Abstract:
A passive electromagnetic radiation collector is presented for use with a radiation converter. The radiation collector comprises at least one basic block. The basic block of the collector is substantially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation and has spaced-apart first and second surfaces, by which the basic block when in operation is exposed to a source of the electromagnetic radiation and faces the radiation converter respectively. The first surface of the basic block has a dome-shaped configuration of a predetermined curvature. The second surface of the basic block is formed by refractive interfaces defining an apex structure aligned with an uppermost region of the dome, and sloping downward toward edges of the block, such that the refractive interface directs at least a part of radiation collected by the first surface onto a region outside the basic block on a plane spaced apart from the second surface, thereby enabling interaction of the at least part of the collected radiation with a corresponding region of a radiation sensitive surface of the radiation converter located in the plane.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a solar-thermal collector (1) with a collector housing, which at least in certain regions is at least partially or completely transparent to radiation in the infrared and/or visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum, and an absorber (2) arranged in the collector housing for converting sunlight into thermal energy as well as a heat transmission device (7) for transporting away the usable heat. Contained inside the collector housing are a working medium and a sorbent (5) for the working medium, the sorbent (5) and the working medium being adapted to each other such that an increase in the temperature of the solar-thermal collector leads to desorption of the working medium from the sorbent (5) and a decrease in the temperature of the solar-thermal collector leads to sorption of the working medium by the sorbent (5).