A window vent assembly (15) is usable with a swing out window assembly (20) to provide an outlet for a vent hose (12) of a portable air conditioner (10). The assembly includes a substantially rigid, transparent sheet (16) with a plurality of scored break lines (46, 48, 50, 52) which enable changing the size of the sheet to close a frame opening (22) of a window frame (18). A plurality of releasably engageable clips (62, 64) enable the sheet to be releasably held in closing relation with the frame opening. A sleeve (114) is releasably engageable with the vent hose to enable venting of the heat removed by the air conditioner from the window through a sheet opening (14) in the sheet.

A domestic power plant has a housing which has an external air connection and an output air connection, and comprises a ventilation device with a heat exchanger. The ventilation device is connected to the external air connection such that external air can flow in a first air tract via the heat exchanger, or via an external air bypass past the heat exchanger, into a feed air tract of the domestic power plant. The feed air tract runs at least partially within the housing. The domestic power plant also has an exhaust air tract in which an air volume flow, brought about by the ventilation device, can be propagated within the housing and a fuel cell unit.

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 sinks is measured, and in that the primary-side heat medium is directed only to available primary heat exchanging means associated with the heat sources or sinks with the highest temperature. The invention also relates to a method.

A system of capturing waste heat includes a heat recovery unit (20) having a heat exchanger (35) arranged to transfer heat between a fluid circulating in a refrigerant loop (60) and a fluid circulating in a solar loop (70) and another heat exchanger (39) arranged to transfer heat between the fluid in the solar loop (70) and a fluid circulating in a water loop (50). Controllable first, second, and third three-way valves (V1-V3) provide or prevent, depending on fluid temperatures, an A-B, B-C, and A-C flow path through the valve. The first valve (V1) is arranged in the water loop (50) upstream of the second heat exchanger (39). The second (V2) is arranged in the solar loop (70) upstream of the second heat exchanger (39). The third valve (V3) is arranged in the solar loop (70) between the first and second heat exchangers (35, 39).

A water-heating system, including: a controller; a refrigerant-water heat exchanger for exchanging heat between refrigerant and water; a sensor circuit for measuring a current water temperature of water in a water heater and providing the current water temperature to the controller; a first refrigerant pipe for passing the refrigerant from a refrigerant source to the refrigerant-water heat exchanger; a second refrigerant pipe for passing the refrigerant from the refrigerant-water heat exchanger to the refrigerant source; a first water pipe for passing the water from the water heater to the refrigerant-water heat exchanger; a second water pipe for passing the water from the refrigerant-water heat exchanger to the water heater; and a water pump for pumping water from the water heater to the refrigerant-water heat exchanger via the first water pipe and from the refrigerant-water heat exchanger to the water heater via the second water pipe based on a control signal.

A refrigeration system includes at least one refrigeration circuit 2. The refrigeration circuit 2 includes a compressor 10, a first heat rejecting heat exchanger 6, a second heat rejecting heat exchanger 8, an expansion valve 12 and a heat absorbing heat exchanger 4. The refrigeration circuit 2 further includes a heat recovery control valve 14 for controlling flow of the compressed refrigerant fluid between the first heat rejecting heat exchanger and the second heat rejecting heat exchanger. The first heat rejecting heat exchanger 6 is for receiving compressed refrigerant fluid from the compressor 10 and exchanging heat between the compressed refrigerant fluid and a second fluid to increase the temperature of the second fluid, for example for heat recovery by heating water. The second heat rejecting heat exchanger 8 is for receiving the compressed refrigerant fluid and exchanging heat with ambient air to cool the compressed refrigerant fluid.

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 sinks is measured, and in that the primary-side heat medium is directed only to available primary heat exchanging means associated with the heat sources or sinks with the highest temperature. The invention also relates to a method.

A hybrid multi-air conditioning system and a method for controlling a hybrid multi-air conditioning system are provided. The hybrid multi-air conditioning system may include a hot water supply unit including a hot water supply heat exchanger that exchanges heat between refrigerant and water accommodated in a water tank and a first hot water supply expansion valve that blocks or allows refrigerant condensed in the hot water supply heat exchanger to flow through a first hot water supply discharge pipe; at least one indoor device installed indoors and including an indoor heat exchanger and at least one indoor expansion valve; an outdoor device connected to the at least one indoor device and the hot water supply unit through a refrigerant pipe and including an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, and an outdoor expansion valve; a second hot water supply discharge pipe having a first side branched from the first hot water supply discharge pipe, which connects the hot water supply heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger, and a second side that joins a first discharge pipe, which connects the compressor and the outdoor heat exchanger; and a second hot water supply expansion valve installed on the second hot water supply discharge pipe.

A method of heating water in a water storage tank. The method includes: selecting an outlet port and an inlet port from at least three ports located in the tank at different heights along a vertical direction. The outlet port is below the inlet port. The method further includes extracting water from the outlet port, supplying the extracted water to an external heat exchanger configured for heating the extracted water, and delivering heated water from the heat exchanger to the selected inlet port.

A heat recovery system for recovering waste heat from exhaust gases that are expelled through a flue that are generated as a byproduct from a heating system, comprises a venting arrangement that connects to the flue from the heating system and a motorized damper to direct the exhaust gases from the flue through the venting arrangement to an intake plenum. The intake plenum directs the exhaust gases to a heat exchanger that comprising a series of serpentine conduits between which the exhaust gases pass through. The heat exchanger is connected to exhaust plenum which is in turn connected to an exhaust fan that draws the exhaust gasses through the heat recovery system. The heat exchanger further comprises a series of inlet ports and outlet ports that add and remove coolant to the serpentine conduits at selected temperatures.