Tray assemblies and methods of their use to dry products with sunlight. Such a tray assembly includes at least a first base having four side walls, a bottom wall, legs configured to support the bottom wall above the surface when resting thereon, side wall holes in the side walls, and bottom wall holes in the bottom wall. A cover is releasably coupled to the base to define an enclosure between the cover, the side walls, and the bottom wall. At least one window is provided in the cover to allow infrared radiation to pass therethrough that is absorbed by interior surfaces of the base to cause an increase in a temperature within the enclosure sufficient to increase a rate of drying products located within the enclosure.

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.

A multi-function solar cooking appliance is disclosed. The appliance comprises a solar thermal unit comprising: at least one solar heat collector for collecting solar heat; a chamber of said solar heat collector for receiving a utensil and thermally connected said solar heat collector to receive and transfer said solar heat to said utensil for cooking; and a sunlight reflector having a cross section with a circular arc shape and said utensil. The appliance further selectively comprises a multi-functional cover, a modular solar thermal unit, assembled fluid channel, supplementary energy heater, different side chambers and/or utensils for heat insulation purpose; disposable utensil and ferromagnetic heat conducting and storage material.

The present invention is related with the treatment of vegetable and animal foods for its preservation and employment in the extraction of the active ingredients they include. More specifically it refers to the treatment of these foods with the comprehensive application of solar radiation. This comprehensive use of solar radiation in the dehydration of vegetable and animal foods is characterized fir consisting in a dehydration process that includes the following steps a) slicing of the dehydrating product into slices of 1 to 2 mm thick; b) expose the skin free surfaces of the product to the direct impact of sun beams; c) maintaining an air circulation, even if laminar in the premise to homogenize the humidity content in all of the air mass; ch) take the product to a humidity level of 5 to 10% d) pack the dehydrated product.

The invention relates to a method and a device for obtaining dewatered biomass from algae and/or microorganisms. The concentrated biomass available as a result of the harvesting process is spread over an endless conveyor belt (1) and exposed to heated air on the conveyor belt (1). The air is heated by the sun and/or an air heater (5) in a closed system, the conveyor belt (1) being enclosed by a light-permeable casing (2). The drying process is carried out until a residual moisture is achieved, the dewatered biomass adhering to the conveyor belt (1) at the end of the drying process. Said biomass is separated from the conveyor belt (1) by means of a doctor- or scraper edge (9) and is gathered in a collection container (8).

Devices, systems, and methods relating to providing a portable, rechargeable vessel for collecting, storing, and recovering thermal energy are provided. In one aspect, vessel includes a structure defining a well and an open-top portion at the top of the well; a phase-change material, wherein the phase-change material is disposed in the well, the phase-change material being configured to change phase at temperature in the range of 110-700? C.; one or more thermally-conductive fins interleaved in the phase-change material; and a thermally-conductive heat transfer plate disposed at and substantially covering the open-top portion of the structure, in direct thermal contact with the one or more fins, thereby allowing the transfer plate to directly exchange thermal energy with the phase change material.

A novel solar chimney-based liquid desiccation system includes a solar collector, an embedded desiccator, and a heated chimney. The solar collector heats up an incoming airflow from an external environment with solar radiation, and mobilizes the heated air to pass through the embedded desiccator. The embedded desiccator contains a liquid solution or another content that can undergo a thermal transfer process upon contacting the heated air from the solar collector. Typically, this thermal transfer process involves desiccation of the liquid solution and vaporization of some liquid or other elements. This desiccation process may be utilized to separate liquid from remaining contents, or as a purification process. The embedded desiccator is further connected to the heated chimney with a heated inner surface to minimize undesirable reflux and condensation within the chimney structure. A liquid recovery unit may also be added to the system to collect condensed liquid after desiccation.

The present disclosure provides a smart clothes drying device and a smart clothes drying method. The smart clothes drying device includes a light intensity sensor, an integrated controller, an umbrella and at least one clothes hanger. The light intensity sensor is to sense light intensity and output a light intensity signal. The integrated controller is to receive the light intensity signal and control opening or closing of the umbrella according to a comparison result of comparing the light intensity signal with a closing light intensity threshold or an opening light intensity threshold in such a manner that the integrated controller controls opening the umbrella when the light intensity signal is greater than the opening light intensity threshold, and the integrated controller controls closing the umbrella when the light intensity signal is less than the closing light intensity threshold.

A positioning system attached to an outside of a building structure positions a radiation collection device such as a solar oven. The positioning system allows the collection device to be positioned in a plurality of locations where at least one of the plurality of locations is away from the building structure to allow the radiation collection device to collect solar radiation.

The invention relates to a small solar cooker with thermal energy storage. The device comprises an insulated wall (11), a transparent surface (1), and a Fresnel lens (2). The focal length of the lens can be adjusted using an automatic mechanical system (3) (12) to follow the height of the sun. During pre-heating, the focal point (10) of the lens is located on a small copper reservoir (4) containing a phase-change material (6). This material is thermally recharged by two methods: the concentration of radiation by the lens and/or by an auxiliary resistor supplied by an alternating current (5). The heat accumulated in the small reservoir allows the oven to be used when the sun is not shining or to reduce the cooking time. The whole oven is linked to another automatic mechanical system to follow the path of the sun.