A system including a photovoltaic panel having a first heat exchanger for absorbing heat from the panel and/or from the environment by a heat exchanging fluid, connected to a heat pump. A second heat exchanger is provided for absorbing heat by the heat exchanging fluid and a control means for controlling a flow of the heat exchanging fluid through the first heat exchanger and/or the second heat exchanger. The heat pump is arranged to cool the heat exchanging fluid. The system has the following operating modes: a first mode in which cooled heat exchanging fluid is fed to the first heat exchanger; and a second mode in which cooled heat exchanging fluid is fed to the second heat exchanger and then fed to the first heat exchanger.

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for operating a fluid heating device comprising a heat pump and an electric heating element. The disclosed technology can include a system and method that can receive current data from a current sensor and temperature data from a temperature sensor, determine whether the current is greater than or equal to a threshold current and whether the temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature, and output a control signal to heat the fluid using the heat pump only or the electric heating element only based on the current data and the temperature data.

A heat pump assembly (100) is presented. The heat pump assembly (100) comprises a heat pump (110) having a primary side inlet (122) and a primary side outlet (124); a primary side inlet valve assembly (126) comprising: a primary side inlet connection (126a) connected to the primary side inlet (122), a primary side inlet valve first conduit connection (126b) configured to be connected to a first conduit (12) of a thermal energy grid (10), and a primary side inlet valve second conduit connection (126c) configured to be connected to a second conduit (14) of the thermal energy grid (10); a first conduit temperature determining device (105a) configured to measure a local temperature, t.sub.1, of heat transfer liquid of the first conduit (12); a second conduit temperature determining device (105b) configured to measure a local temperature, t.sub.2, of heat transfer liquid of the second conduit (14); and a controller (108). The controller is configured to: receive hand t.sub.2 from the first and second conduit temperature determining devices (105a; 105b), receive information pertaining to whether the heat pump (110) is a heating mode heat pump or a cooling mode heat pump. The controller is configured to upon the heat pump (110) is the heating mode heat pump and upon t.sub.2>t.sub.1 set the primary side inlet valve assembly (126) to fluidly connect the primary side inlet valve first conduit connection (126b) and the primary side inlet connection (126a), primary side inlet valve assembly (126) to fluidly connect the primary side inlet valve or upon the heat pump (110) is the heating mode heat pump and upon t.sub.1>t.sub.2, set the second conduit connection (126c) and the primary side inlet connection (126a). The controller is configured to upon the heat pump (110) is the cooling mode heat pump and upon t.sub.1>t.sub.2, set the primary side inlet valve assembly (126) to fluidly connect the primary side inlet valve second conduit connection (126c) and the primary side inlet connection (126a), or upon the heat pump (110) is the cooling mode heat pump and upon t.sub.2>t.sub.1, set the primary side inlet valve assembly (126) to fluidly connect the primary side inlet valve first conduit connection (126b) and the primary side inlet connection (126a).

A fluid heating device comprising a heat pump and an electric heating element can include a system and method that can receive current data from a current sensor and temperature data from a temperature sensor, determine whether the current is greater than or equal to a threshold current and whether the temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature, and output a control signal to heat the fluid using the heat pump only or the electric heating element only based on the current data and the temperature data.

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.

Recovery system for the recovery of thermal energy from waste water from building, which system comprises a heat pump adapted to absorb thermal energy from a non-freeze liquid circulating through the heat pump and arranged to deliver thermal energy to water flowing through the heat pump, a heat exchanger device that is in contact with said waste water, and a pipeline system disposed between the heat pump and the heat exchanger device, and in which non-freeze liquid can circulate. The heat exchanger device is designed so that the non-freeze liquid passes through the heat exchanger device, whereby the non-freeze liquid is able to absorb thermal energy from the waste water. Further, the system comprises a collector tank, and a pipeline system for supplying waste water to the collector tank. The heat exchanger device is disposed in the collector tank, wherein the non-freeze liquid can absorb thermal energy from waste water in the collector tank.

Recovery system for the recovery of thermal energy from waste water from building, which system comprises a heat pump adapted to absorb thermal energy from a non-freeze liquid circulating through the heat pump and arranged to deliver thermal energy to water flowing through the heat pump, a heat exchanger device that is in contact with said waste water, and a pipeline system disposed between the heat pump and the heat exchanger device, and in which non-freeze liquid can circulate. The heat exchanger device is designed so that the non-freeze liquid passes through the heat exchanger device, whereby the non-freeze liquid is able to absorb thermal energy from the waste water. Further, the system comprises a collector tank, and a pipeline system for supplying waste water to the collector tank. The heat exchanger device is disposed in the collector tank, wherein the non-freeze liquid can absorb thermal energy from waste water in the collector tank.

Disclosed herein is a heat recovery system, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the heat recovery system may include a chiller, primary heat exchangers, primary pumps, secondary heat exchangers, and secondary pumps. Further, the chiller is configured for providing primary fluid and secondary fluid. Further, the primary heat exchangers are configured for exchanging a first amount of heat between the primary fluid and primary mediums creating a heat deficit and/or a heat excess in the primary mediums. Further, the primary pumps are configured for circulating the primary fluid between the chiller and the primary heat exchangers. Further, the secondary heat exchangers are configured for exchanging a second amount of heat between the secondary fluid and secondary mediums. Further, the secondary pumps are configured for circulating the secondary fluid between the chiller and the secondary heat exchangers.

A reversible heat pump assembly (100) is disclosed. The heat pump assembly (100) comprises a heat pump (110) having a first side (120) and a second side (130), the heat pump (110) being configured to transfer heat from the first side (120) to the second side (130) or vice versa; a first side inlet valve assembly (126) having a heat pump connection (126a) connected to the first side (120), and hot and cold conduit connections (126b; 126c) arranged to be connected to a thermal energy grid (10) comprising hot and cold conduits (12; 14); a second side outlet valve assembly (136) having a heat pump connection (136a) connected to the second side (130), and heating and cooling circuit connections (136b; 136c) arranged to be connected to heating and cooling circuits (130; 140), respectively. The reversible heat pump assembly (100) is configured to be selectively set in either a heating mode or a cooling mode. In the heating mode the heat pump (110) is configured to transfer heat from the first side (120) to the second side (130), the first side inlet valve assembly (126) is configured to fluidly connect the hot conduit connection (126b) and the heat pump connection (126a), and the second side outlet valve assembly (136) is configured to fluidly connect the heat pump connection (136a) and the heating circuit connection (136b). In the cooling mode the heat pump (110) is configured to transfer heat from the second side (130) to the first side (120), the first side inlet valve assembly (126) is configured to fluidly connect the cold conduit connection (126c) and the heat pump connection (126a), and the second side outlet valve assembly (136) is configured to fluidly connect the heat pump connection (136a) and the cooling circuit connection (136c). Also a district thermal energy distribution system comprising a plurality of reversible heat pump assemblies (100) is disclosed.

When a heating operation mode using a heating unit is specified and when a hot water supply request using the hot water in a hot water storage tank does not occur, an air conditioning apparatus transmits a first selection signal for selecting the heating unit to a three-way valve. When the heating operation mode is specified and when the hot water supply request occurs, the air conditioning apparatus transmits, to the three-way valve, a second selection signal for changing a destination of circulation of secondary refrigerant from the heating unit to a coil heat exchanger, and transmits an operation start signal to a refrigerant indoor unit.