Patent ID: 7340898

Claim:
A solar-thermal powered generator comprising: an absorber assembly for absorbing incident light, said absorber assembly including a gas permeable body of light absorbing material which is operative to absorb incident light and convert said absorbed light into heat energy, said gas permeable body of light absorbing material being supported in a spaced-apart relationship with a subjacent surface so as to define a volume which is bounded by said body of light absorbing material and said subjacent surface, and so that a gas may flow from said volume through said gas permeable body of light absorbing material; a gas flow channel which establishes fluid communication between said volume and an ambient atmosphere so that a gas stream can flow therebetween; and a turbine which is disposed so as to intercept said gas stream and extract kinetic energy therefrom; whereby when said body of light absorbing material absorbs light and converts said absorbed light to heat, said heat warms said ambient atmosphere proximate said body of light absorbing material so as to decrease the pressure thereof and cause said atmosphere to rise whereby said rising atmosphere causes gas to flow through said gas flow channel, into said volume and through said gas permeable body of light absorbing material.