Broadband reflectors include a UV-reflective multilayer optical film and a VIS/IR-reflective layer. In various embodiments, the VIS/IR reflective layer may be a reflective metal layer or a multilayer optical film. Concentrated solar power systems and methods of harnessing solar energy using the broadband reflectors and optionally comprising a celestial tracking mechanism are also disclosed.

An apparatus is disclosed including: a trough shaped reflector extending along a longitudinal axis and including at least one reflective surface having a shape which substantially corresponds to an edge ray involute of the absorber.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for the collection and concentration of solar thermal energy and the exchanging of this concentrated solar thermal energy into transportable and usable heat energy in a medium such as water, oil or molten salts.

Embodiments disclosed herein include flexible joints configured to be positioned between the movable and stationary elements of a CSP heat transfer fluid circuit. Other embodiments include parabolic trough solar reflector modules, solar collectors or solar collector loops having joints between the movable and stationary elements of the heat transfer fluid circuit including at least one or more flexible pipes comprising a loop segment defining at least a partial loop around the axis of rotation.

A solar heater may include a frame and a plurality of heating coils. One or more legs may be coupled to the frame. An internal baffle may direct water into the heating coils. The solar heater may comprise a wind shield. The solar heater may be convex. The curved shape of the solar heater may allow the solar heater to increase the amount of sunlight received by the solar heater as the sun is in different locations in the sky.

There is provided a pipe in a solar thermal power plant. The pipe includes an inner tube configured for carrying a heated heat transfer fluid, an outer tube surrounding the inner tube, wherein the space between the inner and outer tube is evacuated, and a getter restraint structure configured for maintaining getters in a predetermined position. The getter restraint structure is in contact with the outer tube and otherwise entirely free of contact with the inner tube and/or is in thermal isolation from the inner tube.

The present invention relates to a dual-passage open-type solar heat absorber having a porous plate array, and more particularly, to a dual-passage open-type solar heat absorber which is formed in a form of a rectangular-shaped container in order to increase a contact area with collected sunlight and easily extend in a lateral direction or in a form of a circular-shaped container which is advantageous when a pressure is applied thereto, and which includes a main body formed in a formed of a rectangular or circular-shaped container by using a three-layered tube to form a dual passage therein so that heat is prevented from being lost through an outer wall.

A solar panel comprising a plurality of elongated and flat pipe elements having a first end, a second end and at least one longitudinal and through pipe channel for a heat carrying liquid, wherein the pipe channels are arranged with a height (H) up to 10 mm. the pipe elements are connected to opposite and elongated edge elements. The edge elements are arranged with a longitudinal channel for the heat carrying liquid, wherein the channels in the edge elements are connected to the pipe channels and extend in a direction perpendicular to the pipe channels. The pipe elements are formed with an aperture on opposite sides of at least one pipe channel, and stop devices are connected to the edge elements at selected apertures and extend into the channels of the edge elements to block the channels and guide the heat carrying liquid between the pipe channels.

High-temperature solar trap collectors provide near ambient temperature solar entry surfaces and negligible thermal radiation losses by counterflowing low velocity transparent gases or liquids (fluids) to nullify internal thermal diffusion and radiative heat losses at the solar entry surface. Small steradian (sr) baffling plus wavelength-selective materials trap the entire 0.35 u to 2.7 u incoming solar spectrum and heat highly absorbing internal surfaces to high temperatures; only a small solid angle of the 2 steradianson the order of 0.01 srof internal thermal radiation escapes. A nearly 100% efficient flat panel solar trapping embodiment exhibits alpha () absorption nearing 1.0 and radiant emission losses nearing 0.0 even at solar collection temperatures in excess of 1,000 K. Ultra high collection efficiency counterflow configurations are ideal for solar hot water, space heating, cooling, energy storage, and electric power generation applications.

A solar energy collection system comprises hollow radiation absorber(s) in an enclosure, each absorber for filling with working fluid, to absorb radiation impinging thereon and transform its energy into heat to thereby heat the fluid. The system comprises an inlet non-return valve upstream of each absorber, for allowing a flow of the fluid thereto; and an outlet valve downstream of each absorber for allowing a flow of the fluid out. The system comprises a measuring device for determining parameter(s) of the fluid within each absorber, which depends on the heat absorbed thereby; and a controller that controls operation of at least the outflow valve between its open state in which the fluid can flow freely out of the associated absorber, and its closed state in which the fluid filling the associated absorber is held therein for a period of time depending on a desired change of the parameter.