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.

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.

The invention relates to a method of controlling an energy supply system comprising at least two energy generators each configured to provide at least one form of energy of heat and/or cold and/or electrical energy. The energy supply system further comprises one closed-loop controller per energy generator for controlling the energy generator and a control device coordinatedly controlling the closed-loop controllers. The control device detects an energy supply request for providing energy in the form of heat and/or cold and/or electrical energy and determines for each energy form which energy generators are required to meet the energy supply request. For each energy form, the control device generates switch-on requests for the energy generators required to meet the energy supply system and switch-off requests for the energy generators not required. For each energy generator, the control device determines if one, several or no switch-off request is present and if one, several or no switch-off request is present. For each energy generator for which there is at least one switch-on request present, a switch-on request is output to the corresponding closed-loop controller and, for each energy generator for which there is no switch-on request and at least one switch-off request present, a switch-off request is output to the corresponding closed-loop controller.

A district energy distributing system comprising a geothermal power plant comprising a first and a second circuit. The first circuit comprises a feed conduit for an incoming flow of geothermally heated water from a geothermal heat source; a boiler comprising a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat from the incoming flow of geothermally heated water to superheat a working medium of a second circuit of the geothermal power plant; and a return conduit for a return flow of cooled water from the boiler to the geothermal heat source. The second circuit comprises the boiler configured to superheat the working medium of the second circuit; an expander configured to allow the superheated working medium to expand and to transform the expansion to mechanical work; and a condenser configured to transform the expanded working medium to liquid phase and to heat a heat transfer fluid of a district thermal energy circuit.

A microscale energy cogeneration system comprising at least one micro/nano-turbine for converting fuel into mechanical energy and a generator for converting mechanical energy produced by the micro/nano-turbine into electrical energy in the range of 1 to 5 kWh. Compressed air passes through a cold side of a heat exchanger. The compressed cold air and fuel delivered to a combustion chamber drives the turbine. At least one heat exchanger receives high temperature exhaust gas from an exhaust passage downstream from the micro/nano-turbine for heat transfer. The heat exchanger can be used to heat water and/or air of a house. A water heating system can be coupled to the heat exchanger for converting tap water into potable hot water and/or converting cool air into hot air. The portable micro/nano-turbine set can be scaled up by interconnecting several units to a network for balancing out the energy demand of multiple users.

Disclosed is a system for the production of hot or cold water including: a water reservoir suitable for supplying water to a thermal conditioning device, and/or to a tap; a refrigeration unit having heat exchangers, of which one of the two heat exchanger is immersed in a water receptacle; pipes providing communication between the water reservoir, the water receptacle, a water network, the tap and thermal conditioning devices. The system further includes a box body containing the refrigeration unit and a ventilation mechanism configured to generate an airflow passing through the heat exchangers of the refrigerating unit.

The invention relates to a method of controlling an energy supply system comprising at least two energy generators each configured to provide at least one form of energy of heat and/or cold and/or electrical energy. The energy supply system further comprises one closed-loop controller per energy generator for controlling the energy generator and a control device coordinatedly controlling the closed-loop controllers. The control device detects an energy supply request for providing energy in the form of heat and/or cold and/or electrical energy and determines for each energy form which energy generators are required to meet the energy supply request. For each energy form, the control device generates switch-on requests for the energy generators required to meet the energy supply system and switch-off requests for the energy generators not required. For each energy generator, the control device determines if one, several or no switch-off request is present and if one, several or no switch-off request is present. For each energy generator for which there is at least one switch-on request present, a switch-on request is output to the corresponding closed-loop controller and, for each energy generator for which there is no switch-on request and at least one switch-off request present, a switch-off request is output to the corresponding closed-loop controller.

Systems and methods are disclosed for a cogeneration system for providing heating, cooling, and/or electricity to an enclosure. The system includes a heat engine for heating and supplying electricity to the enclosure through fluid transfer from the heat engine to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure. The system further includes a heat pump configured to supply at least heating and cooling to the enclosure through movement of fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure.

Systems and methods are disclosed for a cogeneration system for providing heating, cooling, and/or electricity to an enclosure. The system includes a heat engine for heating and supplying electricity to the enclosure. Coupled to the heat engine is a first conduit configured to transfer fluid from the heat engine to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure. The system further includes a heat pump configured to supply at least heating and cooling to the enclosure. Coupled to the heat pump is at least a second conduit. The second conduit is configured to move fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure.

Systems and methods are disclosed for a cogeneration system for providing heating, cooling, and/or electricity to an enclosure. The system includes a heat engine for heating and supplying electricity to the enclosure. Coupled to the heat engine is a first conduit configured to transfer fluid from the heat engine to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure. The system further includes a heat pump configured to supply at least heating and cooling to the enclosure. Coupled to the heat pump is at least a second conduit. The second conduit is configured to move fluid from the heat pump to the enclosure to transfer thermal energy from the fluid to the enclosure.