A downdraft-tornado-wind-chimney and a updraft-tornado-wind-chimney create the compressed-and-high-velocity-air for a rotating-turbine. A photovoltaic-powered-blower and a high-temperature-solar-collectors create the compressed-and-high-velocity-air. A downdraft-tornado-wind-chimney inject the compressed-and-high-velocity-air into a photovoltaic-powered-blower, a high-temperature-solar-collectors and a rotating-turbine. A updraft-tornado-wind-chimney extract the compressed-and-high-velocity-air from a photovoltaic-powered-blower, a high-temperature-solar-collectors and a rotating-turbine. The combination of the updraft-tornado-wind-chimney, a downdraft-tornado-wind-chimney, a photovoltaic-powered-blower, and a high-temperature-solar-collectors drive a rotating-turbine.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a device 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.

A system comprising a collocated thermal plant, water source, CO.sub.2 source and biomass growth module is disclosed. A method of improving the environment by utilizing the system is disclosed.

Methods and apparatus, for generating electricity from airflow and thermal energy. In one aspect, an electricity generating apparatus includes a housing including a double-walled section containing a thermal salt to store heat and form a pressure chamber within the housing, a collector coupled with the housing and including two or more inlet channels configured to direct ambient air into the pressure chamber, and a nozzle coupled with the housing configured to direct a convection current of air into the pressure chamber, and a turbine including a rotor and a stator to generate electricity from air flow through the pressure chamber, the rotor having an aerodynamic rotor case and convergent blades and the stator having an aerodynamic stator case and divergent blades, and where the double-walled section containing the thermal salt surrounds at least a portion of the collector and surrounds a portion of the turbine.

The present invention relates to a multi-stage Stirling cycle machine and a steady-state operating parameter control method therefor. In the Stirling cycle machine, a mechanical energy input piston, a mechanical energy transfer double-acting free piston and a mechanical energy output piston constitute a plurality of Stirling working units which are arranged in stages. The mechanical energy input piston is connected to a mechanical energy input apparatus, and the mechanical energy output piston is connected to a mechanical energy output apparatus. When the Stirling cycle machine in the present invention is used as an engine, a relatively small amount of mechanical energy is input into a mechanical energy input piston in a set of pistons, the mechanical energy is amplified by a multi-stage Stirling unit, and a relatively large amount of mechanical energy is then output by a mechanical energy output piston. In the present invention, the required piston motion mode is realized by means of parameter calculation, selection and design, such that the multi-stage Stirling cycle machine can adapt to changes in an input condition and adjust an output power as required. The device in the present invention has a simple structure, a good adjustment performance, a small mechanical loss and a small deadvolume, is suitable for use with a large-diameter piston, and can be widely applied to waste heat power generation and distributed energy and renewable energy power generation.

An integrated wind and solar solution is provided, including a solar energy collection assembly (100) and a vertical axis wind turbine (400), combined to provide an integrated power output. In preferred embodiments, the vertical axis wind turbine is positioned above the solar energy collection assembly. Concentrating solar mirror collectors (116) are used to direct sunlight to a heat engine (250), which converts the collected heat energy into rotary motion. Rotary motion from the heat engine and from the vertical axis wind turbine preferably are on the same rotating axis (600), to facilitate load sharing between these two sources. A dual axis azimuth-altitude solar panel alignment tracking system is used in order to boost the energy conversion capability of the solar energy collectors.

This invention provides a residential or building apparatus to: 1. transfer water heated by the sun's heat into proximity with the air space inside any residence or building to warm it, and 2. during spring, summer, fall, and winter, provide the sun's heating for the hot water heater, and 3. generate electricity, and charge a battery, during daylight hours by the use of focused sunlight to heat water to power a steam-powered electricity generator, and 4. move water cooled by the subsurface ground into proximity with the air space inside any residence or building to cool it.

Solar and steam hybrid power generation system including a solar steam generator, an external steam regulator, a turboset, and a power generator. A steam outlet end of the solar steam generator is connected to a steam inlet of the turboset. A steam outlet end of the external steam regulator is connected to the steam inlet of the turboset. A steam outlet of the turboset is connected to the input end of a condenser, and the output end of the condenser is connected to the input end of a deaerator. The output end of the deaerator is connected to the input end of a water feed pump. The output end of the water feed pump is connected to a circulating water input end of the solar steam generator. The output end of the water feed pump is connected to a water-return bypass of the external steam.

The present application relates to a modular tower-type solar thermal power generation system, which comprises: a solar thermal collector device configured for collecting solar thermal energy, a heat exchanger connected to the solar thermal collector device and configured for producing superheated saturated steam, and a thermal power conversion device connected to the heat exchanger and configured for converting the superheated saturated steam into electrical energy; the solar thermal collector device comprises a plurality of tower-type solar thermal modules. By adopting a solar power generation system with a modular solar energy collector device, the present application can simplify the construction process, reduce the construction period, and can further reduce design cost and investment cost of a power station, as well as improve the efficiency of the heliostat field; moreover, when one of the single towers malfunctions, the working situations of other tower-type solar thermal modules won't be affected, and thus the continuity and stability of power supply using the whole power generation system are ensure.

A bladeless fluid/vapor includes: (a) three or more turbine discs disposed within a case, wherein each turbine disc has a center opening, a first set of holes substantially equally spaced from one another along a first radius, a second set of holes substantially equally spaced from one another along a second radius, and two or more of the turbine discs have a set of exhaust ports positioned annularly around the center opening; (b) the case includes a main housing, a cover and one or more fluid/vapor inlets oriented to direct a fluid/vapor onto an outer portion of the turbine discs; (c) a drive shaft passing through the center openings of the turbine discs and attached to the turbine discs; (d) a fluid/vapor outlet in the cover; and (e) a set of exhaust holes proximate to and connected to the fluid/vapor outlet that are positioned annularly around the drive shaft.