The Simple Solar Engine proposed involves three steps:

Solar energy transmitted by the glass of a solar air collector is absorbed by a suitably coated surface with an efficiency of over 90%.

Gas molecules in collision with the hot surface and in sealed containment absorb the heat energy with almost 100% efficiency setting up convection currents.

All that is needed is a mechanism for absorbing the kinetic energy of moving air in directional flow because of gravitation. All wind turbines are designed for this purpose; the Wells turbine is suggested because it cannot stall and rotates in the same direction when wind direction is reversed. A Wells turbine absorbs the energy of moving air with over 90% efficiency.

 

It is my assertion that the configurations devised in Figures 1-12 will convert solar energy into electricity with a theoretical efficiency of up to 100%.