Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a furnace that includes a blower configured to operate to force a fluid through the furnace, a motor having a rated speed, in which the motor is coupled to and configured to actuate the blower, and a controller configured to receive data indicative of an operating characteristic of the furnace and regulate operation of the motor to be at or below an operational speed limit. The controller is configured to set the operational speed limit based on the data indicative of the operating characteristic of the furnace, such that the operational speed limit is less than or equal to the rated speed of the motor.

A constant-temperature water supply system employing a carbon dioxide heat pump includes a primary side loop, a secondary side water supply pipeline, a carbon dioxide heat pump water heater in the primary side loop, and a heat exchanger between the primary side loop and the secondary side water supply pipeline; the temperature of return water is detected and the temperature of a return water tank is detected, so even if the temperature of return water flowing out of a first heat exchange tube fluctuates, the return water can be input at a position in the return water tank having a close temperature, such that water in the return water tank is always in a stably layered state, and therefore allows for constant-temperature water supply.

A heat pump boiler is disclosed. The heat pump boiler includes a compressor. The heat pump boiler further includes an exterior heat exchanger that is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant and exterior air. The heat pump boiler further includes an interior heat exchanger that is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant and water. The heat pump boiler further includes a channel change valve that is configured to provide refrigerant compressed by the compressor to the exterior heat exchanger or the interior heat exchanger. The heat pump boiler further includes a first boiler heat exchanger that is configured to heat water that has passed through the interior heat exchanger from heat generated through combustion. The heat pump boiler further includes a second boiler heat exchanger that is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant and gas discharged from the first boiler heat exchanger.

A heating system configured to be connected to a heating distribution system of a building. The heating system comprises a heat pump arrangement configured to heat a fluid; a stratified heat storage device configured to store the fluid at differentiated temperatures, a mixing arrangement; and a control device for controlling the heating system. The mixing arrangement is configured to subtract fluid from the heat storage device and to regulate the temperature of the fluid entering the heat distribution system and control the temperature of the returning fluid from the heating distribution system. The invention also relates to a method for controlling such a heating system, a computer program, a computer-readable medium, and a control device.

A central controller for controlling power consumption in a thermal energy system is disclosed, the energy system may include a plurality of heat pump assemblies and a plurality of cooling machine assemblies, each heat pump assembly being connected to a thermal energy circuit comprising a hot conduit and a cold conduit via a thermal heating circuit inlet connected to the hot conduit and via a thermal heating circuit outlet connected to the cold conduit, each cooling machine assembly being connected to the thermal energy circuit via a thermal cooling circuit inlet connected to the cold conduit and via a thermal cooling circuit outlet connected to the hot conduit.

A method of controlling a heating system includes: obtaining, from a power supply source, information specifying an output modulation period during which power consumption by a heat pump unit is to be reduced; and controlling, based on the information obtained in the obtaining, an amount of heat generated by the heat pump unit. In the controlling, the heat pump unit is caused to generate a first amount of heat per unit time in a period other than the output modulation period, and generate a second amount of heat per unit time during the output modulation period, the second amount of heat being less than the first amount of heat.

A heat pump water heater and systems and methods for its control. The systems are configured to heat water within a water storage tank of a heat pump water heater wherein a controller within the system is operatively connected to a plurality of heat sources including at least one electric heating element and a heat pump and sensors in order to selectively energize one of the plurality of heat sources. The controller is configure to process data representative of the temperature of water within the tank near the top of the water storage tank, and rate of water flowing out of the water storage tank, in order to automatically selectively energize the heat sources. The selection of heat sources by the controller is determined by a mode of operation selected by the user and the data processed by the controller in view of the selected mode of operation.

A method of heating water in a water storage tank. The method includes: selecting an outlet port and an inlet port from at least three ports located in the tank at different heights along a vertical direction. The outlet port is below the inlet port. The method further includes extracting water from the outlet port, supplying the extracted water to an external heat exchanger configured for heating the extracted water, and delivering heated water from the heat exchanger to the selected inlet port.

A district public water supply pipe network system compatible for ground source heat pump water and reclaimed water comprises a water supply main pipe connected with a reclaimed water outlet side of a sewage treatment system and connected to a plurality of energy stations and a plurality of transmission and distribution station, and a return water main pipe arranged between the adjacent energy stations to connect them. The energy stations are provided with a plurality of shallow geothermal heat exchange system for exchanging heat with shallow geothermal energy in the region. Both the energy stations and the transmission and distribution station are connected with corresponding distribution pipe networks connected with a user terminal water supply system. The system provides the source side water and the reclaimed water to users. It is a district public geothermal pipe network and a reclaimed water pipe network.

Apparatus and method for heating/cooling buildings and other facilities. An elongate pipe filled with water or other fluid medium forms a thermal gradient header having temperature zones that are progressively warmer towards one end and cooler towards the other. Multiple heating/cooling systems are connected to the header so as to draw fluid from zones that are closest in temperature to the optimal intake temperature of each system, and to discharge fluid back to the header at zones that are closest to the temperature to the optimal output temperature of each system, allowing each heating/cooling system to take advantage of the thermal output of other systems. The pipe forming the thermal gradient header may be routed back and forth in the facility to define a series of legs containing the different temperature zones. A boiler or other source may supply makeup heat to the thermal gradient header, and excess heat may be sent from the header to a ground field or other thermal reservoir for later use.