The subject invention is an interchangeable component, multi-use solar energy air heating apparatus designed to achieve universal output energy through variable operation that includes radiant absorber capped sealed linear ducted passageway employing air as transfer medium that allows selective insertion of varying design elements of thermal mass, possessing known absorptive, retentive transfer properties of interchangeable quantity, densities, surface, texture and configurations providing for varying thermal energy exchange to capture, store as necessary, and pass on microsite harvested, direct, diffuse, locally compromised, controlling historic patterns of solar reception; said interchangeable components to produce quantitative thermal air for application in different climatic regions having unlike conditions, said interchangeable components to also provide for pre-manufactured testing and calibration plus provision for serviceable multi-duct manifolding for exiting air treatment as required to service habitable space, industrial processes, crop drying terrestrial and water plant life for energy application, plus night sky radiation cooling.

A modular, solar energy system comprising one or more modular solar panels. The solar panels include a pair of general planar, plates that are secured together to form a narrow channel therebetween for the circulation of a liquid. The solar panels have inlet and outlet fluid lines in fluid communication via manifolds with a cold fluid supply line and a warm fluid return line, respectively. The plates are preferably constructed of aluminum and one plate has a photovoltaic cell matrix affixed thereto to face the sun. The plates have dividers or partitions that enhance the heat transfer characteristics with respect to the liquid flowing though the channel between the plates.

A solar collector with reflecting surfaces according to the present invention prevents overheating of the solar collector by reflecting the radiation in a way that the light beams, by means of a first transparent surface, are corrected to the preferred angle and further directed towards channels. On a second transparent surface the beams are directed again and on a third transparent surface the light beams are reflected if in the channels is air. If the working fluid flows through the channels, on the third surface there is no reflection, so the light beams pass through the opaque part of an absorber where the solar radiation is converted into the thermal energy that is then removed by the working fluid.

Disclosed in the present invention are a novel flat heat absorber for solar tower power generation and a system using same. The system comprises a windshield, a flat heat absorber, and a circulation pipeline, wherein the flat heat absorber is a main element for photothermal conversion and heat energy transfer, the windshield prevents heat loss of the heat absorber, and the circulation pipeline ensures the circulation of a working fluid. In a working process, a heat transfer fluid in the flat heat absorber absorbs heat and evaporates from an evaporation surface, releases heat and condenses on a condensation surface, the condensed heat transfer fluid flows back to the evaporation surface to enter circulation work of a next round, and heat is transferred to the working fluid by means of a gas-liquid phase change process. According to the flat heat absorber, by means of structural innovation and the arrangement of grids, the height of the heat absorber is reduced by more than half compared with a conventional heat pipe heat absorber, the windward area is reduced, the center of gravity is reduced, and the stability of the heat absorber is improved. Moreover, a heat pipe principle is used for indirect heat transfer, such that the flat heat absorber can tolerate high heat flux density and thermal shock, and the service life of the flat heat absorber is prolonged.

Receiving and storage of energy, and particularly a particle solar receiver for solar thermal power generation. The particle solar receiver includes: a feeding bin temporarily storing endothermic particles to be heated, and a multi-stage plate heat absorbing channel allowing the particles to flow along a predetermined path by gravity, where the multi-stage plate heat absorbing channel includes a plurality of plate-type structures which forms a changing flow direction of the particles flowing between adjacent plate-type structures. The particle solar receiver can achieve the endothermic particle heating function with a simple structure, i.e., the function of converting the solar power into thermal energy at a high-temperature level.

A solar collector device is provided. The solar collector device includes an evacuated tube and a mini-channel tube mounted within the evacuated tube, the mini-channel tube comprising a first plurality of ports for inflow of a heat-transfer fluid and a second plurality of ports for outflow of the heat-transfer fluid to a heat exchange system. The mini-channel tube may have a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 3 millimeters to approximately 200 micrometers. The mini-channel tube may have a hydraulic diameter in a range of approximately 200 micrometers to approximately 10 micrometers.

A modular, solar energy system comprising one or more modular solar panels. The solar panels include a pair of general planar, plates that are secured together to form a narrow channel therebetween for the circulation of a liquid. The solar panels have header assemblies affixed to opposite edges thereof and which control the entry of liquid into the channel and the exit therefrom. The inlet header assembly has a plurality of nozzles that are adjustable in size to control flow therethrough while the outlet header assembly has elongated nozzles to receive flow or liquid from the channel. The plates are preferably constructed of aluminum and one plate has a photovoltaic cell affixed thereto to face the sun and the other plate has a plurality of indentations that enhance the heat transfer characteristics with respect to the liquid flowing though the channel between the plates.

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 medium 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 method is disclosed for operating a photovoltaic thermal hybrid system having a hybrid solar receiver with a photovoltaic module, operatively coupled to the system to deliver an electrical output power for a power user, a thermal collector distinct from the photovoltaic module, wherein the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector are movably mounted in the system, a collector thermal storage thermally connected to the thermal collector to store heat collected at the thermal collector, and a positioning mechanism adapted to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector. The method includes instructing the positioning mechanism to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector to change a ratio of an intensity of radiation received at the photovoltaic module to an intensity of radiation received at the thermal collector.

Technologies are disclosed herein for a thin heat exchanger through which coolant may be pumped. The heat exchanger may include an envelope and a heat conduction layer provided over the envelope. The envelope may include one or more channels formed therein. The channels formed between the envelope and the conduction layer may extend the length of the heat exchange layer and be configured to carry coolant therethrough. The heat exchange layer may include an inlet manifold on a first end and an outlet manifold on another end opposing the first end. The inlet manifold may allow the flow of coolant into the heat exchange layer and the outlet manifold may allow the removal of the coolant from the heat exchange layer. Coolant flow may be controlled by a suction pump operating under computer control based at least in part on sensor data.