A combined heating and power system is configured to generate energy as well capture a large percentage of energy that would otherwise be lost using components, including heat transfer components, embedded within a vessel to transfer energy in the form of heat to liquid within the vessel.

A water heating system is provided. The water heating system includes a tank having a wall, a water inlet defined through the wall and configured to allow ingress of water into the tank, and a water outlet defined through the wall and configured to allow egress of water from the tank. The water heating system also includes a first heating element disposed in a first portion of the tank. The first heating element has a substantially elongate shape and is inclined at a first predefined angle with respect to a base of the tank.

A modular home includes a first housing portion including a first floor, a ceiling, at least three walls, a first vertical edge of a first wall, a second vertical edge of a second wall, and an opening between a horizontal edge of the first floor, a first horizontal edge of the first ceiling, and the first and second vertical edges. The modular home further includes a second housing portion including a second floor, a ceiling, at least three walls, a third vertical edge of a third wall, a fourth vertical edge of a fourth wall, and an opening between a horizontal edge of the second floor, a second horizontal edge of the second ceiling, and the third and fourth vertical edges. The first vertical edge is coupled to the third vertical edge by a hinge, and the second vertical edge is configured to be coupled to the fourth vertical edge.

An electric water heater is described and wherein the bottom portion of the water holding tank is provided with various forms of electric heating elements to heat the water in the lowermost region of the tank adjacent the dome-shaped bottom wall to a temperature sufficient to prevent the proliferation of bacteria growth such as the Legionella bacteria in such lowermost region. The insulating foam support base of the water heater also provides a thermal barrier to the heating elements while biasing the heating element on the dome-shaped bottom wall in a region to insure excellent heat transfer to the cavitated zone surrounding the dome-shaped bottom wall where sedimentary deposits occur to create a culture medium for bacteria growth.

A solar photovoltaic (PV) water heating system includes a tank including at least a first heating unit having at least first and second heating elements, at least one of which is switchable; a PV solar collector; an inverter adapted to convert the output from the PV collector to an alternating power supply; a modulator to modulate the alternating power supply from the inverter; a controller adapted to control the modulator and the switching of the or each switchable heating element; wherein the controller is adapted to control the modulator and the switchable heating elements to maximize the energy drawn from the PV collector.

A solar photovoltaic (PV) water heating system includes a tank (1.020) including at least a first heating unit (1.016) having at least first and second heating elements (1.016.1 . . . 1.016.x), at least one of which is switchable (1.014.1A . . . 1.014.1m); a PV solar collector (1.002); an inverter (1.004) adapted to convert the output from the PV collector to an alternating power supply; a modulator (1.060) to modulate the alternating power supply from the inverter; a controller (1.040) adapted to control the modulator and the switching of the or each switchable heating element; wherein the controller is adapted to control the modulator and the switchable heating elements to maximize the energy drawn from the PC collector.

A floor assembly of a modular home includes a frame including a plurality of floor joists, at least one upper plate coupled to a top of the frame, a skid plate coupled to a bottom of the frame, the skid plate including a circular opening, and a pin socket including a cylindrical pipe section positioned around the circular opening. The pin socket is configured to receive a rotation pin and configured to cause the rotation of the floor assembly about the rotation pin when a force is applied to the floor assembly.

A preform that is embodied for manufacture of a combined heating and anti-surge apparatus for automotive operating fluid tanks, in particular for automotive reservoir tanks for aqueous urea solution, encompasses a planar plastic component having at least one electrical resistance heating trace provided thereon and having anti-surge baffles embodied integrally with the planar plastic component and standing off therefrom, the planar plastic component including as functional portions a heating portion having at least one electrical resistance heating trace provided thereon and an anti-surge portion, two functional portions of the plastic component being connected to one another movably relative to one another.

Control of an electric water heater based on a two-mass model may be provided. First, a reserve capacity of an Electric Water Heater (EWH) may be determined. Next, a safe deferred time for the EWH based on the determined reserve capacity may be determined. Then a grid service event initiation may be received. In response to receiving the grid service event initiation, the EWH may be caused to not heat water for the determined safe deferred time.

A modular home includes a space inside the modular home. The modular home includes a floor assembly including a frame comprising a plurality of floor joists, at least one upper plate coupled to a top of the frame; and at least one lower plate coupled to a bottom of the frame. The modular home includes a bladder tank support assembly coupled to the floor assembly. The bladder tank support assembly includes a support platform configured to be lowered from an upper position in which the support platform is received within the opening to a lower position below the floor assembly. The modular home includes an inflatable bladder tank positioned on the support platform, the inflatable bladder tank structured to fit between the support platform and the floor of the space when the inflatable bladder tank is deflated and the support platform is in the upper position.