A silica aerogel having a mean pore size less than 5 nm with a standard deviation of 3 nm. The silica aerogel may have greater than 95% solar-weighted transmittance at a thickness of 8 mm for wavelengths in the range of 250 nm to 2500 nm, and a 400° C. black-body weighted specific extinction coefficient of greater than 8 m.sup.2/kg for wavelengths of 1.5 μm to 15 μm. Silica aerogel synthesis methods are described. A solar thermal aerogel receiver (STAR) may include an opaque frame defining an opening, an aerogel layer disposed in the opaque frame, with at least a portion of the aerogel layer being proximate the opening, and a heat transfer fluid pipe in thermal contact with and proximate the aerogel layer. A concentrating solar energy system may include a STAR and at least one reflector to direct sunlight to an opening in the STAR.

A silica aerogel having a mean pore size less than 5 nm with a standard deviation of 3 nm. The silica aerogel may have greater than 95% solar-weighted transmittance at a thickness of 8 mm for wavelengths in the range of 250 nm to 2500 nm, and a 400° C. black-body weighted specific extinction coefficient of greater than 8 m.sup.2/kg for wavelengths of 1.5 μm to 15 μm. Silica aerogel synthesis methods are described. A solar thermal aerogel receiver (STAR) may include an opaque frame defining an opening, an aerogel layer disposed in the opaque frame, with at least a portion of the aerogel layer being proximate the opening, and a heat transfer fluid pipe in thermal contact with and proximate the aerogel layer. A concentrating solar energy system may include a STAR and at least one reflector to direct sunlight to an opening in the STAR.

A solar vapor generator includes an absorber to absorb sunlight and an emitter, in thermal communication with the absorber, to radiatively evaporate a liquid under less than 1 sun illumination and without pressurization. The emitter is physically separated from the liquid, substantially reducing fouling of the emitter. The absorber and the emitter may also be heated to temperatures higher than the boiling point of the liquid and may thus may be used to further superheat the vapor. Solar vapor generation can provide the basis for many sustainable desalination, sanitization, and process heating technologies.

A heat dissipation retaining structure for a heat production device, an installation method thereof, and a wind turbine generator set. The heat dissipation retaining structure includes a retaining structure body for defining a middle space, and a thermal radiation absorption coating, a heat insulating material, or an infrared low-emissivity and high-reflectivity material is at least partially applied to an inner wall of the retaining structure body. The air temperature of the environment in the retaining structure is actively decreased by the foregoing structure under the conditions that noise is avoided, environmental friendliness is achieved, external power is omitted, and energy consumption is zero, thereby decreasing the temperature of the heat production device, and ensuring that the heat production device works at the allowable normal temperature for a long time.

A heat dissipation retaining structure for a heat production device, an installation method thereof, and a wind turbine generator set. The heat dissipation retaining structure includes a retaining structure body for defining a middle space, and a thermal radiation absorption coating, a heat insulating material, or an infrared low-emissivity and high-reflectivity material is at least partially applied to an inner wall of the retaining structure body. The air temperature of the environment in the retaining structure is actively decreased by the foregoing structure under the conditions that noise is avoided, environmental friendliness is achieved, external power is omitted, and energy consumption is zero, thereby decreasing the temperature of the heat production device, and ensuring that the heat production device works at the allowable normal temperature for a long time.

Articles, systems, and methods in which electromagnetic energy is converted to heat (e.g., for the purpose of inducing or inhibiting phase change of a material disposed over a surface) are generally described.

Articles, systems, and methods in which electromagnetic energy is converted to heat (e.g., for the purpose of inducing or inhibiting phase change of a material disposed over a surface) are generally described.

A solar energy collector includes: a solar energy collection tube having an absorption medium flow path for allowing an absorption medium to flow therethrough; a lens configured to concentrate solar energy on the solar energy collection tube; and an actuator configured to move the solar energy collection tube or the lens based on an incidence angle of the solar energy so that the solar energy is focused on the solar energy collection tube.

A system for enhancing overall energy production of CSPs through amplification of solar heat collection. In one embodiment, the system comprises a linear solar-thermal concentrator for concentrating solar light comprising a curved surface, two side walls, and an opening; a fluid conduit disposed within the linear solar-thermal concentrator that carries a working fluid through the linear solar-thermal concentrator; and a convection cover disposed over the opening of the linear thermal concentrator that traps heat convection energy within the linear solar-thermal concentrator.

A silica aerogel having a mean pore size less than 5 nm with a standard deviation of 3 nm. The silica aerogel may have greater than 95% solar-weighted transmittance at a thickness of 8 mm for wavelengths in the range of 250 nm to 2500 nm, and a 400 C. black-body weighted specific extinction coefficient of greater than 8 m.sup.2/kg for wavelengths of 1.5 m to 15 m. Silica aerogel synthesis methods are described. A solar thermal aerogel receiver (STAR) may include an opaque frame defining an opening, an aerogel layer disposed in the opaque frame, with at least a portion of the aerogel layer being proximate the opening, and a heat transfer fluid pipe in thermal contact with and proximate the aerogel layer. A concentrating solar energy system may include a STAR and at least one reflector to direct sunlight to an opening in the STAR.