A solar heat exchanger for heating water which includes an array of tubes, an injection molded manifold there being connections between each tube in the array and the manifold which are over molded to seal the tubes to the manifold.

A rotating support device for a torsion beam is be coupled to a support pillar, especially applicable in solar power plant installations which reduces the number of parts used and facilitates the assembly. The device has a clamp which can be coupled to the support pillar having a cylindrical inner area, a bushing intended to be positioned inside the clamp and which has the possibility of rotation together with the torsion beam with respect to the clamp and a retaining part which can be coupled in the slop which in an assembly situation protrudes in height with respect to the central sector of the clamp.

The present invention describes a polymeric solar heater that has the advantage of being able to be operated at different pressures, from low to high pressure without having to make adjustments or modifications, since it has grooved reinforcement flanges on the outside of the tank, which prevents the movement of some reinforcement elements allowing to increase the baric capacity of the tank, another advantage that characterizes the present invention is that the casing and the tank are made of polymers, which allow the temperature to be kept inside for longer, given their low coefficient of thermal conduction. Another significant advantage of the polymeric solar heater is that the collectors have integrated thermal receptors that allow them to capture thermal energy more easily, in addition to having mechanical reinforcements that increase the resistance of said collectors against impacts.

A solar heat exchanger for heating water which includes an array of tubes, an injection molded manifold there being connections between each tube in the array and the manifold which are over molded to seal the tubes to the manifold.

The present invention provides a solar absorber incorporated bilayer foam solar evaporator for seawater and wastewater purification including a plurality of solar absorbers partially incorporated into a porous polymer framework and partially forming a thermal insulation layer proximal to solar irradiation. In particular, low-cost commercially available B.sub.4C powders are embedded into a porous polymer foam in a one-pot method to form a scaffold of boron carbide bilayer foam (BCBF) with good hydrophilic wettability, heat-shielding, and solar-thermal conversion. The boron carbide bilayer foam (BCBF) of the present invention enables a high cost-performance seawater desalination and wastewater purification at a high evaporation rate of 2.8 kg/m.sup.2/h with 93% solar evaporation efficiency under 1 sun illumination (or 1 kW/m.sup.2). The present invention thereby provides an excellent and cost-effective solar evaporator tool for industrial-level water purification. Following the present method to prepare the BCBF solar evaporator, the fabrication cost can be as low as 3.6 $/m.sup.2.

A spacer which can be temporarily inserted between two panels, such as solar modules, prior to securing the panels; such that a consistent gap is established between the panels; and a method for using said spacer. The spacer includes a collapsing feature which relieves pressure on the spacer from the adjacent panels for easier removal of the spacer. The spacer may use a cam feature to collapse its size prior to removal.

A double line focusing solar energy collection apparatus of the present invention includes a heat collector, a secondary concentrator, and a bracket. The heat collector includes a primary concentrator and a heat collection tube, in which the primary concentrator has a focus line. The secondary concentrator has a focus line. The bracket supports the primary concentrator, the heat collection tube, and the secondary concentrator. The heat collection tube is located between the primary and secondary concentrators and located on the focus lines of the secondary and primary concentrators. The primary concentrator is a paraboloid reflector or Fresnel reflector. The secondary concentrator is a paraboloid reflector or Fresnel reflector. By adding the secondary concentrator, it achieves low light loss and high heat collection efficiency, and erosion of the heat collection tube by sand, rain, and snow can be effectively prevented, thereby extending the lifetime of the heat collection tube effectively.

The present invention provides a solar absorber incorporated bilayer foam solar evaporator for seawater and wastewater purification including a plurality of solar absorbers partially incorporated into a porous polymer framework and partially forming a thermal insulation layer proximal to solar irradiation. In particular, low-cost commercially available B.sub.4C powders are embedded into a porous polymer foam in a one-pot method to form a scaffold of boron carbide bilayer foam (BCBF) with good hydrophilic wettability, heat-shielding, and solar-thermal conversion. The boron carbide bilayer foam (BCBF) of the present invention enables a high cost-performance seawater desalination and wastewater purification at a high evaporation rate of 2.8 kg/m.sup.2/h with 93% solar evaporation efficiency under 1 sun illumination (or 1 kW/m.sup.2). The present invention thereby provides an excellent and cost-effective solar evaporator tool for industrial-level water purification. Following the present method to prepare the BCBF solar evaporator, the fabrication cost can be as low as 3.6 $/m.sup.2.

An eco-smart panel is described comprising a solar thermal panel, a phase change material, a metal foil layer, and a structural frame constructed of materials including wood studs, gypsum, or fiberglass-reinforced concrete. The materials may be variously configured to create modular systems for fabricating buildings or structures. Eco-smart panels may be utilized to create buildings or structure with enhanced energy efficiency, increased fire resistance, increased flood resistance, and decreased construction cost and time.

A double-line focusing solar energy collection apparatus, comprising: a heat collector (1) which comprises a primary concentrator (11) and a heat collection tube (12), the primary concentrator (11) having a focus line; a secondary concentrator (3), having a focus line; and a support (2), for supporting the primary concentrator (11), the heat collection tube (12), and the secondary concentrator (3). The heat collection tube (12) is located between the secondary concentrator (3) and the primary concentrator (11), and is located on the focus lines of the primary concentrator (11) and the secondary concentrator (3).