Solar thermal devices are formed from a block of wood, where the natural cell lumens of the wood form an interconnected network that transports fluid or material therein. The block of wood can be modified to increase absorption of solar radiation. Combining the solar absorption effects with the natural transport network can be used for various applications. In some embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to evaporate a fluid, for example, evaporating water for extraction, distillation, or desalination. In other embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to change transport properties of a material to allow it to be transported in the interconnected network, for example, heating crude oil to adsorb the oil within the block of wood.

An apparatus, system and method to remove purified vapor from a contaminated fluid using energy. The apparatus comprises an inlet wherein contaminated fluid flows in the apparatus through the inlet; at least two outlets wherein a first outlet exits purified vapor and a second outlet wherein contaminated fluid with a portion removed as purified vapor exits the apparatus; an energy source that causes the contaminated fluid to heat to a temperature wherein at least a portion of the contaminated fluid is converted to purified vapor; at least two different flow paths from at least one inlet to the first outlet and second outlet, the first and second flow paths flow through at least a portion of the apparatus.

A novel solar-powered desalination and water purification system is disclosed herein. The system includes a nanofiber-impregnated graphene aerogel, an untreated water source, a water collection surface, and a purified water storage container. A novel photocatalytic nanofiber-impregnated graphene aerogel for desalination and photodegradation of contaminants for use in the disclosed system is also disclosed herein. The nanofiber-impregnated graphene aerogel exhibits excellent hydrophilicity, thermal insulation, and photodegradation capability, and allows for efficient solar-powered evaporation of water. The introduction of photocatalytic nanofibers into the graphene aerogel allows effective interfacial evaporation and in situ photodegradation of contaminants. The rate of water evaporation is preferably greater than 1.3 gal/ft.sup.2 per day, and the contaminant removal is preferably greater than 90%. A method of desalinating and purifying water using the disclosed system is also disclosed herein.

A water purifying and desalination system includes solar concentrators that receive a sunlight and direct the sunlight toward a collection element. The collection element absorbs and converts a solar radiation into thermal energy. A superheater tube enclosed by the heat collection element controls volume flow that partially fills the superheater tube with processed ocean water, which allows steam to escape into a portion of the superheater tube that generates electricity and additional processed ocean water.

To offset waste heat generated by a photovoltaic cell during operation, a cooling system is coupled to the photovoltaic cell. The cooling system is coupled to a surface of the photovoltaic cell opposite another surface of the photovoltaic cell on which solar energy is incident. In various embodiments, the cooling system includes one or more tubes through which fluid is directed. The fluid for cooling the photovoltaic cell may be contaminated water that is directed to one or more solar desalination stills after absorbing heat from the photovoltaic cell to product distilled water. After being further heated by the solar desalination still, water may be directed to a membrane distillation module which produces additional distilled water from the water heated by the solar desalination still and by the photovoltaic cell.

A system for generating electricity, heat, and desalinated water having a gas turbine system connected to a first electric generator, a waste heat recovery boiler (WHRB) system, a combined heat and power (CHP) generation system connected to a second electric generator, one or more solar powered energy systems, and a desalination system. The desalination system is connected to the CHP generation system and the WHRB system. The gas turbine system generates electricity and heat, the WHRB system is connected to and uses the exhaust of the gas turbine system to provide heat and steam power to the CHP generation system. The CHP generation system produces and provides electricity and heat to the desalination system, which produces product water, and at least one solar powered energy system provides thermal energy to one or more of the gas turbine system, the WHRB system, the CHP generation system, and the desalination system.

A width-adjustable packaging bag shaper, a bag maker, a packaging machine, and a method. The packaging machine including the bag maker, a traction device and a heat sealing device are respectively arranged above the bag maker, and a width adjustment device adjusts the distances between different sub bottom plates in a front bottom plate and a rear bottom plate by using a leadscrew and slide block mechanism, and then adjusts the width of a bottom plate. The leadscrew and slide block mechanism is used as the width adjustment device of the automatic width-adjustable noodle packaging bag shaper system, and four bottom plates are respectively fixed to the width adjustment device, so the leadscrew and slide block mechanism in operation is accurate in range of adjustment, is suitable for various widths of packaging bags, and has very important significance for the three-dimensional shaping effect of the packaging bags.

Methods and systems for circulating hot air in a solar desalination system include a desalination structure having an air flow path defined between an external surface layer and an internal surface layer. A return flow conduit has a fan, a check valve, and a control valve. Saline water is delivered through a nozzle to provide a mist. An air flow within the air flow path is heated to form a hot air supply. The mist is heated with the hot air supply to form an evaporated fluid. The fan is operated to divert a diverted portion of the hot air supply into the return flow conduit to be mixed with an ambient air to form and heat the air flow. The volume of the diverted portion can be controlled with the control valve. The check valve prevents ambient air from entering the return flow conduit at a base end.

A method includes providing a resonant thermal oscillator in a thermofluidic system having at least two counter-flowing liquid streams separated by at least a spectrum absorbing material, wherein the spectrum absorbing material is hydrophobic, light-absorbing, and photothermal, and adjusting a flow rate in at least one of the counter-flowing liquid streams to maximize heat transfer between the at least two counter-flowing liquid streams.

A water sanitizing system is disclosed and includes an inner chamber and an outer chamber disposed at least partially around the inner chamber. A lens concentrates solar energy applied to a liquid within the inner chamber. A vacuum source in communication separately with the inner chamber and the outer chamber. The vacuum source controls a pressure within the inner chamber separately from the outer chamber for controlling conversion of liquid within the inner chamber to a gas. The outer chamber, also under vacuum, is an insulative layer to prevent heat loss.