Disclosed are systems and methods to concentrate sunlight with inflatable enclosures to heat substances, including fluids and for cooking, and to provide concentrated sunlight for other uses. The system includes an inflatable sunlight concentrator (upper balloon), an inflatable cooking housing (bottom balloon), and a cooking container. When inflated, the upper balloon has a substantially cone-shape and concentrates sunlight towards the bottom balloon. The bottom balloon may be of various shapes and may concentrate sunlight towards the cooking space. Each balloon is less than two ounces and can be folded into a small pocket-sized package when it is deflated. The cooking space may be a thermal bag, a box, or an insulated space.

A solar cooking appliance comprises a solar heat collector for collecting and storing solar heat. A first solid heat storage and conducting material for storing and conducting solar heat, the solid heat storage and conducting material is placed within the solar heat collector, the solar heat collector heats the solid heat storage and conducting material to a temperature higher than the water boiling temperature. A heat insulated solar cooking utensil is positioned outside of the solar heat collector, having a cooking utensil and a heat insulation. A second heat-transferring and conducting material connected thermally to the first solid heat storage and conducting material to the heat insulated solar cooking utensil for transferring solar heat.

The present invention discloses a portable solar cooker, belonging to the field of solar heat utilization. The solar cooker comprises an upper functional assembly, a lower control assembly and a rotary apparatus which are sequentially connected, wherein the upper functional assembly is configured to reflect sunlight, collect heat in a focusing manner and further heat water or foods, the upper functional assembly is closed to form a box body when being in a non-operative state, and the upper functional assembly is opened when being in an operative state; the lower control assembly is connected with the upper functional assembly, and makes the upper functional assembly be subjected to pitch adjustment; the lower control assembly is connected with the rotary apparatus, and the lower control assembly and the upper functional assembly are driven by the rotary apparatus to rotate so that tracking the sun is realized. The portable solar cooker disclosed by the present invention not only has functions of boiling water and cooking foods, but also has the advantages of facilitating carrying and tracking the sun, and can achieve full utilization of solar energy anytime and anywhere, thereby making the application of the solar energy be fully developed.

A multiple stage synthesis gas generation system is disclosed including a high radiant heat flux reactor, a gasifier reactor control system, and a Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) reactor. The SMR reactor is in parallel and cooperates with the high radiant heat flux reactor to produce a high quality syngas mixture for MeOH synthesis. The resultant products from the two reactors may be used for the MeOH synthesis. The SMR provides hydrogen rich syngas to be mixed with the potentially carbon monoxide rich syngas from the high radiant heat flux reactor. The combination of syngas component streams from the two reactors can provide the required hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio for methanol synthesis. The SMR reactor control system and a gasifier reactor control system interact to produce a high quality syngas mixture for the MeOH synthesis.

Apparatus for a concentrating solar collector is disclosed, comprising: A nested main frame and reflector carriage with vertically folding one-piece preformed reflector support panels, to which individually replaceable pieces of mirror-like material of various kinds may be mounted to make a Fresnel-type array. A hand-winch operated cable system provides for a full range of reflector altitude adjustment. An alignment guide allows assessment of solar tracking alignment without gazing toward the focal area. A griddle-like flattop receiver is used for frying foods, and an adjustable rack facilitates suspension of cooking pots in the focal area to receive unobstructed, concentrated solar energy. Also described is a method for making the reflector support panels. One embodiment of the apparatus has a lower frame portion substantially forming a rolling chassis. An additional embodiment describes lower frame structure for a fixed location installation.

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

A rigid deformable reflector for heating a target, the rigid deformable reflector having a reflective surface capable of being rigidly deformed, a backing surface capable of supporting the reflective surface, and a concave shape. A method of deforming a rigid deformable reflector utilizing a deforming mechanism, wherein the rigid deformable reflector has a reflective surface and the deforming mechanism has a base and an actuator, the method having the steps of: placing a rigid deformable reflector onto the deforming mechanism, and activating the actuator thereby causing a first force to be applied to the rigid deformable reflector and deforming the shape of the rigid deformable reflector beyond its elastic limit.

A household appliance particularly suitable for use in a hybrid electrical power supply system including a household appliance body and at least one drive motor of the household appliance connected to a processing and control board, and at least one electrical power storage element and the processing and control board is configured to manage the charging and discharging of the at least one electrical power storage element according to a consumption of the at least one drive motor.