Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Elise M Strobach

Lee A Weinstein

Evelyn N Wang

Sungwoo Yang

Bikramjit S Bhatia

Lin Zhao

Thomas Alan Cooper

Gang Paul Chen

Xuanhe Zhao

Shaoting Lin

Svetlana Boriskina

David M Bierman

Xiaopeng Huang

James Loomis

Gang Chen

Described herein are window retrofits including a monolithic silica aerogel slab having (i) an average haze value of <5% as calculated in accordance with ASTM standard D1003-13 and (ii) a U-factor of <0.5 BTU/sf/hr/° F., and a transparent polymer envelope sealed at an internal pressure of ≤1 atmosphere, wherein the monolithic silica aerogel slab is encapsulated in the transparent polymer envelope. The monolithic aerogel slab can have a transmittance>94% at 8 mm thickness. The window retrofit can be bonded to a glass sheet.

Energy efficient soundproofing window retrofits

A silica aerogel having a mean pore size less than 5 nm with a standard deviation of 3 nm. The silica aerogel may have greater than 95% solar-weighted transmittance at a thickness of 8 mm for wavelengths in the range of 250 nm to 2500 nm, and a 400° C. black-body weighted specific extinction coefficient of greater than 8 m/kg for wavelengths of 1.5 μm to 15 μm. Silica aerogel synthesis methods are described. A solar thermal aerogel receiver (STAR) may include an opaque frame defining an opening, an aerogel layer disposed in the opaque frame, with at least a portion of the aerogel layer being proximate the opening, and a heat transfer fluid pipe in thermal contact with and proximate the aerogel layer. A concentrating solar energy system may include a STAR and at least one reflector to direct sunlight to an opening in the STAR.

Solar thermal aerogel receiver and materials therefor

Described herein are window retrofits including a monolithic silica aerogel slab having (i) an average haze value of &#x3c;5% as calculated in accordance with ASTM standard D1003-13 and (ii) a U-factor of &#x3c;0.5 BTU/sf/hr/&#xb0; F., and a transparent polymer envelope sealed at an internal pressure of &#x2264;1 atmosphere, wherein the monolithic silica aerogel slab is encapsulated in the transparent polymer envelope. The monolithic aerogel slab can have a transmittance &#x3e;94% at 8 mm thickness. The window retrofit can be bonded to a glass sheet.

A silica aerogel having a mean pore size less than 5 nm with a standard deviation of 3 nm. The silica aerogel may have greater than 95% solar-weighted transmittance at a thickness of 8 mm for wavelengths in the range of 250 nm to 2500 nm, and a 400&#xb0; C. black-body weighted specific extinction coefficient of greater than 8 m/kg for wavelengths of 1.5 &#x3bc;m to 15 &#x3bc;m. Silica aerogel synthesis methods are described. A solar thermal aerogel receiver (STAR) may include an opaque frame defining an opening, an aerogel layer disposed in the opaque frame, with at least a portion of the aerogel layer being proximate the opening, and a heat transfer fluid pipe in thermal contact with and proximate the aerogel layer. A concentrating solar energy system may include a STAR and at least one reflector to direct sunlight to an opening in the STAR.

Growing community of inventors

Clear Lake, WI, United States of America

Elise M Strobach