There is provided a thermal energy storage system suitable for use with systems adapted to transfer heat from at least one heat source to at least one heat sink (heat transfer system), comprising at least one thermal energy storage unit. There is additionally provided a thermal energy storage system for use with a heat pump, or vapour compression refrigeration systems, a method of defrosting evaporators without affecting the energy delivered in the condenser before the defrosting cycle, and system architecture for defrosting evaporators in heat pumps or in vapour compression refrigeration systems.

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.

A heating system (1) has a turbine (20) for burning a fuel to provide flue gas and electrical energy. A flue gas heat exchanger (25) receives the flue gas and uses it to heat water in three of stages. An air conduit (2) receives inlet air (3) and gases from secondary inlets (5, 26) from within the system to elevate the temperature in the main conduit (2) above ambient. An evaporator (8) recovering heat from the air flow of the main conduit, and provides energy via an evaporator coil to an air source heat pump ASHP (50). A water source heat pump WSHP (60) receives a water feed at an elevated temperature from the ASHP (50), and it cools the flue gas in a third heat exchanger stage (25(c)). Hence, WSW efficiency is high and it provides product water, as do the first and second stages of the flue gas heat exchanger (25)

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.

The invention provides a system for energy distribution that uses liquid carbon dioxide as a working fluid. Evaporation of the carbon dioxide provides cooling, and compression of the carbon dioxide gas back to the liquid state provides heat. The amount of heat transferred at both stages is sufficient to provide environmental heating and cooling. Waste thermal energy from a power plant, in the form of hot water, is fed into the system and used to drive the overall process. An underground thermal energy storage system is used to store energy flowing into the system that is in excess of the current demand.

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.

A heating and hot-water supply apparatus shortens the time taken for hot-water supply to stabilize at a set temperature in response to a request for a hot-water supply operation during a heating operation. The apparatus performs, using a common heating medium heated by a heater, a heating operation by circulating the heating medium through a heating terminal, and a hot-water supply operation of heating service water through heat exchange with the heating medium circulated through a hot-water supply heat exchanger and supplying hot water. A distribution unit (three-way valve) changes a distribution ratio of the heating medium between the heating terminal and the hot-water supply heat exchanger. A controller controls an amount of heat generated by the heater for the heating operation or the hot-water supply operation, and stops heating with the heater when the temperature of the heating medium reaches a predetermined upper-limit temperature.

The present invention relates to a heat transfer system comprising a heating circuit having a feed conduit for an incoming flow of heat transfer fluid having a first temperature, 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. The heat transfer system also includes a cooling circuit having a feed conduit for an incoming flow of heat transfer fluid having a third temperature, and a return conduit for a return flow of heat transfer fluid having a fourth temperature, the fourth temperature being higher than the third temperature, and a heat pump including a first heat exchanger having a first circuit for circulating heat transfer fluid and a second circuit for circulating heat transfer fluid.