This invention relates to a method and apparatus for a solar collector having intergral control of the the maximum temperature that it can reach, thereby avoiding excessive stagnation temperatures in the collector. In one embodiment, a solar collector comprises a top portion comprising glazing, a bottom portion; an absorber disposed between said top portion and said bottom portion for absorbing solar energy received through said glazing, said absorber in a spaced relationship above said bottom p...

A collector module (1) is described with a collector manifold (20) having two chambers. This collector module (1) has at least one collector tube (2), which has an absorber tube (4) and a tubular jacket (3). A connector (40) for each collector tube is provided which embraces the collector manifold (20) and receives the end of its tubular jacket (3). The connector (40) has a cup-shaped receiving part (41) glued on its collector tube and a U-shaped connecting part (45) formed on the cup-shaped rec...

A cooling water intake system is configured to minimize entrainment, impingement and thermal plumes associated with the operation of onshore industrial facilities, such as a power plant, and includes a delivery system guiding ground waters from under the sand bottom of the water reservoir including oceans, seas, lakes and rivers to the industrial facilities.

A solar collector structural support system that affixes to a mounting surface without penetrating the mounting surface is disclosed. The invention in the preferred embodiment includes a junction element adapted to receive: a plurality of leg members; at least one footing adapted to engage frictionally a mounting surface; and a structural support member; wherein a first junction element of the plurality of junction elements receives: a proximal end of a first leg member and a first structural su...

A device for magnetically annealing magnetoresistive elements formed on wafers includes a heated chuck and a delivery mechanism for individually placing the wafers individually on the chuck one at a time. A coil is adjacent to the chuck and generates a magnetic field after the wafer is heated to a Neel temperature of an anti-ferromagnetic layer. A control system regulates the temperature of the heated chuck, the strength of the magnetic field, and a time period during which each chuck is heated ...

A heat-producing agglomerate contains particles of an acidic component selected from acid anhydrides, acid salts, and mixtures thereof, or a basic component selected from bases, basic anhydrides, basic salts, and mixtures thereof, or a mixture of such acidic and basic components. The heat producing agglomerate provides high heat output at a controllable rate of heat generation, minimizes safety and environmental risks, and is useful as a heat-producing component in self-heating packaging.

A heating and cooling system for an enclosure includes a positionable solar panel assembly that supplies power to all the power consuming components of the system. A mountable sun tracking assembly continuously detects the position of the sun and adjusts the position of the solar panels to follow the movement of the sun during the day and to reposition the solar panels in the evening to receive the morning sun the following day. One or more ventilation assemblies mountable in one or more opening...

A solar concentrator includes a mirror 24 having a frame 27 connected with a lever 55, a train 36 supporting the frame 27 and the lever 55, a first control cable 28 connected with the frame 27, and a second control cable 30 connected with the lever 55. A first locomotive 35 moves the train along a curvilinear path to keep the mirror 24 opposite the sun. The first control cable 28 controls pitch of the mirror 24 and the second control cable 30 controls yaw of the mirror 24. When a concentrator in...

An improved thermosiphon solar heater is disclosed. The thermosiphon solar heater includes a substantially planar collector including a plurality of heat exchanger channels that are positioned next to one another in a parallel relationship. The thermosiphoning solar heater also includes a pair of headers fluidly coupled to the collector. A first header is disposed at a top end of the collector. A second header is disposed at a bottom end of the collector. The thermosiphoning solar heater further...

A wall integrated thermal solar collector with heat storage capacity includes a transparent layer and a solar radiation absorption layer, that is separated by an air gap from the transparent layer. A heat storage layer of phase changing material is positioned in close contact with the solar radiation absorption layer to facilitate heat transfer. A structural panel of thermally insulating material is positioned adjacent to the heat storage layer.