A heating system configured to be connected to a heating distribution system of a building. The heating system comprises a heat pump arrangement configured to heat a fluid; a stratified heat storage device configured to store the fluid at differentiated temperatures, a mixing arrangement; and a control device for controlling the heating system. The mixing arrangement is configured to subtract fluid from the heat storage device and to regulate the temperature of the fluid entering the heat distribution system and control the temperature of the returning fluid from the heating distribution system. The invention also relates to a method for controlling such a heating system, a computer program, a computer-readable medium, and a control device.

A method of controlling a heating system includes: obtaining, from a power supply source, information specifying an output modulation period during which power consumption by a heat pump unit is to be reduced; and controlling, based on the information obtained in the obtaining, an amount of heat generated by the heat pump unit. In the controlling, the heat pump unit is caused to generate a first amount of heat per unit time in a period other than the output modulation period, and generate a second amount of heat per unit time during the output modulation period, the second amount of heat being less than the first amount of heat.

Provided is a fuel cell system. The fuel cell system comprises: a reformer that reforms fuel; a reformed fuel storage unit that receives the reformed fuel from the reformer and stores same; a fuel cell stack that generates electric power and heat by using the reformed fuel; a boiler unit that provides heating by using heating water, a battery unit that stores the electric power generated in the fuel cell stack; and a control unit that controls the operations of the reformer, the reformed fuel storage unit, the fuel cell stack, the boiler unit, and the battery unit, wherein the control unit controls the reformer to operate using the heating water of the boiler unit when the temperature of the heating water of the boiler unit is higher than a first baseline and the stored amount of the reformed fuel stored in the reformed fuel storage unit is equal to or less than a second baseline.

A method and system for providing an interactive learning heating schedule for a water boiler system, the method including the steps: (a) receiving an estimate of an amount of available hot water in a water boiler of the water boiler system; (b) receiving usage data for the water boiler system, the usage data including at least one expected usage pattern extrapolated from the usage data; and (c) generating a heating schedule for the water boiler, based on at least one expected usage pattern and the estimated amount of available hot water.

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 method and system of providing hot water efficiently. A cost of heating a volume of water to a predetermined temperature in a first water heater is determined. A cost of transferring a volume of hot water from a second water heater of a network of interconnected water heaters to the first water heater is determined. Upon determining that the cost of transferring the volume of hot water from the second water heater is lower than the cost of heating the volume of water of the first water heater, the second water heater transfers at least part of the volume of hot water to the first water heater. Otherwise, the volume of water is heated to the predetermined temperature in the first water heater.

The autonomous energy saving device (2) enabling the control of a water heater (1) connected to a power grid comprising a phase P, a neutral N and a protective conductor T operating on a permanent power supply or during rate periods using a switch or timer, said energy saving device (2) comprises inputs E1, E2, E3 and the outputs S1, S2, S3 and between inputs E1 and E2 and the outputs S1 and S2 at least one primary circuit board (7) comprising at least one electronic component (3, 4) and a control algorithm to remove or reduce the heating times of the water heater (1) without changing the technical characteristics of the water heater, and in order to adapt its operation to the needs of the user.

This invention relates, but is not limited to, a method, a device, a computer program product and/or apparatus for determining the mode of operation of a boiler. The invention determines the mode of operation of a boiler through receiving a time series of electrical energy data of the boiler, determining energy events in the electrical energy data, determining a plurality of parameters of the energy events, and using an obtained model to determining the mode of operating of the boiler based on the obtained model and the plurality of parameters of the energy events. The invention further comprises a method of obtaining the model.

This invention relates, but is not limited to, a method, a device, a computer program product and/or apparatus for determining the mode of operation of a boiler. The invention determines the mode of operation of a boiler through receiving a time series of electrical energy data of the boiler, determining energy events in the electrical energy data, determining a plurality of parameters of the energy events, and using an obtained model to determining the mode of operating of the boiler based on the obtained model and the plurality of parameters of the energy events. The invention further comprises a method of obtaining the model.

Hot water heating system comprising one or more water heaters with at least one water heating mechanism, and a heating-control storage tank generally configured to store heated water in a temperature stratified manner where hotter water tends to be separated from cold water. The heating-control storage tank can receive thermal energy or hot water from the water heater, send thermal energy or water to the water heater as its makeup water, and provide hot water directly to end users. The water heater may or may not be used to provide hot water to end users. The system is electronically controlled using a processor, various sensors, a recirculation pump, and electronically actuated valves. Depending on hot water needs and energy costs, the system controls water heating schedule and amount of hot water stored in the heating-control storage tank by changing system operation modes to minimize energy costs while providing reliable service.