In a temperature control apparatus for controlling the temperature of a load by supplying high-temperature circulating liquid to the load, a device in which a helical channel portion of a first heat exchange channel through which circulating liquid flows is housed in a second heat exchange channel formed of a channel space in a hollow shell through which coolant flows is used as a heat exchanger for cooling the circulating liquid, cylindrical members are individually fitted on an inflow channel portion and an outflow channel portion connected to opposite ends of the helical channel portion of the first heat exchange channel, and the cylindrical members are each fixed to the shell of the heat exchanger with a weld.

A water heater appliance includes an electronic mixing valve configured for adjusting a ratio of cold water from a cold water inlet conduit to hot water from a hot water outlet conduit at a mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve. A cold water bypass conduit extends between the cold water inlet conduit and the mixed water outlet conduit. A cold water bypass valve is on the cold water bypass conduit. A controller is configured to close the cold water bypass valve when a temperature measurement from a mixed water temperature sensor is less than a threshold temperature.

A system and method for improving the responsiveness of forced hot water heat exchangers placed around the baseboards of conditioned living spaces and improving the efficiently of centralized hot water heating systems. The control system may comprise a convector baseboard heat exchanger or a replacement heat exchanger cover, and a blower, a diffuser and sensors which are mounted to one or more of the baseboard heat exchangers, the heating system influent and effluent loops, the fuel supply and the recirculation pump. When the heating system and forced hot water loop reaches its operating temperature, the blower activates to rapidly transfer energy from the-forced hot water loop into the air and disperse treated, heated air into the conditioned spaces. After the centralized heating system turns off, the system continues to transfer energy from the forced hot water into the air of the conditioned spaces until the latent heat of the centralized heating system has been extracted and the return loop temperatures are at levels consistent with optimal boiler performance.

A method for controlling an air handler including a fan and a heater or a compressor, the method including installing an energy saving controller (ESC) between a thermostat and the air handler, monitoring by the ESC of ON and OFF durations of the heater if the air handler is in a heating mode, or the compressor if the air handler is in cooling mode, in a first cycle and of ON duration of a second cycle, and determining the fan's first run time extension amount based on the ON and OFF durations of the first cycle and the ON duration of the second cycle.

A modulating boiler system for heating a structure including a controller, a boiler operatively connected to the controller, and a thermostat operatively connected to the controller and boiler. The controller assesses a level of thermostat activity over a predetermined measuring period and adjusts the boiler in response to the level of activity to increase the boiler's efficiency.

A water heater appliance and associated methods of operation are provided for regulating an output temperature of a mixing valve to a target temperature. The method includes determining the output temperature and an error value between the output temperature and the target temperature. A controller regulates the mixing valve according to a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm for adjusting the output temperature to the predetermined target temperature. A proportional gain, an integral gain, and a derivative gain of the PID control algorithm vary according to a gain schedule depending on the error value between the output temperature and the predetermined target temperature.

A weather forecast-based fluid heating control system having at least one hot fluid delivery point, the control system including a controller adapted to control a fluid supply to a setpoint temperature, a means for obtaining the forecasted air temperature at a future time of the location of the control system and a means for obtaining the current air temperature at a current time of the location of the control system. The setpoint temperature of the fluid supply is adjusted by an adjustment amount if the difference between the forecasted air temperature of the location of the control system and the current temperature at the current time of the location of the control system exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

A system and method of operating a water supply system with one or more water consuming appliances is provided. The water supply system includes a hot water heater for supplying a flow of heated water through a supply conduit to at least one water consuming appliance. The water consuming appliance receives the flow of heated water and provides an indication of a fault condition if excessive water accumulates in the appliance, which might indicate a malfunction with a drain pump or a water supply valve. A safety shutoff valve is positioned on the supply conduit and is in operative communication with the water consuming appliance. The safety shutoff valve is configured for stopping the flow of heated water when it receives the indication of the fault condition.

A closed loop heating system for heating air of a given space includes a vacuum pump, a boiler, a heat exchanger, a blower, and a piping network. The vacuum pump maintains a low pressure in the piping network. The boiler is in fluid communication with the vacuum pump via the pumping network for heating a working fluid. The boiler heats the working fluid to a heated vapor. The heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the boiler for receiving the heated vapor via the piping network. The blower is positioned proximal to the heat exchanger for receiving air from the given space. The blower blows the received air over the heat exchanger for heating the air of the given space.

A system and approach for developing a periodic water usage profile and demand for controlling a water heater. A mode may be selected for demand for a certain amount of water of a particular temperature range to be available for use from the water heater. Data on hot water usage may be collected and the usage profile and demand may be calculated from the data. The water heater may be programmed to operate in a certain fashion based on the usage profile and demand. A control knob may be on the water heater control to select a particular demand. Control of the water heater may be operated from a remote device connected in a wireless or wired fashion. An optimization program may be implemented in the control of the water heater for achieving one or more beneficial goals related to water heater performance and hot water production.