A reactor for steam-methane reforming is adapted to be received in a tube on a focal axis of a parabolic trough. The reactor may comprise an array of micro-reactors interconnected by a water manifold, a gas manifold, a syngas manifold, and at least one steam-methane reforming chamber configured for reforming steam and methane into syngases, the micro-reactors having a vaporization portion for producing steam. Radiation plates may extend on sides of the array of micro-reactors Glazing may face and be spaced apart from a portion of the array of micro-reactors including at least one steam-methane reforming chamber, the glazing being conductively connected to the radiation plates for heat transfer therebetween, the at least one glazing allowing light from the parabolic trough to pass therethrough to reach the array of micro-reactors.

Methods and apparatus for concentrating electromagnetic waves coming from a moving source at a focal point fixed to the ground. The invention discloses a tracking system for a device capable of concentrating incoming electromagnetic waves at a fixed focal point. This concentration of the electromagnetic waves may be done by reflection, as in the case of a reflecting dish, or by refraction as in the case of a concentrating lens, which is impeded in a hemisphere, which can be real or imaginary, such that its focal point coincides with the center of the hemisphere and using this apparatus to track such moving source by rotating around said hemisphere's fixed center, so as to face the incoming electromagnetic rays normally. A receiver can be kept at the focal point of the device which uses the concentrated rays for various applications such as melting metals or charging a solar cell.

The method according to the invention for producing a prestressed concrete workpiece is characterized in that the prestress is created by a heat treatment, wherein the concrete and the reinforcement therefor are selected in such a way that, when cooling the concrete workpiece from an elevated temperature, the heat expansion coefficient of the concrete is less than that of the reinforcement, and in that, during cooling, the concrete and the reinforcement adhere sufficiently strongly to one another if, during cooling, the concrete is hydrated at least to such an extent in order to be able to expand the reinforcement on account of the different heat expansion coefficients, and in that the concrete, together with the reinforcement, is brought to the elevated temperature in such a way that and is hydrated during cooling at least to such an extent that it is prestressed by the reinforcement after cooling.

A concentrating solar collector module includes improvements in performance and assemblability. In one configuration, the module includes a reflector having a reflective front surface shaped to concentrate incoming solar radiation onto a focal line, first and second rails, one rail attached to each edge of the reflector, and a set of truss connectors attached to the rails. The truss connectors and rails may form ways that enable constrained sliding engagement of the truss connectors along the rails before attachment of the truss connectors to the rails. The module may also include a plurality of framing members connected to the truss connectors and forming a structural lattice that cooperates with the reflector to lend rigidity to the solar collector module. At least some of the framing members may be disposed in front of the front reflective surface.

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 method for molding a revolution paraboloid condenser, belongs to the field of condenser molding. The problems in the existing revolution paraboloid condensers, of high cost, difficult processing, and difficult assembly and transportation due to a complex overall structure are solved. The method includes determining a revolution paraboloid function of the condenser designed, determining a number of laminated structures that make up the condenser, and determining width functions of the laminated structures; deducing variable-thickness functions of the laminated structures; connecting multiple basic thin plate units in sequence to form each of the laminated structures; the multiple laminated structures are formed into a circle; punching holes in uppermost layers of the laminated structures, passing a rope through the holes and fixing other end of the rope to the vertical rod positioned at the center of the circle.

A method for molding a revolution paraboloid condenser, belongs to the field of condenser molding. The problems in the existing revolution paraboloid condensers, of high cost, difficult processing, and difficult assembly and transportation due to a complex overall structure are solved. The method includes determining a revolution paraboloid function of the condenser designed, determining a number of laminated structures that make up the condenser, and determining width functions of the laminated structures; deducing variable-thickness functions of the laminated structures; connecting multiple basic thin plate units in sequence to form each of the laminated structures; the multiple laminated structures are formed into a circle; punching holes in uppermost layers of the laminated structures, passing a rope through the holes and fixing other end of the rope to the vertical rod positioned at the center of the circle.

A transportation network for providing propellant in space can include optical mining vehicles that concentrate solar energy to spall captured asteroids, capture released volatiles, and store them in reservoirs as propellants. The network can also have orbital transfer vehicles that use solar thermal rocket modules that focus solar energy on heat exchangers to force propellant through nozzles, as well as separable aeromaneuvering tanker modules with reusable heatshields and storage tanks. The network can have propellant depots positioned between Earth and a transport destination. The depots can mechanically couple to accept propellant delivery and to supply it to visiting space vehicles.

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.

Various implementations include solar thermal energy collection system comprising a solar energy concentrator, a heat transfer fluid, an absorber pipe. The absorber pipe includes a pipe wall and has a central longitudinal axis. The pipe wall has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface has a first contour defining alternating peaks and troughs along a length of the absorber pipe. The outer surface has a second contour defining alternating peaks and troughs along the length of the absorber pipe. The inner surface defines the entire flow path for the heat transfer fluid through the absorber pipe. The first contour, as viewed through an axial cross section of the absorber pipe, forms sinusoidal waves on each side of and spaced apart from the central longitudinal axis. The sinusoidal waves on each side of the central longitudinal axis are symmetrical with respect to the central longitudinal axis.