A process of using thermal energy to decrease the external energy and imported inputs required to perform agricultural processes.

A concentrator (10) of sun rays comprising: a reflective body (15) adapted to reflect incident sun rays towards a focal segment (SF) at which the reflected sun rays intersect, wherein the reflective body (15) comprises a plurality of reflective first sheets (40) alongside each other along a flanking direction parallel to the focal segment (SF) and each of which is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the middle point (PM) of the focal segment (SF) and orthogonal to the focal segment itself, wherein each first sheet (40) comprises a reflective surface defined by a plurality of parabolas (401), which are alongside each other with respect to the flanking direction of the first sheets (40) and each have a vertex (Vn1) placed on a vertex segment (SV1), which joins all the vertices (Vn1) of the parabolas (401) of each first sheet (40) have a focal distance varying along the flanking direction and are configured such that each parabola has a focal point (F1, Fn1, F2) placed on the focal segment (SF).

A growth chamber for improving growing conditions of a growing plant which include a growing grape vine, grape vine replant or other agricultural crop plant. The growth chamber includes a solar concentrator for collecting and concentrating solar energy, a light transmitter in optical communication with the solar concentrator, for directing the collected solar energy toward the growing plant, an inner wall comprising a perimeter positioned between the solar concentrator and the growing grape vine or grape vine replant, the inner wall further comprising a reflective inner surface for directing collected solar energy toward the growing plant, and a protective inner surface configured for placement around the growing plant, the protective inner surface defining a protected zone surrounding the growing plant, the protective inner surface extending downward from the light transmitter and comprising a rigid outer wall for protecting the protected zone from one or more growth limiting factors selected from the group consisting of: wind damage; heat damage; cold damage; frost damage; herbicide damage; and animal damage; and/or for reducing evapo-transpiration by growing plant positioned in the protected zone.

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.

Mixed heliostat field combining, in the same field, heliostats of different sizes and/or with different types of facets, all of them having at least one facet and being canted or not, and either having spherical, cylindrical, flat or quasi-flat (spherical with a high curvature radius) facets, such that the solar field is optimised in order to minimise shadows and blockages between heliostats, as a result of correct positioning of the heliostats in the field.

A concentrating solar apparatus, comprising two light receiving devices (110, 120). The first light receiving device (110) has a substantially horizontal first light receiving surface (111). The second light receiving device (120) has a second light receiving surface (121) that is substantially vertical with respect to the first light receiving surface (111). The first light receiving device (110) is a light energy utilization device, or is a combination of the light energy utilization device and a light guide device. The second light receiving device (120) is a Fresnel lens. Due to the relative position relationship between the second light receiving device (120) and the first light receiving device (110), sunlight is irradiated to the first light receiving surface (111) after passing through the second light receiving surface (121). By providing a substantially vertical Fresnel lens on a light path in front of the light energy utilization device, the apparatus can adapt to deflection of a relatively large angle of the sun without actively tracking the sun, and therefore has extremely high cost performance.

Prior art solar energy arrangements are typically structurally complex, have a limited concentration factor and temperature, and their dimensions are large. There is provided a solar energy arrangement and corresponding method for utilizing solar energy by directing sunrays or sunbeams with at least one solar concentrator towards at least one application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy, and a corresponding method, system and computer program product for implementing an arrangement for utilizing solar energy.

Implementations of a system for collecting radiant energy with a non-imaging solar concentrator are provided. In some implementations, the system may be configured to focus radiant energy striking a plurality of concentric, conical ring-like reflective elements of the non-imaging concentrator onto a receiver positioned thereunder and to rotate and/or pivot the receiver so that at least a portion thereof is always kept within the focal point (or area) of the non-imaging concentrator. Wherein the center of the focal point (or area) is fixed with respect to the ground. In some implementations, the system for collecting radiant energy with a non-imaging solar concentrator may comprise a tracking apparatus configured to support the non-imaging concentrator and position it so that the sun is normal thereto, and a piping system that is configured to transfer concentrated solar energy from the receiver to an absorbing system where the energy is finally utilized.

The present invention relates to a solar energy collection apparatus and design method. In particular, the invention provides a solar energy collection apparatus incorporating one or more reflectors and a solar collector for receiving incoming solar radiation, including reflected radiation from the one or more reflectors, wherein the one or more reflectors and the collector are oriented according to a pre-calculated offset length and offset angle based at least on the latitude of the apparatus. The invention further provides a computer-implemented method of designing a solar collection apparatus including determining the optimal offset length and offset angle between the one or more reflectors and the collector for a given latitude and other inputs.

Implementations of a system for collecting radiant energy with a non-imaging solar concentrator are provided. In some implementations, the system may be configured to focus radiant energy striking a plurality of concentric, conical ring-like reflective elements of the non-imaging concentrator onto a receiver positioned thereunder and to rotate and/or pivot the receiver so that at least a portion thereof is always kept within the focal point (or area) of the non-imaging concentrator. Wherein the center of the focal point (or area) is fixed with respect to the ground. In some implementations, the system for collecting radiant energy with a non-imaging solar concentrator may comprise a tracking apparatus configured to support the non-imaging concentrator and position it so that the sun is normal thereto, and a piping system that is configured to transfer concentrated solar energy from the receiver to an absorbing system where the energy is finally utilized.