The solar cell of the present invention includes a titanium dioxide semiconductor that is held between a pair of electrodes so that the titanium dioxide semiconductor and at least one of the electrodes form a rectification barrier.

A solar collection system and method having means for receiving solar radiation through a main refractive interface and means for internally reflecting at least once, at least a portion of the received solar radiation. The refractive medium may be liquid, gel or solid. The device may be integrated with a photovoltaic device, photohydrolytic device, a heat engine, a light pipe or a photothermal receptor.

An array of solar cells comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices, each semiconductor device comprising a solar cell and a protective diode, most solar cells being connected individually in parallel with a protective diode in a different semiconductor device, to provide a compact arrangement for the array, within each semiconductor device the radiation-sensitive P-N junction of the solar cell being isolated from the P-N junction of the protective diode.

A solar cell comprising a p-type doped semi-conductor body in whose upper part, exposed to the incident light, there is provided a thin n-type doped zone, the battery being covered in its lower part by a metal electrode and in its upper part by a metal collector grid, wherein the n-type doped layer between the bars of the collector grid is covered by an insulating layer which is transparent to the incident radiation, said insulating layer being itself covered by a conductive layer which constitu...

A solar cell with improved efficiency is provided with a convoluted P-N junction whereby a higher proportion of carriers produced by exposure of the solar cell to a source of radiation will be collected by the P-N junction rather than being lost by recombination. The solar cell has an increased resistance to radiation damage. The solar cell is made from a body of semiconductor material in which two regions of opposite type conductivity are formed. The material of one region is substantially the ...

A fluid such as air is heated by a heliothermal device which provides a flow path for the fluid, and arranges across the fluid flow path a porous barrier which passes solar rays in one direction, but blocks heat from returning through the barrier in a direction opposite to that of the impinging solar rays. The barrier may be constructed in layers from a fibrous material, or as a fabric, metal, or synthetic resin mesh forming a screen.

A portable solar stove, which can also be used as an insulated food container or table, has a foil-lined oven portion and upwardly divergent arcuate reflective petaloid panels adapted to reflect solar radiation through a clear plastic window into the oven portion of the stove. The reflective petaloid panels are releasably connected in a desired orientation to assure the desired reflection of the sun's radiation into the oven portion and to rigidify the petaloid panel assemblage so that they can ...

A solar collector plate (1) comprises a dark-colored absorber plate (2) facing the sun, parallel wall sheets (4) arranged perpendicularly to the rear side of the absorber sheet (2), fixed thereto and also fixed to a support sheet (3) arranged parallel to the absorber sheet (2), whereby cavity channels (5) are provided between said sheets (2, 3, 4) for flowing cooling liquid (6) which is intended to transport heat away from the absorber sheet (2). In order to provide a good thermal contact betwee...

A solar collector comprising an evacuation envelope; an absorber housed inside the evacuated envelope and comprising plates which define an evaporation gap, the evaporation gap providing communication between a reservoir of heat transfer fluid at a first, bottom end of the absorber and a condenser at a second, top end of the absorber. The plates define the evaporation gap so that capillary action between the plates can draw heat transfer fluid from the reservoir along at least a substantial port...

A solar panel arrangement for capturing solar energy and supplying power for use in a building. Solar cells are embedded in a window pane and generate electrical direct current that is converted, by an electrical circuit permanently attached to the pane, to an oscillating current that is fed to a ferrite core mounted to the pane. An external ferrite core is mounted in close proximity to the core, so that the oscillating current can be picked up and supplied to a building. The arrangement allows ...