Systems and methods for providing a personal heater are disclosed. In some embodiments, the personal heater comprises a housing, a heating element, and a controller. The housing is configured with an opening for receiving one or more feet. The controller is configured to cause the heating element to heat one or both of an interior and an exterior of the housing based on whether the one or more feet are inside the housing.

Disclosed is a method of mapping an in-building water supply installation having multiple controllable water outlets, the installation including a supply of water; in a water flow path between the supply of water and the controllable water outlets, a flow measurement device and a flow regulator; a processor being operatively connected to the flow measurement device and the at least one flow regulator. The method comprises opening a first of the water outlets and processing signals from the flow measurement device with the processor at least until a first flow characteristic is determined; closing the first of the water outlets; repeating the opening, processing and closing operations for each of the other water outlets to determine for each controllable water outlet a respective flow characteristic. Subsequently the processor is configured to; identify the opening of a particular one of the plurality of controllable water outlets based on the similarity of a detected flow characteristic to a respective flow characteristic; and control said at least one flow regulator, based on the identification, to control a supply of water to the identified controllable water outlet.

A forced airflow drying apparatus includes a body including a pair of air inlets to receive inlet air which is channeled to an upstream side of a filter unit, a pair of body airflow generators to generate a first forced airflow, each body airflow generator having a first end and a second end, where the first end of each body airflow generator is opened to a downstream side of the filter unit, a pair of thermoelectric devices configured to control a temperature of the first forced airflow, and a first air outlet, in communication with the second end of each body airflow generator, to receive the forced airflow from the body airflow generators and to expel the forced airflow out of the body. The forced airflow drying apparatus further includes a bar and a drive apparatus configured to movably drive the bar relative to the body, the bar including a second pair of airflow generators to generate a second forced airflow, a pair of resistance heaters to control a temperature of the second forced airflow prior to being expelled from the second air outlet, and a second air outlet to expel the second forced airflow from the bar.

A fluid heating system may be installed for residential and commercial use, and may deliver fluid at consistent high temperatures for cooking, sterilizing tools or utensils, hot beverages and the like, without a limit on the number of consecutive discharges of fluid. The fluid heating system is installed with a tankless fluid heating device that includes an inlet port, an outlet port, at least one heat source connected with the inlet port, and a valve connecting the at least one heat source to the outlet port. A temperature sensor is downstream of the at least one heat source and connected to the valve. Another temperature sensor is on the heat source to enable it to be kept at an elevated temperature. The valve is operated so that an entire volume of a fluid discharge from the fluid heating system is delivered at a user-specified temperature on demand, for every demand.

A device to store energy includes a phase change material (PCM), with a phase change temperature Tc, contained in a sealed container and constituting a storage core. A source to exchange heat with the PCM, at a temperature TA, to cause a phase change of the PCM. A recuperator to exchange heat with the PCM, at a temperature TB, to cause a phase change of the PCM in the opposite direction to the phase change produced by the source. A controller to control the heat flows between the PCM, the source and the recuperator. An apertured support in contact with the PCM in the sealed container and in thermal contact with the source and the recuperator.

An energy storage system including a thermal energy storage apparatus configured to store thermal energy, an electrical energy storage apparatus configured to electrical energy, and a controller including a memory and an electronic processor. The controller is configured to monitor one or more characteristics of at least one selected from the group consisting of the thermal energy storage apparatus and the electrical energy storage apparatus. The controller is further configured to control, based on the one or more characteristics, the electrical energy storage apparatus to provide electrical energy to the thermal energy storage apparatus

Provided is a method of disinfecting a hot water supply system having a plurality of controllable hot-water outlets and a water heating arrangement including an energy store comprising a phase change material that has a phase transition temperature of less than 60 Celsius, the method comprising: informing an operator of a future disinfection event; increasing a hot water supply temperature from a pre-event temperature of less than 60 Celsius to a disinfection temperature; providing a signal to the operator to cause the operator to open a first of the hot water outlets; providing a signal to the operator to close the first outlet after a disinfection period; providing a signal to the operator to open another hot water outlet; providing a signal to the operator to close the another hot water outlet after a disinfection period; and repeating the signalling to the operator to open and then, after a disinfection period, to close each of the plurality of controllable hot-water outlets; reducing the hot water supply temperature to the pre-event temperature of less than 60 Celsius from the disinfection temperature; and indicating to the operator the completion of the disinfection event. A corresponding hot water supply system is also provided, the system preferably including a heat pump.

The disclosed technology includes an on-demand water heater which uses an electric heat source to heat the water. The on-demand water heater can have a low fluid capacity heating chamber which has an inlet and an outlet, an electric heat source for heating the water, and a controller to control the electric heat source and maintain the temperature of the water at a predetermined temperature setting. The on-demand water heater can be powered by a direct current power source. The on-demand water heater can also utilize a solar thermal system to provide additional heat to the water.

A heating installation for premises includes a controller coupled to an air source heat pump; a premises heating arrangement; and a local weather sensing arrangement. The controller is configured to receive weather forecast data from an external source, and local weather status information from the local weather sensing arrangement. The controller is also configured to set a control algorithm based on both the weather forecast data and the local weather status information, and control a supply of energy from the air source heat pump to the heating arrangement based on the set control algorithm; and increasing energy input into the heating arrangement in anticipation of a forecast fall in the temperature of the air from which the air source heat pump extracts energy. A method of controlling a premises heating installation is also disclosed.

Fan coil thermostats can provide energy savings by, for example, not unnecessarily heating and/or cooling an unoccupied room or other space. Fan coil systems employing such a fan coil thermostat may be more energy efficient. A fan coil system may include a fan coil that is configured for fluid communication with a source of heated fluid and/or a source of cooled fluid, a valve that controls fluid flow through the fan coil, a fan that blows air across the fan coil and a fan coil thermostat. The fan coil thermostat may include a controller that implements a control algorithm that may include an unoccupied temperature setting. The controller may be programmed to permit a user to enter a user-chosen temperature setting. In response, the controller may initiate a timer, and may automatically return to the unoccupied temperature setting once the timer has expired.