The invention provides a SolarHearth, a passive solar heating system that includes a work of art that can be mounted on a building, to bring warmed air into the building. The system includes a heat exchange chamber having a display window that contains the work of art, and is is configured to create a passive solar environment to create a natural vacuum. The system further includes means for moving air through the heat exchange chamber, such as an air plenum or fans.

The invention provides a SolarHearth, a passive solar heating system that includes a work of art that can be mounted on a building, to bring warmed air into the building. The system includes a heat exchange chamber having a display window that contains the work of art, and is is configured to create a passive solar environment to create a natural vacuum. The system further includes means for moving air through the heat exchange chamber, such as an air plenum or fans.

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.

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.

An austenitic steel alloy is provided having excellent corrosion resistance under high-temperature loading of more than 600° C. and up to 800° C., with the alloy having the following proposed chemical composition (in wt. %), consisting essentially of: C: 0.01 to 0.10; Si: max. 0.75; Mn: max. 2.00; P: max. 0.03; S: max. 0.03; Cr: 23 to 27; Ni: 17 to 23; Nb: 0.2 to 0.6; N: 0.15 to 0.35; the remainder being Fe and melting-related impurities. In a particular configuration a tubular body is made from this steel alloy, where an absorber pipe of a solar receiver of a solar power installation may be made from the tubular body. Still further, a solar receiver comprising this absorber pipe is provided, as well as a method for producing a tubular body from the steel alloy.

An austenitic steel alloy is provided having excellent corrosion resistance under high-temperature loading of more than 600° C. and up to 800° C., with the alloy having the following proposed chemical composition (in wt. %), consisting essentially of: C: 0.01 to 0.10; Si: max. 0.75; Mn: max. 2.00; P: max. 0.03; S: max. 0.03; Cr: 23 to 27; Ni: 17 to 23; Nb: 0.2 to 0.6; N: 0.15 to 0.35; the remainder being Fe and melting-related impurities. In a particular configuration a tubular body is made from this steel alloy, where an absorber pipe of a solar receiver of a solar power installation may be made from the tubular body. Still further, a solar receiver comprising this absorber pipe is provided, as well as a method for producing a tubular body from the steel alloy.

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 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 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 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.