Heat transfer device (10) for heating a fluid or a fluid foam on demand comprising a path (30) through which the fluid or the fluid foam circulates and at least one layer (11) made of a thermally conductive material, the path (30) being in contact with the layer (11) in such a way that when the layer (11) is heated it transmits heat to the fluid or fluid foam as it circulates through the path (30), wherein the path (30) and the part of the layer (11) in contact with said path (30) are detachably configured so that they are made accessible for being cleaned.

A heat storage reservoir comprising: at least one input inlet for introduction of gaseous heat transfer fluid, or for introduction of superheated liquid heat transfer fluid, into the heat storage reservoir, and at least one liquid recovery system for recovery of liquid heat transfer fluid from the heat storage reservoir; and/or at least one gas outlet for recovery of gaseous heat transfer fluid from the heat storage reservoir, and at least one output inlet for introduction of liquid heat transfer fluid into the heat storage reservoir; and further comprising a volume of solid granular material, to which volume heat is transferred by means of a phase change from gas to liquid of a heat transfer fluid on contact of the heat transfer fluid with the solid granular material, and/or from which volume heat is transferred by means of a phase change from liquid to gas of a heat transfer fluid on contact of the heat transfer fluid with the solid granular material, which volume is in fluid connection with the at least one input inlet and the at least one liquid recovery system, and/or the at least one gas outlet and the at least one output inlet, and a pressure reduction system in fluid connection with the volume of solid granular material, characterized in that the pressure reduction system is arranged to reduce the gas pressure contribution arising from non-condensable species only.

A system for warming a power generation system including a boiler and a mixer fluidly coupled to the boiler, a turbine first section operable to receive steam from the boiler at a first temperature. The turbine supplies steam at a second temperature to a first heat exchanger operably connected to receive the heated steam at the second temperature from the output of at least the first section of the turbine and transfer heat to at least one of water and steam in the boiler or the mixer, feedwater for the boiler, and a thermal energy storage system. The system further includes a control unit configured to receive the monitored operating characteristic and control the amount of steam directed through the turbine.

A system for warming a power generation system including a boiler and a mixer fluidly coupled to the boiler, a turbine first section operable to receive steam from the boiler at a first temperature. The turbine supplies steam at a second temperature to a first heat exchanger operably connected to receive the heated steam at the second temperature from the output of at least the first section of the turbine and transfer heat to at least one of water and steam in the boiler or the mixer, feedwater for the boiler, and a thermal energy storage system. The system further includes a control unit configured to receive the monitored operating characteristic and control the amount of steam directed through the turbine.

A storage type electric water heater provides hot water and hot air. A large amount of hot water can be instantaneously tapped by a hot water generating means, and hot air can be generated by a hot air generating means.

A storage type electric water heater provides hot water and hot air. A large amount of hot water can be instantaneously tapped by a hot water generating means, and hot air can be generated by a hot air generating means.

Compared with an opposite arrangement of a cold system/a heat system in a traditional compression refrigeration household appliance, an automatic cold/heat balance storage operation system controlled by a cloud-networked microprocessor controller is added to an easy-to-install multi-purpose cooling and heating machine system, which has automatic cold/heat balance, self-heating and defrosting, and a plurality of modes of cold/heat storage. Cold/heat balance configuration achieves double-effect power conservation and outputs cold/heat in a plurality of modes The easy-to-install cooling and heating machine system includes: a cold/heat balancing heat exchanger, a cold/heat balancing self-defrosting cold/heat output machine, a cold/heat storage compensation equipment, and a cold/heat balance using equipment. The cold/heat storage compensation equipment includes: a hot water storage tank, a cold/heat storage tank, an ice/hot water storage tank, an ice/hot water energy storage tank, and a self-cycling hot cold water storage tank

A thermal energy storage (TES) component includes a shell having first and second ports, and at least a first set of thermally conductive sealed containers that contain a TES media for storing thermal energy. A first set of sealed tubes containing a first TES media are in a first section of the shell, and a second set of sealed tubes containing a different TES media are in a second section of the shell. Electric heating elements are immersed in at least some of the tubes, and may extend only from one end of the tube. In some embodiments more than one heating element is immersed in the TES media and positioned to enhance convective flow. In some embodiments electric heating elements are disposed externally on the sealed tubes. Some tubes are tapered or frustoconical, with heating elements provided in a larger-diameter portion of the tubes.

A heat pump apparatus includes a use-side heat exchanger that causes heat exchange to be performed between a heat medium flowing from a heat-storage heat exchanger and a heat usage medium, and a flow-passage switching device that switches a flow passage for the heat medium to a first flow passage that circulates through a heat-reception-side heat exchanger and the heat-storage heat exchanger without extends through the use-side heat exchanger or a second flow passage that circulates through the heat-reception-side heat exchanger and the heat-storage heat exchanger via the use-side heat exchanger. Even when the temperature of the heat storage medium rises, heat received from a heat source can be stored in the heat storage medium by a heat pump, while a decrease of the efficiency of the heat pump can be reduced.

A heat pump apparatus includes a use-side heat exchanger that causes heat exchange to be performed between a heat medium flowing from a heat-storage heat exchanger and a heat usage medium, and a flow-passage switching device that switches a flow passage for the heat medium to a first flow passage that circulates through a heat-reception-side heat exchanger and the heat-storage heat exchanger without extends through the use-side heat exchanger or a second flow passage that circulates through the heat-reception-side heat exchanger and the heat-storage heat exchanger via the use-side heat exchanger. Even when the temperature of the heat storage medium rises, heat received from a heat source can be stored in the heat storage medium by a heat pump, while a decrease of the efficiency of the heat pump can be reduced.