The present invention provides a hybrid, concentrating photovoltaic-solar thermal (CPV/T) system and components thereof, and methods for converting solar energy to electricity at high efficiencies while capturing and storing solar thermal energy for later deployment.

A method for fabricating a heat exchange construct is provided.

A method for fabricating a heat exchange construct is provided.

Chemical processors are configured to reduce mass, work in conjunction with solar concentrators, and/or house porous inserts in microchannel or mesochannel devices made by additive manufacturing. Methods of making chemical processors containing porous inserts by additive manufacturing are also disclosed.

Process for cracking hydrocarbon gases, wherein the hydrocarbon gas is passed through a flow channel of an absorptive receiver reactor (1, 30, 40), characterized in that cracking takes place during the passing through the receiver reactor (1, 30, 40), wherein in a first region (21) of the flow channel (2) the hydrocarbon gas is heated to its cracking temperature, in an adjoining second, downstream flow region (22) is heated to beyond its cracking temperature and in a third, further downstream region (23) of the flow channel is heated yet further and is brought therein into physical contact, over the cross-section of said region, with a reaction accelerator, after which the stream of products downstream of the reaction accelerator is discharged from the receiver reactor (1, 30, 40), and wherein the heating of the hydrocarbon gas to above its cracking temperature is achieved by absorption of blackbody radiation (20) which is given off by the reaction accelerator heated by solar radiation (7) incident thereupon to the hydrocarbon gas flowing towards it, in such a way that the hydrocarbon gas in the flow channel (2) and extending up to the reaction accelerator forms disc-shaped, consecutive temperature zones (60 to 67) of ever-increasing temperature extending transversely to the flow channel (2).

Process for cracking hydrocarbon gases, wherein the hydrocarbon gas is passed through a flow channel of an absorptive receiver reactor (1, 30, 40), characterized in that cracking takes place during the passing through the receiver reactor (1, 30, 40), wherein in a first region (21) of the flow channel (2) the hydrocarbon gas is heated to its cracking temperature, in an adjoining second, downstream flow region (22) is heated to beyond its cracking temperature and in a third, further downstream region (23) of the flow channel is heated yet further and is brought therein into physical contact, over the cross-section of said region, with a reaction accelerator, after which the stream of products downstream of the reaction accelerator is discharged from the receiver reactor (1, 30, 40), and wherein the heating of the hydrocarbon gas to above its cracking temperature is achieved by absorption of blackbody radiation (20) which is given off by the reaction accelerator heated by solar radiation (7) incident thereupon to the hydrocarbon gas flowing towards it, in such a way that the hydrocarbon gas in the flow channel (2) and extending up to the reaction accelerator forms disc-shaped, consecutive temperature zones (60 to 67) of ever-increasing temperature extending transversely to the flow channel (2).

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.

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.

Systems and methods for radiative cooling and heating are provided. For example, systems for radiative cooling can include a top layer including one or more polymers, where the top layer has high emissivity in at least a portion of the thermal spectrum and an electromagnetic extinction coefficient of approximately zero, absorptivity of approximately zero, and high transmittance in at least a portion of the solar spectrum, and further include a reflective layer including one or more metals, where the reflective layer has high reflectivity in at least a portion of the solar spectrum.