The present invention relates to a hot water storage tank (202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702), defining a primly storage volume (204, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704), with at least one heat source (212, 312, 412, 512, 612, 712) positioned in and operable to directly heat water in the upper portion (207, 307, 407, 507, 607, 707) of the primary storage volume (204, 304, 404, 04, 604, 704), and a pump or other means (237, 337, 437, 537, 637) that draws water, from the lower portion (209, 309, 409, 509, 609, 709) of the tank into a heat transfer device (216, 316, 416, 516, 616, 716), situated in said upper portion (207, 307, 407, 507, 607, 707). The heat transfer device (216, 316, 416, 516, 616, 716) is configured to enable the transfer of heat from heated water in the upper portion (207, 307, 407, 507, 607, 707) to the drawn water prior to discharge into the water in the upper portion (207, 307, 407, 507, 607, 707).

An instant hot water delivery system includes a thermal storage bin that receives hot water from a water heater via a hot water supply conduit and stores the hot water therein. The thermal storage bin is disposed adjacent a point of demand to deliver the hot water instantly to the point of demand responsive to a demand. The thermal storage bin is configured to retain a thermal energy of the hot water for a prolonged period using a phase change material. When the hot water stored in the thermal storage bin cools down below a threshold temperature, the cooled down hot water is recirculated to the water heater via a cold water supply conduit using a crossover valve. The recirculation is based on thermosiphon. Fresh hot water from the water heater replaces the cooled down hot water that is displaced from the thermal storage bin.

A system and method for providing hot water to a point of use such as a shower. Waste warm water from said point of use passes through a heat exchanger, where it initially warms incoming mains water, typically to about 34 C. The initially warmed water is heated to its final temperature, typically about 42 C., in a smart boiler. The smart boiler, which typically has a volume of about 40 liters, comprises two chambers with a flexible barrier therebetween. Each chamber is separately heated as needed. Hot water is drawn from one of the two chambers; simultaneously, the other chamber fills with initially warmed water and is heated to its final temperature. When the volume of water in the chamber from which water is being drawn reaches a minimum, the system begins to fill that chamber and to draw water from the other one.

A solar-powered two-bed adsorption chiller which can operate after sunset when the solar radiation intensity becomes zero. Rechargeable solar-powered batteries (SPBs) are connected to a flat-plate solar collector (FPSC). The photoelectric charges are directed from FPSC to a solar charge controller (SCC) which acts as a charge amplifier thus magnifying the total charge before it is finally collected inside the SPB for future use. The SPB is in turn connected to a resistance heating wire (RHW) which is immersed inside the HWST.

A system and method of operating a water supply system with one or more water consuming appliances is provided. The water supply system includes a hot water heater for supplying a flow of heated water through a supply conduit to at least one water consuming appliance. The water consuming appliance receives the flow of heated water and provides an indication of a fault condition if excessive water accumulates in the appliance, which might indicate a malfunction with a drain pump or a water supply valve. A safety shutoff valve is positioned on the supply conduit and is in operative communication with the water consuming appliance. The safety shutoff valve is configured for stopping the flow of heated water when it receives the indication of the fault condition.

A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, an inlet line, and an outlet line, where the inlet line provides unheated water to the tank, and where the outlet line draws heated water from the tank. The water heating system can also include multiple sensing devices, where each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices measures a parameter associated with the tank. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the plurality of sensing devices, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on measurements made by the plurality of sensing devices.

A temperature sensor securing system and method is described for securing two or more temperature sensors against an outer surface of a side wall of a tank of an electric water heater. The temperature sensors are secured spaced apart on an elongated support such as a circuit board which is held in position against the tank outer surface by support means. An expandable liquid foam causes the temperature sensors to be biased against the outer surface of the tank side wall to sense the temperature of the side wall at the location of the sensors and to generate actual temperature signals to a controller which is programmed to communicate with a subscriber and/or energy provider to control the water temperature inside the tank.

The disclosed technology relates to a solar water heating system including a tank configured to store heat transfer fluid, a solar collector in fluid communication with the tank, and a pump system in fluid communication with the tank and the solar collector. The pump system can include a first pump, a second pump, and a valve assembly. The valve assembly can direct the heat transfer fluid from an outlet of the first pump to the solar collector when the first pump is operating and can direct the heat transfer fluid from an outlet of the second pump to the solar collector when the second pump is operating. The first pump and the second pump can transfer the heat transfer fluid from the solar collector back to the tank when the first pump and the second pump are not operating.

A hot water supply system that can reduce energy consumption is provided. The hot water supply system includes a liquid heater for heating a liquid, a liquid-water heat exchanger, a water-heating circuit in which the liquid is circulated between the liquid heater and the liquid-water heat exchanger, a lower outward path for leading water from a lower part of a hot water storage tank to the liquid-water heat exchanger, the upper return path for leading the water from the liquid-water heat exchanger to an upper part of the hot water storage tank, a middle outward path for leading the water from a middle part of the hot water storage tank to the liquid-water heat exchanger, a middle return path for leading the water from the liquid-water heat exchanger to a middle part of the hot water storage tank.

A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, an inlet line, and an outlet line, where the inlet line provides unheated water to the tank, and where the outlet line draws heated water from the tank. The water heating system can also include multiple sensing devices, where each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices measures a parameter associated with the tank. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the plurality of sensing devices, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on measurements made by the plurality of sensing devices.