A transport refrigeration system is provided. The refrigeration transportation system comprising: a refrigerated cargo space; a refrigeration unit in operative association with the refrigerated cargo space, the refrigeration unit providing conditioned air to the refrigerated cargo space; a battery system configured to power the refrigeration unit; and an auxiliary power unit configured to charge the battery system when the power level of the battery system is equal to or below a first selected power level.

A solar distillation system for producing a distillate and providing cooling for a structure or appliance, and a method of using the system to produce a distillate and cool a structure or appliance. The system includes a distillate cooling coil, a secondary cooling coil, an expansion valve which is capable of controlling an amount of a coolant that flows through each of the coils. The system also includes a compressor, a plurality of sensors including a temperature sensor and a distillate flow sensor, and a controller which receives input from the sensors and controls the activity of the compressor and expansion valve. The system is capable of producing distillate at night in the absence of solar radiation.

A present heating system or heating and cooling system does not include a tank for storing potable hot water in anticipation of a potable hot water demand. Although one or more temperature sensors may be used for providing feedback to heating of the contents of a tank water heater to achieve a setpoint temperature, the effect of stratification can cause layers of fluid having different temperatures in the tank water heater. Therefore, although portions of the contents of a water heater may be disposed at a setpoint temperature that is unfavorable for Legionella proliferation, there potentially exists other portions that may be disposed at temperatures suitable for Legionella proliferation, especially when the contents have been left unused for an extended period of time.

A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) system is provided and includes a TRU and an energy storage device (ESD). The TRU includes components which are configured to control an environment and a TRU controller configured to control the components in accordance with component operating settings. The ESD includes an ESD controller receptive of identification data identifying the components, current condition data reflective of current conditions and control data reflective of a temperature profile. The ESD controller is configured to determine the component operating settings in accordance with the identification, current condition and control data and to issue the component operating settings to the TRU controller.

A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) system is provided and includes a TRU and an energy storage device (ESD). The TRU includes components which are configured to control an environment and a TRU controller configured to control the components in accordance with component operating settings. The ESD includes an ESD controller receptive of identification data identifying the components, current condition data reflective of current conditions and control data reflective of a temperature profile. The ESD controller is configured to determine the component operating settings in accordance with the identification, current condition and control data and to issue the component operating settings to the TRU controller.

The air conditioning system with solar-powered subcooling system includes a main cooling system having an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve configured to operate in a conventional vapor compression refrigerant cycle. The subcooling system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, the compressor being powered by at least one rechargeable battery connected to a photovoltaic solar panel. The main system and the subcooling system are linked by a heat exchanger having a primary coil in the main system between the condenser and the expansion valve and a secondary coil in the subcooling system disposed between the expansion valve and the compressor. The main system and the subcooling system may use the same type of refrigerant, or different refrigerant types. The additional cooling provided to the refrigerant in the main system by subcooling increases the efficiency of the air conditioning system.

Provided is an engine system. The engine system includes a mixer mixing air and vaporized fuel to form a mixture, an engine driving a cylinder with the mixture discharged from the mixer, a first storage tank supplying the vaporized fuel to the mixer, a second storage tank storing liquid fuel or supplying the stored liquid fuel to the first storage tank, and a heat exchanger performing heat exchange between the liquid fuel discharged from the first storage tank and gas flowing to the engine, thus vaporizing the liquid fuel.

A temperature control system, including a closed refrigerant circuit having an evaporator unit for absorbing heat via the refrigerant, thereby evaporating it, a compressor unit with a mechanical compressor for increasing the pressure of the refrigerant and a thermal collector for using an external heat source to increase the temperature of refrigerant within the circuit, and a condenser unit for rejecting heat from the refrigerant, liquefying it.

A hybrid supplemental solar energy collection and dissipation system with one or more heat pumps is featured. The system includes one or more commercially available photovoltaic panels configured to convert incident radiation to electricity. One or more supplemental solar energy collectors having a flow of fluid therein are selectively coupled to the one or more photovoltaic panels. The one or more supplemental solar energy collectors are configured to collect thermal energy from the one or more photovoltaic panels, radiate thermal energy to space, collect thermal energy from the environment and/or dissipate thermal energy to the environment to heat or cool one or more loads. One or more heat pumps are coupled to the one or more supplemental solar energy collectors and the one or more loads and are configured to amplify heating and/or cooling of the one or more loads.

A solar power refrigerant heating device for use in an air conditioning system includes an intake passageway and a plurality of intake valves are in fluid communication with the intake passageway. A plurality of heating chambers are in fluid communication with respective ones of the plurality of intake valves. A plurality of discharge valves are in communication with respective ones of the plurality of heating chambers. A solar powered temperature control device is in thermal communication with the heating chambers for converting solar energy into heat and selectively applying the heat to the heating chambers. The intake valves, the discharge valves, and the solar powered temperature control device are operatively connected to facilitate sequential receipt of refrigerant from the intake passageway into the heating chambers, heating of the received refrigerant within the heating chambers, and discharge of the refrigerant from the heating chambers according to a prescribed operational sequence.