A concentrating solar module comprising a device (D) for managing the moisture contained in a casing (2) of the module (M). The device comprises a housing (12) one of the walls (14) of which is provided with a window (15), a moisture absorbing material provided in the housing (12), a shield (28) provided facing the window (15) and distant therefrom so as to provide a space for the air flow between the window (15) and the shield (28), the shielding means (28) protecting the absorbing material from the concentrated solar radiation. The device is attached to a side wall (4) of the casing (2) such that said window (15) faces an aperture (16) provided inside said side wall (4) ensuring with said window (15) a fluid communication with the internal volume of the module and the shielding means (28) being located inside the solar module (M).

A method of manufacture of an optical element for focusing electromagnetic radiation, comprising the steps of:•(a) providing a first light-transmissive glass substrate (20) having a front surface on which the electromagnetic radiation is incident in use and a back surface opposite to the front surface;•(b) applying a liquid silicone resin (30) to the back and/or the front surface of the glass substrate;•(c) contacting the liquid silicone resin with a mould such that the liquid silicone resin adopts the form of the mould and forms microstructures extending over the surface(s) of the glass substrate to which the liquid silicone resin has been applied;•(d) curing the liquid silicone resin to form a microstructured light-transmissive silicone coating wherein the glass surface has been

C roughened before application of the silicone.

The present invention relates to an optomechanical system (1) for converting light energy, comprising an optical arrangement (40) comprising one or more optical layers (41, 42), wherein at least one of the optical layers (41,42) comprises a plurality of primary optical elements (47) to concentrate incident light (80) into transmit ted light (90), wherein the primary optical elements (47) are arranged in a two-dimensional rectangular or hexagonal array; a support layer (50); a shifting mechanism (60) for moving at least one of the optical layers (41, 42) of the optical arrangement (40) relative to the support layer (50) or vice versa; and a frame element (10) to which either the optical arrangement (40) or the support layer (50) is attached, wherein the support layer (50) comprises a plurality of primary light energy conversion elements (51) arranged in a two-dimensional array corresponding to the arrangement of the primary optical elements (47) and a plurality of secondary light energy conversion elements (52), wherein the primary light energy conversion elements (51) and the secondary light energy conversion elements (52) are capable of converting the energy of transmitted light (90) into an output energy and wherein the primary light energy conversion elements (51) and the secondary light energy conversion elements (52), differ by type, and/or surface area, and/or light conversion efficiency, and/or light conversion spectrum and wherein the shifting mechanism (60) is arranged to move at least one of the layers of the optical arrangement (40) or the support layer (50) translationally relative to the frame element (10), through one or more translation element (65, 65) in such a way that the total output power of the primary light energy conversion elements (51) and of the secondary light energy conversion elements (52) is adjustable. The invention concerns also a method for converting light energy with an optomechanical system according to the present invention

A hardened solar thermal energy collector (STEC) system that is adapted to withstand a nuclear detonation or other powerful explosion in the vicinity. The STEC system comprises a plurality of collector tubes arranged side by side in an array that carry and circulate a working fluid, each of the plurality of collecting tubes having an upper radiation collection surface having a diffractive optical structure and a bottom surface, a supporting tray upon which each of the collector tubes is securely mounted, an insulated housing set beneath a ground surface level enclosing the plurality of collector rubes and supporting trays, and a secured underground geothermal storage unit fluidly coupled to the array of collector tubes. The housing, the plurality of collector tubes, and the tray are positioned such that topmost portions thereof are at the ground surface level or below.

A solar energy powered Stirling duplex cooler is presented which includes a Stirling engine and a Stirling cooler. The Stirling engine drives the Stirling cooler to produce cold temperatures for refrigeration or air conditioning. The Stirling duplex cooler includes a solar concentrator to focus high temperature solar radiation upon the Stirling engine expansion space. The Stirling duplex cooler further includes a thermal storage tank to receive and store heat rejected from the cooler expansion space. This stored heat is used to operate the cooler at night. A flywheel connected operatively to engine and cooler expansion space pistons and a crankshaft connected operatively to engine and cooler compression space pistons actuate the pistons to move a working fluid between the expansion and compression spaces.

A system for detecting the aim of a concentrating solar collector. The system includes a plurality of baffled photodetectors which observe various regions of the target focal plane through a set of tailored apertures. When configured in an exemplary way, the detector system can mimic the behavior of a quad cell while achieving a safe standoff distance from the intense solar radiation at the focus.

A concentrator apparatus is disclosed. The concentrator apparatus includes a light receiver and a light concentrator. The light concentrator is arranged for the omnidirectional concentration of light toward a first focal point on the light receiver and a second focal point on the light receiver. For example, the light concentrator can include a first concentrating lens with a first focal point on the light receiver. The light concentrator can include a second concentrating lens with a second focal point on the light receive. The first and second concentrating lenses can be circumferentially spaced about the light receiver.

An apparatus combining a solar tracker and a dual heat source collector includes a heat engine assembly and the solar tracker. The heat engine assembly includes a heat collector, a heat collecting lens, and a heat engine. The heat collector includes a solar heat collecting room and a heat source room. The heat collecting lens is arranged on the heat collector and corresponds to the solar heat collecting room. The heat engine is located in the solar heat collecting room. The solar tracker includes a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, a pivot member, and a driving member. The primary mirror has a first reflective surface and a back surface. The primary mirror has a mounting hole passing through the primary mirror. The secondary mirror is mounted above the primary mirror.

A double-sided light-concentrating solar apparatus and system. The apparatus comprises a front-side concentrating groove (110), a back-side concentrating groove (110′), and a photovoltaic panel (120) provided at the bottom of each concentrating groove. Each concentrating groove comprises two groove walls (111, 112; 111′, 112′) extending along the bottom; opposite surfaces of the two groove walls are reflecting surfaces; the open side of each of the two groove walls forms an opening of the concentrating groove; the opening direction of the front-side concentrating groove (110) is opposite to the opening direction of the back-side concentrating groove (110′). According to the double-sided concentrating solar device, sunlight (LL) can be concentrated and received from two different directions, thereby enhancing direction adaptability and expanding device mounting methods.

Multi-effect-distillation (MED) systems of several designs are among the most energy-efficient technologies used in seawater desalination, throughout the world today; typically, energy consumed being <15 kWh / m^3 distillate produced. One caveat in all MED systems is the disposition of the brine-waste reject product with respect to the environment; per unit volume fresh water produced, typically, two units of waste brine media with salinity in excess of 50 g/l, must be dispersed responsibly. Herein is described a MEDX design coupled with thermal-vapor-expanders (TVX) utilizing energy recovered in said brine-waste media, wherein salt-gradient-solar-ponds (SGSP) are used alongside molten salts single-temperature thermal energy storage (SITTES) as principle thermal energy sources (TES) redirected to the MEDX plant, 24/7. Quantifiable electric power production and an additional ~2500 m^3/d distillate, is attained above that produced in a hypothetical 20-effect MEDX plant thru recycling said waste brines into said 20-effect MEDX plant, integrating both flash-chambers (FC) and negative pressure tanks (NPT) in the fore and end-stages, respectively of said MEDX plant.