The method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of a low-temperature or high temperature heating system, comprising a primary heat releasing unit (i.e. cogeneration unit with fuel cell (FC) or internal combustion engine (ICE)) for co-generation of the heat and power, and at least one secondary heat releasing unit (i.e. heat pump (HP)) for utilization of at least one of the available waste/renewable energy heat sources (HS) from the ambient (A), where the heat generated by said heat pump is preferably used for preheating the heat transfer medium in the return line of the closed loop heating system, wherein a primary heat releasing unit is used to heat the heat transfer medium to the required temperature level of the heat distribution network. The apparatus according to the invention may comprise one or more heat pumps (HP) of the same or different types, and one or more primary heat releasing units in serial, parallel or cascade connection circuits.

Cogeneration system (200, 300) comprising: a boiler (201, 301) able to heat water for domestic use; a combustor (201a, 301a) placed into the boiler; a compressor (204, 304); a heat exchanger (202, 302) for the exchange of thermal energy between the combustion fumes generated in the combustor (201a, 301a) and a fluid coming from the compressor (204, 304); a gas turbine (203, 303); a current generator (205, 305) and a current converter (206, 306) able to produce electrical energy; a main fumes/water exchanger (207, 307) able to recover thermal energy.

The cogeneration system (200, 300) comprises also a by-pass valve (210, 310) configured to adjust the flow of fluid entering the gas turbine (203, 303).

A gas-fired instantaneous water heater including a thermoelectric generator (TEG) and a heat pump that is powered by the TEG to improve efficiency compared to existing water heaters. Water to be heated is circulated through the heat pump, TEG heat exchanger, and primary heat exchanger to produce a stream of heated water. An adjustable firing rate permeable matrix radiant burner is included, in which natural gas and air are combusted to produce combustion products, including heat. The combustion products are condensed in a condensing system to produce cooled and dry exhaust gas.

A combined heating and power system is configured to generate energy as well capture a large percentage of energy that would otherwise be lost using components, including heat transfer components, embedded within a vessel to transfer energy in the form of heat to liquid within the vessel.

A combined heat and power (CHP) system is installed with a power lock-out feature preventing flow of heated working fluid to an expander driving a generator generating electrical power until installation by a licensed person is completed, whereby heat can be provided to a building substantially immediately after installation of the CHP system, while power generation can be deferred until convenient.

An evaporator with integrated heat recovery incorporates a vapor tube in a combustion chamber surrounded by a water jacket. The water jacket is in fluid communication with an exhaust gas heat exchanger. Coolant circulates in series or parallel first and second coolant flows through the exhaust gas heat exchanger to recover heat from exhaust gasses leaving the combustion chamber and through the water jacket surrounding the combustion chamber to recover heat not delivered to the operating fluid. The evaporator may incorporate a condenser within the housing and in fluid communication with the exhaust gas heat exchanger and/or water jacket. The evaporator may be divided to flow in parallel through the condenser the exhaust gas heat exchanger. The water jacket may be fluidly connected with one or the other of the condenser or the exhaust gas heat exchanger.

A combined heat, cooling and power system is configured to generate energy as well capture a large percentage of energy that would otherwise be lost using components, including heat transfer components, embedded within a vessel to transfer energy in the form of heat to liquid within the vessel.

There is herein described energy storage systems. More particularly, there is herein described thermal energy storage systems and use of energy storable material such as phase change material in the provision of heating and/or cooling systems in, for example, domestic dwellings.

A water heater can include a housing and a heating system disposed within the housing, where the heating system is configured to heat a fluid. The water heater can also include a switch coupled to the heating system, where the switch operates between a first position during normal operations and a second position during an outage. The water heater can further include a primary power source coupled to the switch, where the primary power source is configured to provide primary power to the heating system through the switch during the normal operations. The water heater can also include an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) coupled to the switch, where the UPS is configured to provide reserve power to the heating system through the switch during the outage, and where the UPS is integrated with the housing.

The invention relates to a device for storing temperature-controlled fluids, comprising at least one container (20), a Peltier element (30), the hot side (301) of which is in contact with at least one wall (201) of the container (209), at least one device (40) for delivering ambient air to the cold side (302) of the Peltier element (30), and at least one electrical energy source (50, 501, 502) for supplying the Peltier element (30) and the device (40) for delivering the ambient air. For low-loss storage of the fluid in the container (20), the device (40) for delivering ambient air can be operated according to the temperature of the ambient air and the heating capacity of the Peltier element (30) can be controlled according to the currently produced electrical energy of a photovoltaic solar generator (501) forming an electrical energy source. Preferably, times and/or durations of the heat energy emitted from the Peltier element (30) and/or from an accumulator (502) to the fluid can be controlled by a control appliance (6) on the basis of at least one requirements specification stored in the control appliance (60).