The present invention relates to a solar water heater (SWH) for producing hot water for domestic use, said SWH is inspired from the thermosiphon SWH to manufacture an SWH more efficient in winter and in summer. It is made up of two hot water storage tanks (17) (22) mounted in series in order to have an operating temperature as stable as possible, equipped with a guidance system for heating incoming cold water by passing through the collectors before entering the hot water storage tank (25-a) (25-b), a solar collector receiving solar radiation through its twin transparent faces (35) (36), stainless steel sheet mirrors that reflect the solar radiation applied to the collector through its rear transparent face (36) and a low energy consumption integrated circulator for gaining heat by cancelling out load losses that characterize the resistances to the passage of water in the SWH circuit (29).

Disclosed are methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces. In particular, the invention enables the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems since under certain conditions less energy for heating or cooling is required to maintain, within certain boundaries, desirable temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other enclosed spaces.

In some instances the invention is in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods and algorithms to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).

In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all, whereas in other instances the expenditure of external energy for conventional heating or cooling is reduced. In some instances the invention enables the reduction of the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.

In some instances the obtained sensor data may be used to detect the occurrence or imminently predicted occurrence of a catastrophic event, including but not limited to fire or flooding, internal or external to the predominantly enclosed space.

In some embodiments this information may support any single or any combination of locally or remotely alerting humans, alerting rescue units, activating countermeasures, uploading at least partially said sensor data to off-site computers, determining the cause(s) of said catastrophic event, determining liability, determining insure payments, determining insurance premiums.

Disclosed are methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces. In particular, the invention enables the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems since under certain conditions less energy for heating or cooling is required to maintain, within certain boundaries, desirable temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other enclosed spaces.

In some instances the invention is in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods and algorithms to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).

In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all, whereas in other instances the expenditure of external energy for conventional heating or cooling is reduced. In some instances the invention enables the reduction of the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.

In some instances the obtained sensor data may be used to detect the occurrence or imminently predicted occurrence of a catastrophic event, including but not limited to fire or flooding, internal or external to the predominantly enclosed space.

In some embodiments this information may support any single or any combination of locally or remotely alerting humans, alerting rescue units, activating countermeasures, uploading at least partially said sensor data to off-site computers, determining the cause(s) of said catastrophic event, determining liability, determining insure payments, determining insurance premiums.

A multi-source ground-to-air heat transfer system is configured to store thermal energy during a cooling/dehumidifcation mode of operation for future use during a heating mode of operation. The multi-source ground-to-air heat transfer system utilizes a ground loop that is configured under an enclosure, such as a greenhouse, and is in thermal communication with a thermal reservoir medium to conduct and store heat. A thermal exchange fluid is pumped through the ground loop and ground heat exchanger and may receive heat from a condenser during a cooling/dehumidification mode of operation and may liberate heat to the evaporator during a heating mode. The enclosure air may receive heat from the heat pump during a heating mode and may liberate heat to the evaporator during a cooling/dehumidification mode. The heat exchange system may employ a heat pump having a reversing valve to change the mode of operation.

Provided is a solar collector that captures and utilizes solar energy and includes a plurality of vacuum tubes which are disposed by extending horizontally and are disposed parallel to each other with a predetermined distance; and a reflection plate having a substantially planar shape, which reflects solar light on an opposite side of the sun with respect to the plurality of vacuum tubes, in which the reflection plate includes a reflection surface having a serrated section at a corresponding position between vacuum tubes adjacent to each other, and in the reflection surface, one face of a serration forms a first reflection surface that reflects the solar light to the vacuum tube on a lower side among the vacuum tubes adjacent to each other.

Provided is a solar collector that captures and utilizes solar energy and includes a plurality of vacuum tubes which are disposed by extending horizontally and are disposed parallel to each other with a predetermined distance; and a reflection plate having a substantially planar shape, which reflects solar light on an opposite side of the sun with respect to the plurality of vacuum tubes, in which the reflection plate includes a reflection surface having a serrated section at a corresponding position between vacuum tubes adjacent to each other, and in the reflection surface, one face of a serration forms a first reflection surface that reflects the solar light to the vacuum tube on a lower side among the vacuum tubes adjacent to each other.

An example light concentrator system for precision thermal processes includes a stabilizing base and a structure attached to the stabilizing base. The structure includes support arms. An azimuth control rotates the structure. A primary solar collector on the support arms is rotatable about two axes based on various positions of the sun throughout the day. Elevation actuators adjust an angle of the primary solar collector relative to position of the sun. Collector distancing actuators adjust distance of the primary solar collector toward and away from the sun. A variety of Thermal Processing Units (TPUs) are configured for a specific process or set of processes implementing concentrated solar energy from the primary solar collector at the receiver plane. Position of the spot can be moved on a fixed receiver plane through translation of the lens relative to the support arms or through rotation of a redirecting mirror.

The present invention comprises at least two independently maneuverable panels, either reflective of photovoltaic, arranged linearly, and physically interconnected to at least one common control capable of moving the panels simultaneously. Each panel is mounted on a separate support allowing it to be pivoted from side-to-side and/or up-and-down independently of the other panels. The preferred embodiment will permit every panel in series to be moved in unison using two main cables. This apparatus is further designed to track the sun along two-axes-both side-to-side and up-and-down-while maintaining constant tension on these cables throughout all degrees of freedom permitted by design. The apparatus also permits each mirror to be focused independently on a smaller target by means of mirror warping.

A gas receiver configured to heat a working fluid is disclosed. The receiver comprises an aperture, a light absorber, and a pre-heater interposed between the aperture and light absorber. The pre-heater is transparent to visible light and opaque to infrared. The pre-heater in the preferred embodiment comprises quartz in the form of a plurality of quartz plates or quartz tubes, for example, that are oriented substantially parallel to one another. The quartz plates are separated from one another by a gap to permit air to pass into the receiver cavity, while the quartz tubes are hollow to permit air to pass therethrough. The quartz plates or tubes are configured to transmit visible light from the aperture to the light absorber, and to absorb infrared radiation passing from the light absorber toward the aperture. Since the quartz structures absorb infrared, they serve to capture blackbody radiation emitted from the absorber and use that energy to pre-heat air before it passes into the absorber.

Systems and methods for calibrating a heliostat (104) are disclosed. An imaging device (100) is positioned and oriented so that a calibration target (130) reflected by the heliostat (103) is visible at the imaging device and an image taken. Multiple features of the reflected calibration target in the image are identified and used to determine a centroid of reflection within the image which is then mapped to a corresponding centroid position on the calibration target. A vector t that extends between the centroid position on the calibration target and a known position of the heliostat, as well as a vectors that extends between the known positions of the imaging device and of the heliostat, are determined. A normal vector nof the heliostat is determined as the vector that bisects s and t and is used to calibrate the heliostat by updating parameters of a heliostat tracking model.