cooled that is coated with a radiative cooling material and a mid-infrared (mid-IR) reflector configured to reflect thermal energy radiated from a surface of the object to deep space. The object may be nested in a mid-IR reflective trough such that substantially an entirety of the object's surface area contributes to radiative cooling. The radiative cooling material may be a coating such as a paint or film that is applied directly to the object's exterior surfaces to reduce thermal resistances. The radiative cooling coating is configured to lose thermal energy from the object by means of exhibiting high emissivity for wavelengths of 8 to 13 micrometers, and in some arrangements of 5 to 30 micrometers.

The present invention describes a hybrid multilayer solar selective coating having high thermal stability useful for high temperature solar thermal power generation. The hybrid multilayer solar selective coating of the present invention has been deposited using a novel combination of sputtering and sol-gel methods on metallic and non-metallic substrates, preferably on SS 304 and 321 with chrome interlayer. The hybrid multilayer solar selective coating of the present invention consists of stacks of Ti/chrome interlayer, aluminum titanium nitride (AlTiN), aluminum titanium oxynitride (AlTiON), aluminum titanium oxide (AlTiO) and organically modified silica (ormosil) layers. The chrome interlayer was deposited using an electroplating method, whereas, Ti, AlTiN, AlTiON and AlTiO layers were prepared using a four-cathode reactive unbalanced pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering technique. The ormosil layer was deposited using a sol-gel technique, which provides the enhanced absorptance and improved long term thermal stability in air and vacuum. The present invention provides a hybrid multilayer solar selective coating having absorptance >0.950, emittance <0.11 (SS substrate with chrome interlayer) and long term high thermal stability (in the order of 1000 hrs under cyclic heating conditions at 500° C. in air and 600° C. in vacuum). The hybrid multilayer solar selective coating of the present invention exhibits higher solar selectivity ratio in the order of 5-9 on metal and non-metal substrates. The hybrid multilayer solar selective absorber coating of the present invention has high oxidation resistance, stable microstructure, high adherence and graded composition particularly suitable for applications in concentrating collectors like evacuated receiver tubes and Fresnel receiver tubes useful for solar steam generation.

A solar selective coating includes a substrate, a cermet layer having nanoparticles therein deposited on the substrate, and an anti-reflection layer deposited on the cermet layer. The cermet layer and the anti-reflection layer may each be formed of intermediate layers. A method for constructing a solar-selective coating is disclosed and includes preparing a substrate, depositing a cermet layer on the substrate, and depositing an anti-reflection layer on the cermet layer.

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.

A solar cell module of an embodiment includes: a first solar panel having a plurality of first sub modules each including a plurality of first solar cells; and a second solar panel layered with the first solar panel, the second solar panel having a plurality of second solar cells. The first solar panel exists on the side where light is incident. The first solar panel and the second solar panel are electrically connected in parallel. The first solar cells included in the first submodules are electrically connected in series. The first submodules are electrically connected in parallel.

A roof or wall comprising an insulating selective surface (1) for the use of transferring net heat energy into or out of an enclosure, such as a building. The insulating selective surface comprises at least one transparent cover (2) that comprises a chamber (9), and in the chamber is a moveable plate (4) comprising a plurality of surfaces (5, 6). At least one of the surfaces is a selective surface which can be moved to substantially face the sky, or moved to face away from the sky. The device insulates the enclosure from conductive losses, while using the sun to heat the enclosure, or the cold of deep space to cool the enclosure depending on how the plate is moved.

The present invention relates to a solar selective coating for a metal substrate comprising at least one absorber layer and at least one semi-absorber layer selected from the structures of AlTiN and AlTiSiN. In preferred embodiments, the solar selective coating according to the present invention is a double layer coating with AlTiN—AlTiN or AlTiSiN—AlTiSiN formation. The process for producing the coating includes a step of treatment of the metal substrate with a reactive magnetron sputtering system.