An accumulator tank for handling a heat transfer medium, may have a tank top section and a bottom section. The accumulator tank may be connected to at least one heat-emitting system and at least one heat-absorbing system. The accumulator tank may have 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 may be 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, the accumulator tank.

An energy generating system for generating thermal energy and electrical energy for a premises. The system includes an engine that drives an AC power generator to supply supplemental or standby power to the premises. The thermal energy given off by the engine is also coupled to the premises to provide heat thereto. A processor controls the various parameters of both the energy generating system and the premises to coordinate the proper heating and cooling thereof.

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 modulating burner apparatus includes a variable speed blower feeding a multi-chamber burner having first and second burner chambers. A manifold system communicates the blower with the burner, and a flow control valve member is located between the blower and the second chamber of the burner. The flow control valve is configured to provide fuel and air mixture from the blower to only the first burner chamber at lower blower speeds of the blower and to both the first and second burner chambers at higher blower speeds of the blower.

An accumulator tank for handling a heat transfer medium, may have a tank top section and a bottom section. The accumulator tank may be connected to at least one heat-emitting system and at least one heat-absorbing system. The accumulator tank may have 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 may be 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, the accumulator tank.

Heat transfer systems employing a heat transfer means (e.g., circulating fluid, thermally conductive material, etc.) to transfer heat from the heat source (e.g., fireplace, wood stove or other heat source) to a remote location of a home, residence, building or other structure.

There is described an infrastructure generally having a reservoir having a base having a first periphery, a wall having a first wall portion hermetically mounted to the first periphery of the base, the first wall portion upwardly protruding to a second wall portion defining a second periphery, and a top surface hermetically mounted to the second periphery of the wall, inner surfaces of the base, the wall and the top surface collectively forming a closed cavity for receiving liquid, the top surface having a depression forming an open cavity for receiving liquid. There is described a method of operating the infrastructure by at least one of heating and maintaining liquid confined within the closed cavity to a first temperature; and the liquid confined within the closed cavity at least one of heating and maintaining liquid received within the open cavity to a second temperature lower than the first temperature.

Heat transfer systems for computer server(s) employing a heat transfer means (e.g., circulating fluid, thermally conductive material, etc.) to transfer heat from the heat source (e.g., computer server(s), fireplace, wood stove or other heat source) to a remote location of a home, residence, building or other structure.

A medium for energy storage includes a plurality of capsules. Each capsule contains a phase changing material (PCM) configured to undergo a liquid-solid phase transition at a solidification temperature, T.sub.S. The PCM undergoes a relative volume change due to the phase transition. A shell is filled with the PCM. The shell contains a first heat-conducting material, and is configured to comply to the relative volume change. The relative volume change is configured to cause a buoyancy force, which acts on the capsule when the capsule is disposed in water at a water temperature, T.sub.W, to be larger than the capsule's weight for T.sub.w>T.sub.s, and equal to or smaller than the capsule's weight for T.sub.w<T.sub.s. The T.sub.s can be within 5 F. of a design water temperature T.sub.o at the outlet of a water tank. The capsule can be neutrally buoyant in water at T.sub.o.

A system for heating an indoor environment comprising: a primary heat source for heating a heat transfer fluid; at least one remotely actuatable valve for stepped or continuous control of the flow rate of a heat transfer fluid through a return pipe outlet of a heat emitter; a pipe temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a return pipe outlet of a heat emitter; an optional room temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature of an indoor environment; an optional user interface for receiving instructions from a user including at least one target ambient temperature; an electronic controller configured to receive temperature measurement information from each of the pipe temperature sensors and (optionally) temperature measurement information from each of the room temperature sensors, and further configured to provide control instructions to each of the remotely actuatable valves relating to flow rate control; wherein the electronic controller comprises a processor configured to determine the control instructions based at least in part on the temperature measurement information.