Solar Collectors, Energy Storage, and Materials


Book Description

Solar Collectors, Energy Storage, and Materials covers the materials and basic components needed for solar thermal energy systems. Using thermal performance and durability as the major criteria, the twenty six chapters emphasize the modeling and assessment of devices rather than their application or cost. Each part begins with an overview and concludes with an assessment of current issues and opportunities. The contributors have been careful to document failures as well as successes in materials research. This is the fifth volume in a series that distills the results of the intensive research on and development of solar thermal energy conversion technologies from 1975 to 1986. Francis de Winter is President of the Altas Corporation, Santa Cruz, California and a member of the Santa Cruz Energy Advisory Committee. Contents: Solar Collectors. Collector Concepts and Designs. Optical Theory and Modeling of Solar Collectors. Thermal Theory and Modeling of Solar Collectors. Testing and Evaluation of Stationary Collectors. Testing and Evaluation of Tracking Collectors. Optical Research and Development. Collector Thermal Research and Development. Collector Engineering Research and Development. Solar Pond Research and Development. Reliability and Durability of Solar Collectors. Environmental Degradation of Low-Cost Solar Collectors. Energy Storage for Solar Systems. Storage Concepts and Design. Analytical and Numerical Modeling of Thermal Conversion Systems. Testing and Evaluation of Thermal Energy Storage Systems. Storage Research and Development. Materials for Solar Technologies. Materials for Solar Collector Concepts and Designs. Theory and Modeling of Solar Materials. Testing and Evaluation of Solar Materials. Exposure Testing and Evaluation of Performance Degradation. Solar Materials Research and Development.




The Solar War


Book Description

A new ice age on Earth. A mysterious object in space. And a desperate mission to save humanity from extinction. Each month, Earth grows colder. Snow falls in summer. Glaciers trample cities across North America, Europe, and Asia. Chaos erupts. Around the world, people abandon their homes, fleeing the cold, flocking to regions where they can survive the new ice age. Nations prepare to go to war for the world's last habitable zones.




The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse


Book Description

Build your own passive solar greenhouse for year-round food production in any climate Fresh, local nutrient-dense fruits vegetables are hard to find in winter in cold climates. Growing warm-weather crops like tomatoes, bananas, avocados, and other perennials is nearly impossible using conventional structures. The solution for millions of backyard and small-scale commercial growers is self-heating solar greenhouses. The Year-round Solar Greenhouse is the one-stop guide to designing and building greenhouses that harness and store energy from the sun to create naturally heated, lush growing environments even in the depths of winter, covering principles of solar greenhouse design and siting, glazing material properties and selection, controlling heat loss, ventilation, and construction methods. Additionally, an in-depth section covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels, including using thermal mass and storing heat underground with a ground to air heat exchanger. Variations include attached solar greenhouses, earth sheltered greenhouses, plus integrating hydroponics and aquaponics. More than a dozen case studies from across North America provide inspiration and demonstrate specific challenges and solutions for growing year-round in any climate. Grow your own food, anytime, anywhere using the power of the sun!




Winter World


Book Description

'Apocalyptic sci-fi at its best... The action is anything but frozen' DAILY MAIL. WITHIN THREE MONTHS, ICE WILL COVER THE EARTH, AND LIFE AS WE KNOW IT WILL END. It was the last thing we expected, but the world is freezing. A new ice age has dawned and humanity has been forced to confront its own extinction. Billions have fled the glaciers, crowding out the world's last habitable zones. They can run from the ice, but they can't escape human nature: a cataclysmic war is coming. In orbit, a group of scientists is running the Winter Experiments, a last-ditch attempt to understand why the planet is cooling. None of the climate models they build makes sense. But then they discover an anomaly, an unexplained variation in solar radiation... and something else. Close to the burning edge of the sun, they catch a fleeting glimpse of something that shouldn't be there... Suddenly humanity must face the possibility it is not alone in the universe. And the terrifying possibility that whatever is out there may be trying to exterminate us. 'A complex, multi-stranded narrative spanning 700 pages that reads like a superior collaboration between Dan Brown and Michael Crichton' THE GUARDIAN.




Solar Power


Book Description

A wide variety of detail regarding genuine and proprietary research from distinguished authors is presented, ranging from new means of evaluation of the local solar irradiance to the manufacturing technology of photovoltaic cells. Also included is the topic of biotechnology based on solar energy and electricity generation onboard space vehicles in an optimised manner with possible transfer to the Earth. The graphical material supports the presentation, transforming the reading into a pleasant and instructive labor for any interested specialist or student.




The Chinese Greenhouse


Book Description

“A prescription for survival in this gorgeously illustrated and accessible guide to the future of farming.” —Albert Bates, author of The Biochar Solution Grow vegetables year-round in a greenhouse powered only by solar energy! Originally developed in China to feed millions, Chinese greenhouses are earth-sheltered, solar-heated, east-west oriented, intelligently glazed, and well-insulated. They have proven highly effective in growing warm-weather vegetables and fruits like green peppers and tomatoes in cold climates through fall, winter, and early spring using passive solar energy as the sole heat source. The Chinese Greenhouse is a full-color comprehensive guide to these passive solar greenhouses for self-sufficiency and growing year-round in soil or aquaponic grow beds with no additional heat. Coverage includes: How to design, build, and operate a Chinese greenhouse How to improve performance via short-term and long-term heat banking How to provide additional heat to make your greenhouse operate even more effectively How to cool the greenhouse during the summer. Become a more self-sufficient gardener, growing and harvesting a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round, with your own Chinese greenhouse. “Wonderfully researched . . . brilliant.” —Jean-Martin Fortier, farmer and author of The Market Gardener, editor of Growers Magazine “Essential reading for pioneers of Chinese greenhouses.” —Pam Dawling, author of The Year-Round Hoophouse and Sustainable Market Farming “Every enthusiastic vegetable farmer dreams of this winter-growing miracle, and Dan shows how to do it.” —Shawna Coronado, author of 101 Organic Gardening Hacks




Living Homes


Book Description

The house of your dreams does not have to be expensive. Living Homes takes you through the planning process to design an energy- and resource-efficient home that won't break the bank. Then, from the footings on up to the roof, author Thomas J. Elpel guides you through the nuts and bolts of slipform stone masonary, tilt-up stone walls, log home construction, building with straw bales, terra tile floors, concrete countertops, windows and doors, solar water systems, masonry heaters, framing, plumbing, greywater, septic systems, swamp filters, painting, and much more.




Grid-Connected Solar Electric Systems


Book Description

First Published in 2011. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.




Solar Energy Update


Book Description




Solar Home Design Manual for Cool Climates


Book Description

If you want an inexpensive, environmentally sound source of energy for your home, you need look no further than the sun. Solar heat is not subject to rate increases, is totally renewable, pollution free and requires little or no technology. It is here for you today, and can easily provide up to 50% of your space and water heating requirements. This is a book that simply and clearly explains the principles of using solar energy to heat your home. Anyone building a new home, or renovating an old one can incorporate one or several aspects of solar energy into their design. Taking you through the process of designing a solar home from the ground up this manual is also a basic course in conservation and sustainable house design. If you live in a 'heating' climate, meaning if you have space heating requirements for most of the year then this is an invaluable resource. A house is the biggest single investment most of us will make in our lives - the way it is built and how it operates can reflect a long term investment in both the building and the planet.