A heating and hot-water-supply apparatus is provided with: a control unit that performs control on the basis of detection parameters of a plurality of detection means installed at the aforementioned locations and a setting parameter set in an operation unit. The distribution means can adjust the distribution ratio so as to correspond to a heating operation, a hot-water supply operation, and the simultaneous heating and hot-water-supply operation. The control unit prohibits the simultaneous heating and hot-water-supply operation in a case in which the required heating capacity for the hot-water supply operation calculated on the basis of the detection parameters and the setting parameter is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard capacity.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include methods of estimating a heat transfer via one or more thermal energy exchangers. An example method includes: acquiring a signal for a setpoint temperature; acquiring a signal for an inside temperature at a site; acquiring one or more signals indicative of positions of valves of the thermal energy exchangers; producing a value of setpoint temperature from the signal; producing a value of inside temperature; producing a value of position from the one or more signals; providing a calibrated model with the value of setpoint temperature and inside temperature and position; and using the calibrated model to estimate the heat transfer via the one or more thermal energy exchangers.

A water heater appliance includes a cold water conduit and a hot water conduit. The water heater appliance also includes a mixing valve and a controller. The controller may be configured for and/or methods of operating the water heater appliance may include detecting a start of a flow event from the water heater appliance and detecting a water temperature in the mixed water conduit of the water heater that is outside of tolerance limits after detecting the start of the flow event. The controller may be further configured for and/or the method may further include verifying that the flow event has not ended after detecting the water temperature in the mixed water conduit is outside of the tolerance limits. After verifying that the flow event has not ended, a count is added to a fault counter.

A combination domestic hot water and space heating system is disclosed. The system includes two refrigerant circuits, one dedicated to heating potable water in a water storage tank and one dedicated to heating a condenser used to heat a space within a building. A controller sends output signals to valves to vary refrigerant flow into the first refrigerant circuit and/or the second refrigerant circuit. The variation in refrigerant flow can be provided by a single multi-directional valve, one or more valves placed at a first end of each refrigerant circuit, and/or one or more electronic expansion valves placed at the end of each refrigerant circuit. Portions of the system can be placed into a single housing, thereby reducing installation costs and labor.

A solar thermal assisted water heating system includes a thermal collector comprising a plurality of fluid channels configured to collect heat from a surface of a photovoltaic module, a drain-back tank coupled to the thermal collector, a first pump coupled to the drain-back tank and configured to pump fluid from the drain-back tank to the thermal collector, a first heat exchanger configured to receive fluid from the thermal collector, a heat pump coupled to the first heat exchanger and configured to remove heat from the fluid and heat water with the removed heat, and a controller configured to control the first pump and heat pump. The system may include a photovoltaic module and a hot water tank. These systems improve the efficiency of water heating, and the drain-back tank may serve as a thermal battery that stores heat and provides the stored heat when environmental temperatures decrease.

The present invention improves the user-friendliness of a hot-water supply apparatus when using hot water supply and air conditioning. A switching control unit 27, which switches between heat medium flow paths 4 and 5 according to an air conditioning ready state or a hot-water supply ready state, switches a heat medium flow path to the hot-water supply ready state by a switching valve 21 in the case where air conditioning is not used by the time an air conditioning standby time elapses during standby in the air conditioning ready state.

A control system of a water heater apparatus with a combustible gas burner is presented where the apparatus includes a pilot burner with an intermittent-type pilot flame, a main burner, a pilot valve and a main valve, a control unit, a flame detection electrode, introduced into the flame of the pilot burner, and which is configured to conduct an ionization current. The control unit is configured to measure/detect a variation involving increase/decrease of the intensity of ionization current detected, the variation in intensity of ionization current being generated during the change between a first condition, in which the ionization current identifies the ignition state of only the pilot burner, and a second condition, in which the ionization current identifies the simultaneous ignition state of the pilot burner and the main burner so that, by detection of the measurement/variation of ionization current, the effective ignition of the main burner is recognized.

A water heater system includes a controller configured to integrate control of both recovery and recirculation operations of a recovery pump and a recirculation pump. As such, a separate device, installation location, and power source (e.g., available outlet) is not needed with the controller. Because a single controller is configured to control both recovery and recirculation operations, additional control functions are available. The controller may be in communication with an internal controller of the water heater and configured to receive an error notification upon abnormal operation of the water heater. The controller can stop recovery and recirculation operations in response to an error notification, unlike with traditional water heating systems which may otherwise continue to function. The recovery and recirculation operations are based on a setpoint temperature of the water heater such that changes made to the setpoint temperature will automatically adjust in the recovery and recirculation operations.

A water heater system includes a controller configured to integrate control of both recovery and recirculation operations of a recovery pump and a recirculation pump. As such, a separate device, installation location, and power source (e.g., available outlet) is not needed with the controller. Because a single controller is configured to control both recovery and recirculation operations, additional control functions are available. The controller may be in communication with an internal controller of the water heater and configured to receive an error notification upon abnormal operation of the water heater. The controller can stop recovery and recirculation operations in response to an error notification, unlike with traditional water heating systems which may otherwise continue to function. The recovery and recirculation operations are based on a setpoint temperature of the water heater such that changes made to the setpoint temperature will automatically adjust in the recovery and recirculation operations.

Provided is a tower-type outdoor air cleaning apparatus that is disposed outside a facility that performs air cleaning, cleans outside air, and supplies the cleaned air, including: a tower body unit that is disposed away from the facility on one side of the facility, is provided in a tower type with a double-wall structure, in which fomentation is performed inward, air is filtered and suctioned, and is exhausted; an air supply unit that is provided above the tower body unit, in which air is supplied through an upper portion thereof and air flows in through a side portion at a plurality of locations of an outer circumference thereof and is mixed with the air supplied through the upper portion; an air ventilation filter unit that is disposed inside the air supply unit and the tower body unit, filters the mixed air supplied from the air supply unit to be supplied to the facility connected thereto, and exhausts the air circulated in the facility to the outside; a fomentation facility unit that is disposed inside the tower body unit and generates heat and electricity using solar energy for use in fomentation; and a control unit that is connected to the air ventilation filter unit and the fomentation facility unit to control the amount of air supplied by the air supply unit through the air ventilation filter unit, and controls production and transfer of heat and electricity using solar energy in the fomentation facility unit.