A solar collector 1 for the temporary storage of heat from solar radiation comprising a radiation conductor 8, 9 for conducting the solar radiation, and lens means 7 for concentrating solar radiation onto a first extremity of the radiation conductor. A thermally-insulated core 2 is provided on an opposite second extremity of the radiation conductor 8, 9 in order to be heated by the solar radiation released from the radiation conductor and temporarily storing the heat. For this purpose, the core is provided with an insulated casing 4, virtually completely enveloping the core, which insulated casing 4 comprises a layer of porous ceramic material.

A solar collector has an opaque cover heated by solar energy. Heat flows from the opaque cover by conduction, convection, and infrared emittance across a gap within an at least substantially airtight enclosure to an absorber containing a working fluid. The exterior surface of the opaque cover has high solar energy absorptance and the interior surface has high infrared emittance. The exterior surface preferably has low infrared emittance. In one embodiment, fully wetted surface geometry permits direct and reflected infrared absorption by the absorber. The opaque cover eliminates the weight, cost and other shortcomings of glass. A hollow continuous side wall with rounded corners provides an embodiment that is robust yet economical, that is easy to manufacture and seal, that permits a reduced thickness of the opaque cover and mitigates the destructive potential of severe winds, and that can withstand the compressive forces experienced by an evacuated solar collector.

An air curtain control system for a solar thermal receiver comprising: at least one air jet (505) arranged to produce a continuous planar air curtain (507) over at least a portion of a receiver aperture 509 of a solar thermal receiver, an air flow control device (517) for controlling a speed of air flow out of the air jet (505), at least one angular control device (503) for controlling an angle of the air curtain (507) relative to the receiver aperture 509, and a system controller (501) arranged to control the air flow control device (517) and angular control device (503) to isolate the receiver aperture (509) from ambient elements external to the receiver aperture (509).

A device for thermal separation between a conditioned environment and at least one external environment, which comprises a wall that has at least a first active layer-like region toward the conditioned environment, a second active layer-like region toward the external environment with respect to the first active layer-like region, a first insulating layer-like region, which is interposed between the active layer-like regions, a second insulating layer-like region, which is interposed between the second active layer-like region and the external environment. The active layer-like regions accommodate channels for the outflow of heat transfer fluids, which have, during the operation of the thermal separation device, temperatures that on average are different through the thickness of the wall.

A low profile flexible solar thermal panel has low-cost, thin sheet foil and film materials fabricated as an integrated airtight solar thermal panel and a dual-port bifurcated duct adapter and formed metal foil air passages. The bifurcated air duct and formed metal foil layer enables, the panel to require only a single duct orifice through a mounting surface (such as a roof or wall) to provide both ingress and egress for air flow. The formed metal foil layer supplies a rigid support for two laminar air passages that steer forced air from the ingress port through a lower laminar air passage and returns it through the upper laminar air passage to the egress port in the bifurcated duct. The air duct enables measurement of the inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature and circulated air volume, further enabling electronic measurement of total energy produced in standard units.

A solar thermal collector and an accessory structure of a building are provided. The solar thermal collector includes at least one heat absorbing plate and at least one heat insulating plate. Each of the heat absorbing plate includes at least one first slab and first engaging parts connected with the first slab. Each of the heat insulating plate includes at least one second slab and second engaging parts connected with the second slab. The first engaging parts are respectively engaged with the second engaging parts, and a gap is maintained between the first slab and the second slab to define a heat collecting channel, through which a heat transfer fluid flows between the heat absorbing plate and the heat insulating plate. A heat conductivity of the heat absorbing plate is at least 30 times greater than a heat conductivity of the heat insulating plate.

A solar thermal collector and an accessory structure of a building are provided. The solar thermal collector includes at least one heat absorbing plate and at least one heat insulating plate. Each of the heat absorbing plate includes at least one first slab and first engaging parts connected with the first slab. Each of the heat insulating plate includes at least one second slab and second engaging parts connected with the second slab. The first engaging parts are respectively engaged with the second engaging parts, and a gap is maintained between the first slab and the second slab to define a heat collecting channel, through which a heat transfer medium flows between the heat absorbing plate and the heat insulating plate. A heat conductivity of the heat absorbing plate is at least 30 times greater than a heat conductivity of the heat insulating plate.

To overcome shortcomings of the conventional thermal receiver, embodiments of the technology disclosed herein are directed towards an improved thermal receiver. More particularly, the various embodiments of the technology disclosed herein relate to thermal receivers without a vacuum insulation, otherwise known as an approximation of a blackbody. Various embodiments of the technology disclosed herein enable greater absorption of sunlight collected by a parabolic solar trough concentrator compared with conventional thermal receivers.