The present invention provides a method for operating a combined heat and power (CHP) plant comprising a heating boiler, a vaporizer, an expansion machine, and a condenser, achieved according to claim 1. The method comprises steps a), when a first condition is met: supplying a working medium to the vaporizer to obtain an at least partially evaporated working medium, feeding the (total) evaporated working medium to the expansion machine, and operating the expansion machine such that the working medium is expanded, supplying the working medium expanded by the expansion machine to the condenser, and transferring heat of the expanded working medium supplied to the condenser to a medium of a heating circuit designed to heat an object; and b) when a second condition is met which is different from the first condition: i) supplying at least a portion of the working medium to the condenser of the CHP plant without the portion of the working medium having been supplied to the expansion machine, and transferring heat of the working medium supplied to the condenser to a medium of a heating circuit designed to heat an object, and/or supplying a medium supplied from the heating boiler to the vaporizer to a heat transfer device in which heat is transferred from this medium to a medium of a heating circuit designed to heat an object.

A bathroom air-conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a radiator, a decompressing mechanism and a heat absorber are connected with one another through a pipe, a circulating air-course, and a ventilating air-course. In the circulating air-course, the radiator and a circulating fan for circulating the air of the bathroom are placed. In the ventilating air-course, the heat absorber and a ventilating fan for discharging the air from the bathroom to the outside are placed. The heat absorber makes the refrigerant absorb heat from the air of the bathroom, and the radiator makes the refrigerant dissipate heat to the air of the bathroom for heating the bathroom. During the heating of the bathroom, when a temperature of the bathroom becomes higher than a given temperature, a controller reduces an air-blow amount from the ventilating fan.

An evaporator (10) includes a substantially plate-like body member (12) defining an operatively outer surface (14) and an operatively inner surface (16), both surfaces (14, 16) being substantially smooth to inhibit detritus from attaching to the body member (12). The body member (12) is shaped to cause incoming fluid from which heat is to be extracted, in use, to follow an extended, circuitous path past the body member (12) initially along the outer (surface 14) of the body member (12) prior to the fluid impinging on the inner surface (16) of the body member (12).

The present subject matter provides a damper valve. The damper valve includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve. The inner sleeve is positioned within the outer sleeve and is pivotable between a first position and a second position within the outer sleeve. Radial openings of the inner sleeve align with radial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the first position, and axial openings of the inner sleeve align with axial openings of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is in the second position. A related heat pump water heater appliance is also provided.

A system for using solar and wind energy for electricity generation and thermal regulation. The system may include a high altitude wind turbine, which may generate electric power and conduct cold to the ground and the rest of the system. The cold may be conducted to a crystallization tank, which may also include an input for heat, for example from solar energy. Cold and heat from the crystallization tank may then be stored or used to heat or cool one or more buildings. Generated electric power may be used in conjunction with or separately from the heating/cooling system.

A local energy distributing system includes a local feed conduit; a local return conduit; a central heat exchanger connected to a heating grid having a feed conduit for an incoming flow of heat transfer fluid having a first temperature in the range of 50-120° C., and a return conduit for a return flow of heat transfer fluid having a second temperature, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature, wherein the central heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat from the incoming flow of heat transfer fluid to an outgoing flow of local heat transfer fluid in the local feed conduit. The system also includes a plurality of local heating systems, each having an inlet connected to the local feed conduit and an outlet connected to the local return conduit, wherein each local heating system is configured to provide hot water and/or comfort heating to a building.

Embodiments of the invention utilize the geothermal energy exchanger and battery (GEEB) to recover and store thermal energy from the dwelling, from the ground, and from the Earth's atmosphere, reuse the thermal energy in another season of the year, and consume electrical energy to heat and cool the structure at electrical Off Peak time periods. The GEEB may be constructed of a compact steel, ribbed and waterproof permanent container that is set at a depth beneath the surface of the ground where the normal soil temperature is virtually constant year round. The container can then be encased in poured concrete, with the exception of piping or conduits. The container is then filled with a heat transfer fluid so that the entire thermal mass of the GEEB and heat transfer fluid reaches the ambient ground temperature and efficiently couples the load and source sides of a heating and cooling system.

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for preventing freezing when a four-way valve in a heat pump water heater is failed, which includes following acts: In act S1, it is judged that whether current water temperature T is lower than a preset minimum temperature T.sub.min , for the water tank, if yes, perform act S2; if no, perform act S1 again. In act S2, it is judged that whether a cooling rate Td of the current water temperature T is greater than or equal to a preset rate ΔT; or, it is judged that whether the current water temperature T satisfies T<T.sub.min−a and whether T<T.sub.min−a stands for a first time period t1, in which a is a limit value of a temperature difference; if at least one yes, perform act S3, otherwise, return to act S1. In act S3, a heat pump system is controlled to stop and an electric auxiliary heating system is started. By judging whether a cooling rate Td of the current water temperature T is greater than or equal to a preset rate ΔT; or by judging whether the current water temperature T satisfies T<T.sub.min−a and whether T<T.sub.min−a stands for a first time period t1, it may be judged precisely that whether the four-way valve is failed, which avoids a misjudgment.

Heat pump system (100) comprising at least one heat medium circuit (210,220,230,240,250,310,320,410,420,430,440,450,460) in turn comprising a compressor (211), an expansion valve (232,242), at least two different primary heat sources or sinks selected from outdoor air, a water body, the ground or exhaust air, at least one of two different secondary heat sources or sinks selected from indoors air, pool water and tap water, a respective temperature sensor (412,432) at each of said primary heat sources or sinks, a valve means (421,431,451) for selectively directing the primary-side heat medium to at least one of said primary heat exchanging means, and a control means (500). The invention is characterised in that, in a secondary-side heating operating mode, the temperature of said primary heat sources or sinksis measured, and in that the primary-side heat medium is directed only to the primary heat exchanging means associated with the heat sources or sinks with the highest temperature. The invention also relates to a method.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling setting of reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of a district thermal energy distribution system (1) in either a heating mode or a cooling mode. The method comprises: determining, at a control server, a first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) to be set in the heating mode during a future time period; determining, at the control server, a second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) to be set in the cooling mode during the future time period, wherein the second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) is separate from the first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100); sending, from the control server (200) to the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of the first set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100), a respective control message to set the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in the heating mode for the future time period; sending, from the control server (200) to the reversible heat pump assemblies (100) of the second set of the reversible heat pump assemblies (100), a respective control message to set the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in the cooling mode for the future time period; and setting the respective reversible heat pump assembly (100) in either the heating mode or the cooling mode for the future time period.