A method for introducing a protective gas into an annular space of a receiver tube, in particular for solar collectors, is provided where the annular space is formed at least by one outer cladding tube and an inner absorber tube of the receiver tube and the outer cladding tube is connected to the absorber tube by a wall. The method includes producing an opening that penetrates the cladding tube or the wall, introducing protective gas through the opening into the annular space, and subsequently closing the opening.

Described is a solar-energy converter device including a shell and a core inside the shell, wherein the shell and the core develop axially along a longitudinal axis and include a volume therebetween. The core includes a thermally conductive matrix in a thermal exchange relationship with the volume, the matrix housing one or more flow conduits for a working fluid, the one or more flow conduits being in thermal exchange relationship with the matrix. Moreover, described is a corresponding solar reactor and a corresponding plant.

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.

A water purifying and desalination system includes solar concentrators that receive a sunlight and direct the sunlight toward many locations. Heat collection elements positioned at the of locations absorb and convert a solar radiation into thermal energy. Some of heat collection elements include perforations to facilitate a state change in a heat-transfer fluid having a high salinity. A condenser condenses a portion of the heat-transfer fluid using a portion of the heat-transfer fluid as its coolant.

A system for rapidly assembling solar receiving tubes and solar energy systems comprises a welding station is described. The welding station provides for rapidly assembling solar receiver tubes by welding together two or more solar receiving tubes and comprises means for receiving and restraining solar receiver tubes and a welding station comprising an orbital or a rotational weld head.

A solar desalinator that converts contaminated water to potable water includes a cylindrical solar collector, a trough-shaped parabolic mirror, and a condenser. The solar collector is positioned within the trough-shaped parabolic mirror, and the parabolic mirror focuses the Sun's rays onto the solar collector, heats the water, and converts the water to steam. The steam is fed to the condenser where the steam is condensed to recover potable water. The solar collector includes an inner conduit surrounded by an outer shell with a vacuum in the anger space between. Energy absorbing material in the form of dark metal is positioned in the inner conduit. A residue bulb is attached at the contaminated water inlet to collect residue left by the creation of the steam.

A water purifying and desalination system includes solar concentrators that receive a sunlight and direct the sunlight toward many locations. Heat collection elements positioned at the of locations absorb and convert a solar radiation into thermal energy. Some of heat collection elements include perforations to facilitate a state change in a heat-transfer fluid having a high salinity. A condenser condenses a portion of the heat-transfer fluid using a portion of the heat-transfer fluid as its coolant.

A multi-function solar cooking appliance is disclosed. The appliance comprises a solar thermal unit comprising: at least one solar heat collector for collecting solar heat; a chamber of said solar heat collector for receiving a utensil and thermally connected said solar heat collector to receive and transfer said solar heat to said utensil for cooking; and a sunlight reflector having a cross section with a circular arc shape and said utensil. The appliance further selectively comprises a multi-functional cover, a modular solar thermal unit, assembled fluid channel, supplementary energy heater, different side chambers and/or utensils for heat insulation purpose; disposable utensil and ferromagnetic heat conducting and storage material.

A solar heat collector includes a heat collecting tube that includes a heating-medium circulating tube through which a heating medium circulates; a glass tube that covers an outer peripheral surface of the heating-medium circulating tube and forms an annular space between the glass tube and the heating-medium circulating tube; a flange disposed on the heating-medium circulating tube; a thermal-expansion-difference absorbing member that is disposed between the flange and the glass tube and absorbs a thermal-expansion difference between the heating-medium circulating tube and the glass tube; a getter member that adsorbs a gas that exists within the annular space; and a getter holding portion that accommodates and holds the getter member. The getter holding portion includes: a first accommodating member; and a second accommodating member that is aligned with the first accommodating member side by side in an axial direction or a radial direction of the heat collecting tube.

A method of manufacturing a solar heat collection pipe includes an inner circumferential film forming step of forming an antireflection film on an inner surface of a glass pipe and an outer circumferential film forming step of forming an antireflection film on an outer surface of the glass pipe. These film forming steps are performed so that a part of a coating film through which a coating material is flowed when the coating material is discharged from the glass pipe in a coating material discharging step of the inner circumferential film forming step and a part of a coating film with which the coating material is in contact when the glass pipe is lifted from the coating material in a lifting step of the outer circumferential film forming step are positioned within a half circumference of the glass pipe in a circumferential direction of the glass pipe.