A fuel-fired condensing type air heating furnace is provided with an electronic condensate water level sensing system operative to sense improper outflow of condensate from a collector box portion of the furnace and responsively shut down or prevent operation of the furnace. Condensate probe portions of the system are oriented in a manner such that several air flow orientation of the furnace may be utilized without the necessity of relocating the probes or effecting an re-wiring of the water level sensing system.

A water heater with a housing having an internal chamber, an inlet port, and an outlet port; a heating element coupled to the housing; a water inlet line; a water outlet line; an inlet temperature sensor within the water inlet line; an outlet temperature sensor within the water outlet line; and a controller electrically connected to the inlet temperature sensor, the outlet temperature sensor, and the electrically power heating element. The controller is operable to detect a flow condition without using mechanical flow detection means and without supplying stand-by heating by adding an absolute value of the sensed change in temperature of water flowing upstream from the inlet port to the absolute value of the sensed change in temperature of the water flowing downstream from the outlet port to yield a sum and comparing the sum to a reference temperature.

A water heater (10) is suitable for point-of-use applications. The water heater includes a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a controller connected to the first and second temperature sensors. The controller is configured to receive the signals generated by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor and to detect a flow condition of water within the heat without using mechanical flow detection means and without supplying stand-by heating by adding an absolute value of the sensed change in temperature of water at the first temperature sensor to the absolute value of the sensed change in temperature of water at the second temperature sensor to yield a sum and then comparing the sum to a reference temperature.

An electrochemical compressor type heat pump system is described. An electrochemical compressor compresses a mixed gas refrigerant whereby heat from the compression can be used to heat an object. The electrochemical compressor is capable of producing high pressure gas from a mixed fluid system including an electrochemically-active component, such as hydrogen, and at least one refrigerant fluid, for example water. Any suitable proton associable compound, such as any suitable ionic or polar solvent compound, may be used in the mixed gas refrigerant. The electrochemical compressor may be configured in a hot water heater along with a secondary type heating source to produce a hybrid hot water heater.

A hot water supply apparatus using a heat medium provides a heat medium circulation path that circulates the heat medium, a heat medium pump that pumps the heat medium into the heat medium circulation path, a heat source that generates heat heating the heat medium, a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat generated by the heat source for the heat medium, a hot water supply heat exchanger that exchanges heat of the heat medium circulating in the heat medium circulation path for clean water, and a control unit that sets the heat medium in the heat medium circulation path in a predetermined temperature and controls the rotating speed of the heat medium pump and the combustion amount of the heat source according to a heat requirement.

A humidifier for a fan coil wherein the fan coil having an air flow path extending from a return air inlet port to a treated air outlet port with a heat exchange unit positioned in the air flow path, the heat exchange unit in thermal communication with a heat source. The humidifier has an upstream temperature sensor provided in the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, a downstream temperature sensor provided in the air flow path downstream of the heat exchanger, a humidification unit in flow communication with the air flow path whereby, when the humidification unit is actuated, water is provided to air in the air flow path and, a controller operably connected to the humidification unit, wherein in operation the controller receives an upstream signal from the upstream temperature sensor and a downstream signal from the downstream temperature sensor, and upon the controller determining that the fan coil is in a heating mode based on the upstream and downstream signals the controller activates the humidification unit.

A humidifier for a fan coil wherein the fan coil having an air flow path extending from a return air inlet port to a treated air outlet port with a heat exchange unit positioned in the air flow path, the heat exchange unit in thermal communication with a heat source. The humidifier has an upstream temperature sensor provided in the air flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, a downstream temperature sensor provided in the air flow path downstream of the heat exchanger, a humidification unit in flow communication with the air flow path whereby, when the humidification unit is actuated, water is provided to air in the air flow path and, a controller operably connected to the humidification unit, wherein in operation the controller receives an upstream signal from the upstream temperature sensor and a downstream signal from the downstream temperature sensor, and upon the controller determining that the fan coil is in a heating mode based on the upstream and downstream signals the controller activates the humidification unit.