A solar thermochemical processing system is disclosed. The system includes a first unit operation for receiving concentrated solar energy. Heat from the solar energy is used to drive the first unit operation. The first unit operation also receives a first set of reactants and produces a first set of products. A second unit operation receives the first set of products from the first unit operation and produces a second set of products. A third unit operation receives heat from the second unit operation to produce a portion of the first set of reactants.

The parabolic trough solar concentrator described within is sized for shipping in containers and mounting on existing structures without requiring specialized labor or equipment. Besides achieving a proximity to the thermal load not previously achievable economically and preserving precious land, the concentrator array shelters the area below from the sun reducing its energy requirement for cooling and making it more inhabitable when cooling is not provided. As the troughs are generally mounted on an incline on roof structures, they can provide for rainwater collection.

A medium-deep non-interference geothermal heating system based on loose siltstone geology includes a water return pipe and a water inlet pipe. The system further includes a differential pressure overflow pipe, a gauge, a differential pressure controller, a first high area water return pipe, a first water return pipe, a third water return pipe, a bypass pipe, a high area water supply pipe, a second high area water return pipe, a geothermal well water return pipe, a geothermal well water supply pipe, a heat pump unit, a second water return pipe, a water supply pipe, a geothermal well water pump, a first geothermal well water supply pipe, a first geothermal well water return pipe, a second geothermal well water return pipe, a second geothermal well water supply pipe, a geothermal wellhead device, and a geothermal well that are combined for use.

A hydrogen production apparatus includes: a first furnace configured to heat a mixed gas of a raw material gas, which contains at least methane, and hydrogen to 1,000° C. or more and 2,000° C. or less; and a second furnace configured to accommodate a catalyst for accelerating a reaction of a first gas generated in the first furnace to a nanocarbon material, and to maintain the first gas at 500° C. or more and 1,200° C. or less.

The radiative cooling device includes an infrared radiative layer A that radiates infrared light IR from a radiative surface H, a light reflective layer B disposed on a side opposite to the radiative surface H with respect to the infrared radiative layer A, and a protective layer D disposed between the infrared radiative layer A and the light reflective layer B. The infrared radiative layer A is a resin material layer J having a thickness adjusted so as to emit a heat radiation energy greater than an absorbed solar energy in a wavelength range from 8 μm to 14 μm. The light reflective layer B contains silver or a silver alloy, and the protective layer D is formed from a polyolefin based resin with a thickness of 300 nm or more and 40 μm or less or an ethylene terephthalate resin with a thickness of 17 μm or more and 40 μm or less.

A photovoltaic cleaning device and a windproof device thereof are provided according to the present application. The windproof device of the photovoltaic cleaning device includes a locking bracket, a locking arm, and a drive device configured to drive the locking arm to move relative to the locking bracket. The locking arm has a locking position of extending into a restricting position of the locking bracket, and a cleaning working position of exiting the restricting position of the locking bracket. During the mounting of the photovoltaic cleaning device, one of the locking arm and the locking bracket is mounted to the cleaning module, and the other is mounted to the supporting frame of the photovoltaic module.

Aspects of the disclosure include a multilayer surface-covering assembly adapted to convert solar radiation to heat. The multilayer surface-covering assembly may include a first composite layer comprising a first amorphous refractory material and first metal nanoparticles, wherein the first amorphous refractor material encapsulates the first metal nanoparticles, and wherein the first composite layer is thermally coupled with a surface of a structure for conduction of heat from the first composite layer to the structure. he multilayer surface-covering assembly may also include an antireflective layer, wherein the first composite layer is disposed between the antireflective layer and the surface of the structure.

The present disclosure relates to light redirecting elements in solar energy absorption systems and envisages a light redirecting prism, a redirecting prismatic wall and a solar panel incorporating the same. The light redirecting prism has three elongate surfaces. The incident surface receives incident parallel rays of light. The redirecting surface performs total internal reflection of the light travelling from the incident surface through a predetermined range of angles and thus redirect the light. The transmitting surface transmits the redirected light at a predetermined angle out of the prism and directs the light towards a solar energy absorbing device. Further, a redirecting prismatic wall can be constructed to comprise redirecting prisms. The light redirecting prism or redirecting prismatic wall can be used in solar panels for enhancing quantum of light incident on the PV cell of the panel.

A transportation network for providing propellant in space can include optical mining vehicles that concentrate solar energy to spall captured asteroids, capture released volatiles, and store them in reservoirs as propellants. The network can also have orbital transfer vehicles that use solar thermal rocket modules that focus solar energy on heat exchangers to force propellant through nozzles, as well as separable aeromaneuvering tanker modules with reusable heatshields and storage tanks. The network can have propellant depots positioned between Earth and a transport destination. The depots can mechanically couple to accept propellant delivery and to supply it to visiting space vehicles.

A secondary reflector for receiving light from a plurality of primary reflectors that includes a reflecting surface having a length aligned along a first axis (z), where a cross-section of the reflecting surface in a plane perpendicular to the first axis (z) forms a curve comprising a concave section positioned between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, at least a portion of the concave section is accurately approximated by a polynomial equation, an aperture is formed by a straight line connecting the first endpoint to the second endpoint, and the concave section is configured to focus a plurality of beams of light passing through the aperture onto a focal point.