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.

A system for heating a first fluid flow from a first temperature to a second temperature, the system including a hot water supply line for receiving the first fluid flow at a first end and exhausting the first fluid flow at a second end; and a heating system including a heat engine, a thermal battery and a heat exchanger, wherein the thermal battery is configured to be replenished at a point of heat transfer by the heat engine and the hot water supply line is configured to receive heat from the thermal battery via the heat exchanger to elevate the temperature of the first fluid flow from the first temperature to the second temperature.

A system for heating water to improve safety and efficiency. The system may have normal operation measured in time. After a time of normal operation, a water temperature setpoint may be checked. If the setpoint is not at a certain level, normal operation may continue. If the setpoint is within the certain level, water temperature may be measured. If the water temperature is less than a desired level, one or more draws of water may be measured for a preset temperature drop. If the draws do not meet the temperature drop, a return to check the setpoint may be made. If the draws meet the temperature drop, the setpoint may be reduced and a time of normal operation may be measured to determine whether a burn cycle occurs within the time. If not, normal operation may continue; but if so, a return to check the setpoint may be made.

A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, and a first temperature sensor disposed toward a top end of the tank to measure a first temperature and a second temperature sensor disposed toward a bottom end of the tank to measure a second temperature. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on a plurality of algorithms and measurements made by the first and second temperature sensors. The plurality of algorithms solves for at least one calculated temperature for at least one point between a first location of the first temperature sensor and a second location of the second temperature sensor, where the at least one calculated temperature is used to determine the amount of heated water in the tank.

The present invention relates to a sensor for measuring temperature of a fluid within a vessel, the vessel having a first region and a second region and the fluid having a temperature profile extending between the first region and the second region, the sensor comprising an array of elements, each element having a temperature-dependent parameter, the array being capable of deployment within or adjacent the vessel such that the array extends along the vessel for measuring the temperature profile, the elements of the array being coupled together between an input and an output, the input being coupled or capable of being coupled to a driving source for driving the sensors, and the output being coupled or capable of being coupled to a detector for measuring an aggregate of the temperature-dependent parameter from the array of elements. The invention further relates to a fluid temperature controller comprising a first input for receiving a first signal indicating a measurement of an aggregate of a temperature-dependent parameter from a sensor deployed within or adjacent a vessel containing a fluid having a temperature profile, a second input for receiving a second signal indicating a (preferably absolute) temperature of the fluid in the vessel and a processor configured to calculate a total thermal energy of the fluid in the vessel based on the first and second signals. The invention also relates to a combination comprising a sensing arrangement and a controller; a device; and a system.

A hot water supply apparatus includes a heat pump device in which a compressor and a heat exchanger are connected, a heat medium circuit connected to the heat pump device via the heat exchanger, a tank that stores water after the water exchanges heat with a heat medium of the heat medium circuit, two tank-temperature detection units attached at different heights to the tank and each detects a temperature of water in the tank, and a controller that controls, by using a value detected by each of the two tank-temperature detection units, a temperature of water in the tank. The controller sets a target hot water supply temperature based on a stored-hot-water temperature detected by one of the two tank temperature detection units and a within-tank temperature difference that is a difference between temperatures within the tank detected by the two tank-temperature detection units.

A tank-style residential and light commercial hot water heater is provided. The tank-style residential and light commercial hot water heater can include a tank, an intake nipple for receiving a liquid into the tank, an outflow nipple for dispensing the liquid from the tank after heating, and a dedicated return nipple having a valve. The dedicated return nipple is configured to couple to a hot water recirculating system, and the valve is configured to open when the dedicated return nipple is coupled to the hot water recirculating system to allow the dedicated return nipple to receive a recirculated form of the liquid dispensed from the outflow nipple back into the tank. When not in use with a hot water recirculating system, the valve may be closed.

An electric water heater tank adapted for connection to a controller, the tank including one or more electrical heating elements temperature sensing means mounted on the exterior of the tank wall and adapted to obtain a measurement of the temperature of the water in the tank, the temperature sensing means and each heating element being connected to an externally accessible connection means. The tank can include one or more heating element control means each connected to a corresponding one of the heating elements. The element control means can be connected to the externally accessible connection means.

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 present invention relates to a sensor for measuring temperature of a fluid within a vessel, the vessel having a first region and a second region and the fluid having a temperature profile extending between the first region and the second region, the sensor comprising an array of elements, each element having a temperature-dependent parameter, the array being capable of deployment within or adjacent the vessel such that the array extends along the vessel for measuring the temperature profile, the elements of the array being coupled together between an input and an output, the input being coupled or capable of being coupled to a driving source for driving the sensors, and the output being coupled or capable of being coupled to a detector for measuring an aggregate of the temperature-dependent parameter from the array of elements. The invention further relates to a fluid temperature controller comprising a first input for receiving a first signal indicating a measurement of an aggregate of a temperature-dependent parameter from a sensor according to any preceding claim deployed within or adjacent a vessel containing a fluid having a temperature profile, a second input for receiving a second signal indicating a (preferably absolute) temperature of the fluid in the vessel and a processor configured to calculate a total thermal energy of the fluid in the vessel based on the first and second signals. The invention also relates to a combination comprising a sensing arrangement and a controller; a device; and a system.