148results about "Central heating storage tanks" patented technology

A gas water heater with a tank for holding water including a gas valve mounted below the tank and in fluid communication with a supply of gas. A gas burner is fluidly connected to the gas valve. A first temperature sensor is mounted adjacent a lower portion of the tank and detects a temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank, and a second temperature sensor is mounted adjacent an upper portion of the tank and detects a temperature of water in the upper portion of the tank. A control has inputs connected to the first and second temperature sensors and outputs connected to the gas valve. The control operates the gas valve in response to reading signals from the first and second temperature sensors such that water in the top and bottom portions of the tank stays within a desired temperature range.

A tankless water heating auxiliary system for a solar water heating system, includes a solar collector; a tankless water heater auxiliary system; an insulated water storage tank storing the potable water; a heat exchange system for heating stored water; and piping for connecting the collector, the storage tank and the heat exchanger in fluid communication. A first sensor is connected to and located adjacent the storage tank for sensing the temperature of the stored water at an outlet of the tank. A method for controlling initiation of heating in a tankless water heater auxiliary system, includes monitoring operation of a tankless water heater; measuring water flow using a water flow sensor to determine if water flow rate exceeds a use determined flow rate; implementing a control time delay into the tankless water heater to purge water from the heater and sense the inlet water supply temperature; measuring the water temperature using a heat exchanger outgoing thermistor; comparing the temperature measured by the thermistor to a predetermined temperature; and initiating a combustion sequence if the temperature measured by the outgoing themistor is less than the predetermined temperature.

A system for heating water includes a first tank, a solar panel, a control circuit, and a second tank for receiving water from the first tank. There is a first resistive heating element in the first tank and a second resistive heating element in the second tank. The control circuit couples power from the solar panel to the second resistive heating element unless the water in the second tank is at a preset maximum temperature, then the control circuit couples power to the first resistive heating element. If the water in the second tank is below a preset maximum temperature and above a preset minimum temperature, then the control circuit couples power from the solar panel to both the first heater element and the second heater element. If the temperature of the water in the second tank is below a preset minimum temperature, then the control circuit turns on conventional heating means in the second tank. Water is withdrawn from the second tank for use.

Thermal energy storage articles, systems, and methods for making and using such thermal energy storage articles and systems. A thermal energy storage zone comprising: a first plurality of flow paths; a second plurality of flow paths; and a bed of heat storage media comprising a plurality of structured heat storage elements and a plurality of random heat storage media, wherein the first and second plurality of flow paths pass through a common container, wherein the first plurality of flow paths are configured to extend through the plurality of structured heat storage elements and the second plurality of flow paths are configured to extend through the random heat storage media, and wherein the first plurality of flow paths and the second plurality of flow paths do not intersect within the bed of heat storage media.

A photovoltaic water heater includes a tank containing water and a heater element, a solar module, and a control circuit coupling the solar module to the heater element. One or more transducers in the system produce signals indicative of water usage. A microprocessor is programmed to produce a model of water usage from the signals and cause the heater element to heat water in accordance with the model.

A system for heating water includes a first tank containing water and a heater element for heating the water, a solar panel, a control circuit coupling the solar panel to the heater element, and a second tank. The control circuit couples power to the heater element in proportion to available sunlight. The maximum temperature of the water in the first tank is higher than the maximum temperature of the water in the second tank. Water is drawn from the system through the second tank.

A multi-temperature output fluid heating system including an input for receiving a fluid supply, a single heating source, a first output, a second output and a bypass path. The first output is fluidly connected to the input, where the first output is adapted for control by a first control device and to receive heat from the single heating source to achieve a first temperature at the first output. The bypass path fluidly connects the input and the second output. The input is adapted to empty a first portion of the fluid supply into the first output and a second portion of the input into the bypass path. The second output is adapted to receive an output from the first output and an output from the bypass path to achieve a second temperature.

Provided is a method of controlling the temperature of hot water in a hot water supply system. The flow rate of water flowing into the hot water supply system is measured. Water is preheated / circulated through an internal circulation path connecting a first diverging point, a second diverging point, and a heat exchanger, after a controller stops the combustion of a heating device when the measured flow rate is an operation flow rate of the water supply system or less. The temperature of the water circulating is measured. Predetermined temperature is settled above user set-temperature as preheating circulation-off temperature and predetermined temperature is settled below the set temperature as preheating circulation-on temperature, and operation of the heating device is started when the temperature is the preheating circulation-on temperature or less, and the operation of the heating device is stopped when the measured temperature is the preheating circulation-off temperature or more.

Provided herein are systems and methods directed to using renewable energy sources with hot water heating systems.

A heating system includes a heat pump that provides heat to a major fluid circuit and a minor fluid circuit for performing different heating operations. The system includes a power source having a variable cost and a controller configured to regulate flow of the major and minor fluid circuits to perform the heating operations. The controller is configured to receive information regarding the variable cost of the power source and distribute flow between the major and minor fluid circuits to perform the heating operations to minimize the electricity cost. The combined enhanced demand regulation and enhanced output regulation amplifies the total heat output and power consumption while permitting greater use of a power source of varying cost (e.g. PV)—thereby minimizing overall daily operating cost.

The present invention relates to a hot water supply system that heats low-temperature water flowing into an inlet at a high temperature by using a heating device and supplies the high-temperature water through an outlet. The hot water supply system according to the present invention includes a heat exchanger that transmits heat of the heating device to the inflow water so as to supply the inflow water at a user set temperature; a flow sensor that measures a flow rate of the water flowing into the hot water supply system; a water tank that stores water discharged from the heat exchanger, a temperature sensor that is installed at a predetermined position on a pipe through which the water flows; and a controller that has an input unit to allow a user to input desired conditions, wherein the controller controls the operation of the heating device by comparing the user set temperature with a temperature measured by the temperature sensor and controls the operation of the heating device depending on variation in the flow rate measured by the flow sensor.

A cogeneration system includes a first cooling device disposed in a cooling water circulation path extending between an engine and a waste-heat heat exchanger, and a second cooling device disposed in a hot water circulation pipe extending between a hot water storage tank and a hot air heater. The first cooling device is activated to cool cooling water when the temperature of hot water stored in the hot water storage tank exceeds a first predetermined value, and the second cooling device is activated to cool the hot water when the temperature of hot air inside the hot air heater exceeds a second predetermined value.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes: a main refrigerant circuit (21) having a compressor (1), a radiator (2), a first expansion mechanism (5), a second expansion mechanism (6), and an evaporator (4); an injection passage (22) for supplying an intermediate-pressure refrigerant to an injection port 1c of the compressor 1; and a water circuit (30) through which water to be heated in the radiator (2) flows. The refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes a sub heat exchanger (3) for cooling the water in the water circuit (30) by exchanging heat between the refrigerant in the injection passage (22) and the water to be heated in the radiator (2).

A heating and hot water supply apparatus is provided with a heat pump unit (2), a water storage tank (1), a heat exchanger (10) in the water tank and pipe lines (31, 32). Hot water stored in the water storage tank (1) by being guided by the pipe line (32) passes through a radiator (30) outside the water storage tank (1), then returns into the storage tank (1) by being guided by the pipe line (31) for circulation. Thus, the radiator (30) can directly use heat of large quantity hot water stored in the water storage tank (1).

A heat pump hot-water supply system includes a heat pump hot-water supply device, an electricity storage device, and a control device. The control device determines an operating time zone of the heat pump hot-water supply device based on power conversion efficiency of the electricity storage device, coefficients of performance of the heat pump hot-water supply device of a current day and a next day, and an electricity rate structure of a commercial power system.

Methods of determining the likelihood of the existence of a dry fire condition in a hot water heater without requiring energization of any of the heating elements are presented. Such methods utilize only the sensor inputs required for normal operation of the hot water heater. Such sensory inputs are characterized in a process of fuzzification to enable the utilization of fuzzy logic rules to determine the likelihood of a dry fire condition before any energization of a heating element occurs. Alternatively, the sensory inputs are assigned logical values and are processed using Boolean logic to determine if a dry fire condition exists, prior to the energization of any electrical heating element within the hot water heater. Upon the determination that a dry fire condition is likely, the controller may perform a soft or hard lockout, may allow reset(s), and may provide an indication to the user of the condition.

A hot water storage type hot water supply device is capable of heating water inside a hot water storage tank appropriately, thereby preventing energy waste. A circulating pump is operated and a burner is incinerated, when the average of detected temperatures from water temperature detectors falls below a predetermined lower limit temperature. The burner is extinguished when an accumulated heating amount from the beginning of operation of a heat source equipment becomes equal to or more than a target heating amount necessary for elevating the total amount of water in the hot water storage tank to a preset hot water delivery temperature. The circulating pump is continuously operated after extinguishing the burner, until an accumulated circulated water amount of a circulating path becomes equal to or more than a predetermined water amount set to be equal to or more than a capacity of the hot water storage tank.

The invention relates to an anti-freezing control method and system for failure of a four-way valve of a heat pump water heater. The method includes the following steps that firstly, whether the current water temperature T of the lower middle portion of a water tank is lower than the minimum temperature Tmin of the water tank in use or not is judged, if yes, the second step is executed; and if not, the first step is executed in a cycle manner; secondly, whether the descent speed Td of the current water temperature T is larger than or equal to the preset speed delta T or not is judged; or whether the current water temperature T satisfies the inequation of T<Tmin-a and is kept for the first time t1 or not is judged, wherein the a is the temperature difference limit value; if any judgment result is yes, the third step is executed, and if not, the first step is executed; and thirdly, a heat pump system is stopped and an electricity auxiliary heating system is started. By judging whether the descent speed Td of the current water temperature T is larger than or equal to the preset speed delta T or judging whether the current water temperature T satisfies the inequation of T<Tmin=a and is kept for the first time t1 or not, whether the four-way valve of the heat pump water heater fails or not can be judged precisely, and the error judgment situation is avoided.

A water mixing system attached to an existing plumbing system supplying ambient temperature water and providing temperature regulated water to a user. The water mixing system includes an insulated water tank, a heat pump connected to the insulated water tank with a heat rejecting radiator inside the insulated water tank and a heat absorbing radiator outside the insulated water tank, a temperature detector in the insulated water tank, and one outlet of the insulated water tank connected to a first inlet of a first dispensing water tank. Having a second inlet to receive the ambient temperature water from the existing plumbing system and at least one dispensing outlet, the first dispensing water tank provides mixed water of a desirable temperature from heated water from the insulated water tank and the ambient temperature water via control of the valves attached to the first inlet and the second inlet.

An accumulator tank for handling a heat transfer medium, is disclosed having a tank top section and a bottom section. The accumulator tank is connected to at least one heat emitting system and at least one heat-absorbing system. The accumulator tank has a plurality of partition walls located inside the tank and arranged between the bottom section and the top section for the purpose of dividing the tank into a plurality of spaces. The systems being each connected to at least one respective space so that a temperature gradient is created between the bottom section and the top section. Also disclosed is a system for distributing and handling heat and / or cold, including the accumulator tank.

In a hot water supply system, a heat exchanger transfers heat from a heating device to inflow water to supply the inflow water at a user-set temperature. A flow sensor measures a flow rate of inflow water. A water tank stores outflow water discharged from the heat exchanger. A first temperature sensor, installed on an inlet pipe through which the inflow water flows, measures a temperature of the inflow water. A second temperature sensor, installed on an outlet pipe through which the outflow water flows, measures a temperature of the outflow water discharged from the heat exchanger. A controller includes an input unit to receive input from a user, wherein the controller controls an operation of the heating device based on at least one of: (1) comparison between the user-set temperature and the temperature of the outflow water; (2) variation in the flow rate; or (3) any combination thereof.

The present invention relates to a method of controlling the temperature of hot water for using hot water at a low-flow rate in a hot water supply system. The hot water supply system includes: a flow sensor; a heat exchanger; a water tank, a temperature sensor; a controller having an input unit; and a pump that is disposed in a pipe line connecting a first diverging point formed at a pipe line for an outlet and a second diverging point formed at a pipe line for an inlet. The method includes: measuring the flow rate of water flowing into the hot water supply system, using the flow sensor; preheating-circulating the water in the hot water supply system through an internal circulation path connecting the first diverging point, the second diverging point, and the heat exchanger, using the pump, after the controller stops the combustion of the heating device when the measured flow rate is an operation flow rate of the water supply system or less; measuring the temperature of the water circulating, using the temperature sensor; and setting predetermined temperature above user set-temperature as preheating circulation-off temperature and predetermined temperature below the set temperature as preheating circulation-on temperature, and then starting operation of the heating device when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is preheating circulation-on temperature or less and stopping the operation of the heating device when the measured temperature is the preheating circulation-off temperature or more, using the controller.

The invention relates to a pressure-bearing solar energy water heater, pertaining to the field of solar energy utilization technology. The solar energy water heater comprises a water storage bladder and a solar energy heating collecting device provided with an infusion port and a return port; the bottom of the water storage bladder is provided with a heat exchanging cavity provided with a water inlet and a water outlet; the upper surface of the heat exchanging cavity and the bottom surface of the water storage bladder are coplanar; the infusion port and the return port of the solar energy heating collecting device are respectively communicated with the water inlet and water outlet of the heating exchanging cavity to form a circulation loop. The solar energy water heater of the invention has simpler structure and the water storage space in the bladder is not reduced; in the bladder and the heating exchanging cavity, and as water with higher temperature and water with lower temperature have ascending trend and descending trend respectively, the upper surface of the coplanar position thereof always contacts with the water of the lowest temperature in the bladder while the lower surface always contacts with the water of the highest temperature in the heat exchanging cavity, thus obtaining the best heat exchanging effect due to the maximum temperature difference up and down formed at the coplanar position, and obviously increasing the yield of hot water.

This disclosure describes systems and methods for the underground storage of heated or cooled fluid in order to preserve the temperature of the fluid. The systems described herein utilize one or more porosity storage reservoirs for heated or cooled fluid storage, in effect creating cold and or heat reservoirs in the subsurface. The reservoirs are hydrologically separated from the surrounding natural groundwater regime and, at least in part, thermally insulated from the natural environment by the walls creating the underground reservoirs. The walls may be actively or passively heated or cooled to provide better performance.

‘Underground Thermal Battery Storage System’ using a battery structure of one or more underground thermally insulated cells, where each cell comprised of a waterproof thermal insulation shell, one or more fluid storage tanks and earth matrix. The thermal storage cell's fluid storage tanks are interconnected using a thermal fluid transport system with control valves, circulating pumps, and managed by a programmable controller. The programmable controller uses the cell sensors to determine cell status, control cell interconnections, and to manage the thermal charging and discharging by exterior heating or cooling devices. A moisture injection system is provided to control the thermal conductivity within the cell's earth matrix.

The boiler of the present invention which enables the simultaneous use of heating and hot water includes: an internal heating-water discharge line for heating water, which has a circulation path for heating water forcibly fed by an internal circulation pump between a tank and a main heat exchanger; a supply water discharge line for heating water, which has a circulation path for heating water forcibly fed by an external circulation pump and supplied and returned from / to the tank and an indoor heating mechanism; and a three-way valve provided on a second indoor heating water connecting pipe of the internal heating-water discharge line for heating water, which adjusts the degree to which it is opened according to the indoor heating load and the hot water load in order to supply hot water passing through the main heat exchanger to the tank and a hot-water heat exchanger. The internal heating-water discharge line of the boiler and the supply water discharge line for heating water are connected to the internal space of the tank disposed therebetween.

A refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes: a main refrigerant circuit (21) having a compressor (1), a radiator (2), a first expansion mechanism (5), a second expansion mechanism (6), and an evaporator (4); an injection passage (22) for supplying an intermediate-pressure refrigerant to an injection port 1c of the compressor 1; and a water circuit (30) through which water to be heated in the radiator (2) flows. The refrigeration cycle apparatus (50) includes a sub heat exchanger (3) for cooling the water in the water circuit (30) by exchanging heat between the refrigerant in the injection passage (22) and the water to be heated in the radiator (2).

The invention discloses a multi-device combined high-low-temperature independent heat storage and supply system based on wind curtailment electric energy, and relates to a heat supply system. The problems that an existing electric heat supply system is low in exergy efficiency and poor in heat supply reliability can be solved. The multi-device combined high-low-temperature independent heat storage and supply system comprises a primary network water supply pipe, a primary network water return pipe, a primary network circulating pump and secondary network circulating pumps and further comprises a regional energy station and a distributed heat pump station. The regional energy station comprises an electric boiler, an air source heat pump, a high-temperature heat storage tank, a low-temperature heat storage tank, a heat release pump and a heat storage pump. The distributed heat pump station comprises a heat exchanger and an electric heating pump. The electric boiler and the air source heat pump which are connected in parallel are arranged between the primary network water supply pipe and the primary network water return pipe. The heat exchanger and the electric heating pump which are connected in series are further arranged between the primary network water supply pipe and the primary network water return pipe. Secondary pipe networks are arranged between the heat exchanger and an existing user radiating device and between the electric heating pump and the existing user radiating device. The secondary pipe networks are provided with the corresponding secondary network circulating pumps. The multi-device combined high-low-temperature independent heat storage and supply system is used for supplying heat.

A solar energy collecting and storing system includes a solar energy collecting unit and a heat reservoir. By the thermal energy collector, solar light is absorbed and converted into thermal energy for heating a working fluid contained in the thermal energy collector. Multiple input / output control valves and multiple input / output joints are connected with the heat reservoir for controlling the working fluid to flow into or out of the heat reservoir. If the light exposure is insufficient, the input control valve is closed and the heat reservoir is maintained in a thermally isolated state. For utilizing the thermal energy, the output control valve is opened and thus the thermal energy contained in the working fluid is transferred to the thermal energy application device through the thermal energy output piping line.

A portable solar shower includes two detachable water reservoirs. One of the reservoirs may be coupled to a water source and includes a diverter valve regulating the flow and temperature of water spayed by a shower head, and the other reservoir has a port for coupling to the shower head. When the solar shower is not in use, the reservoirs may be separated from one another to form a compact package adapted for storage or transportation.