A heat receiver tube for absorbing solar energy and for transferring absorbed solar energy to a heat transfer fluid may include: a core tube with a solar energy absorptive coating for absorbing solar radiation, the heat transfer fluid at least partially inside the core tube; and an enveloping tube surrounding the core tube, the enveloping tube including an inner enveloping tube surface. The core tube and the enveloping tube are coaxially arranged forming an inner heat receiver tube space. There is an inert gas in the inner heat receiver tube space. The tube may further include a dimension adapting device having a flexible adapting device wall compensating for thermally induced changes in a dimension of the tube. The enveloping tube and the dimension adapting device are joined together by a skirt having an inlet port for the inert gas. The inlet port is sealed with a metal.

A metal composition suitable for originating a joint by means of welding with a borosilicate glass for a solar collector. The composition, expressed in weight percentage, comprises the following alloy elements: TABLE-US-00001 Ni Co Mn Si C Ti Zr Ta Ti + Zr + Ta 28-31 15-18 0.5 0.3 0.05 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.40
and it is such that 45.5(Ni+Co)46.5, and that (Ti+Ta+Zr)4C, the remaining part being made up of iron, apart from the inevitable impurities. Additionally, a metal ring made of the metal composition described above and suitable for originating a metal-glass joint by means of welding; the metal-glass joint thus obtained; and the tubular solar collector thus obtained.

A multi-fuel microgrid class generator system includes a heat regenerative steam engine that provides a versatile power source having a clean burn using liquid fuel or biomass for generating electricity. The generator system is also capable of using wind energy and/or solar energy that is converted to heat and stored in a thermal storage unit using a heat exchange medium, such as carbon/graphite. The heat regenerative steam engine uses these various power sources to generate up to 1 megawatt of clean and cost-effective electricity.

A concentrator tube comprises a reflector portion having two walls; and an aperture closing an opening to the reflector portion. The aperture and the reflector portion extend longitudinally. The aperture is substantially flat relative to curvature of the reflector portion.

Vacuum Tube (3) comprising a galvanized iron tube (21) with 2 arrays (26) of attached water cooled photovoltaic concentrating cells (18) in its lower side surface in the focus (19) zones of a parabolic, stable reflector (28). The opening of the parabolic reflector (28) is a reinforced by a Flat Reinforced Mirror (22) in front of it, so that the focuses (19) in suns are reinforced by 40% and so that there is a beneficially techno economical performance of the cells (18). The cells (18) will be put in groups of ten, connected in arrays or in lines, in sandwiches (24) between two layers of isinglass (mica) (23), so that there is a thermally conductible contact with the galvanized iron tube, but not electrically conductible. The support of each sandwich (24) of a group of ten cells is achieved by natural magnets (25) in the rims (27). The terminals of each group of cells (18) are connected with the next group through a by pass access (diode), in case there is a faulty cell (18) and thus faulty group. The vacuum tube generates electrical energy and hot water circulating inside the galvanized iron tube produces thermal energy. Thermal energy is for household, industrial uses, air conditioning and desalinations.

A system for enhancing overall energy production of CSPs through amplification of solar heat collection. In one embodiment, the system comprises a linear solar-thermal concentrator for concentrating solar light comprising a curved surface, two side walls, and an opening; a fluid conduit disposed within the linear solar-thermal concentrator that carries a working fluid through the linear solar-thermal concentrator; and a convection cover disposed over the opening of the linear thermal concentrator that traps heat convection energy within the linear solar-thermal concentrator.

A solar appliance includes first and second double-wall bowls, each having an outer wall and inner wall spaced inwardly of the outer wall with at least partial vacuum therebetween. The first and the second double-wall bowls each having an opening that provides passage between an interior and an exterior thereof. The outer walls are at least translucent and the inner walls have an opaque solar radiation absorbing material. A gasket detachably mates the first double-wall bowl with the second double-wall bowl at least proximate respective rims thereof in inverted relationship. A vessel with a rim is positionable in the interior of the first double-wall bowl, with the rim of the vessel extending beyond the rim of the first double-wall bowl to help secure the second double-wall bowl to the first double-wall bowl. A vent, for example in the gasket, can vent the interior to the exterior.

A solar energy collector includes a body, wherein the body has a geometric shape with a hollow interior. The body has multiple openings arranged at intervals around a Y-axis to allow a light ray to enter, and the openings are distributed along a Z-axis at different height positions. This arrangement reduces light exposure and disperses most of the thermal energy to be absorbed within the body. The light ray enters the interior of the body after being concentrated and reflected by a light path mechanism. Once inside the collector body, the light ray will be continuously reflected until it is absorbed, maximizing the utilization rate of the light ray.

A linear Fresnel light concentrating device with high multiplying power, including a reflector field and a receiving unit, where the reflector field includes a plurality of arrays of one-dimensional linear convergence reflector strips; the linear receiving unit is arranged parallel to the reflector strips, and is provided with a secondary optical light concentrating unit inside, the height value of the receiving unit exceeds half of the width value of the reflector field, so as to obtain a relatively high primary convergence light concentrating multiplying power and secondary convergence light concentrating multiplying power, thereby realizing a high total convergence light concentrating multiplying power. High multiplying power light concentration in low cost can be achieved, while the severe problem of low light concentration efficiency caused by extinction, tolerance rate and shading rate and the problem of inconvenience in repair and maintenance of the device are solved.

A foam sandwich reflector and a method for making a foam sandwich reflector. The reflector and method incorporate a foam slab having a top and bottom surface. Each of the top and bottom surface of the foam slab have a coating of an adhesive layer. The adhesive coating on the bottom surface of the foam slab is a lower bonding layer that bonds the foam slab to the bottom high modulus layer. The adhesive coating on the top surface of the foam slab is an upper bonding layer that bonds the foam slab to the top high modulus layer; bottom high modulus layer composed of a metal, e.g., aluminum or steel. The reflector and method also include an optically smooth, highly reflective high modulus layer. The reflector is curved in one dimension, and the curve is configured to concentrate light when the reflector is in use.