An apparatus for heating gas utilizes a series of chambers through which a gas volume is advanced, and a gradational heat transfer element which enables incremental heat transfer to the gas volume as the gas volume is advanced through the chambers.

A smart energy-saving compartmentalized storage boiler for heating liquid with low energy consumption comprising a housing, at least one separator disposed within the housing to form a plurality of compartments, each of the at least one separator having flow passage means for liquid communication with adjacent compartment(s), a liquid inlet in a compartment disposed within the housing, a liquid outlet in a compartment disposed within the housing, a heater disposed in one of said compartments and means for moving liquid.

Wherein while hot liquid is flowing out through said liquid outlet at a compartment, fresh liquid is flowing in through said liquid inlet at a compartment to replace said hot liquid.

Wherein the liquid is movable from one compartment to another compartment, thus, changing the size/capacity of each of said compartments.

Thereby, the at least one separator preventing mixing of liquid in one compartment with liquid of adjacent compartments, and thus, saves energy.

A household appliance has a working chamber and at least one latent heat store having a respective storage medium. The storage medium is thermally coupled via a respective associated heat exchanger to a working medium circulating through the working chamber. The working medium moves from the working chamber to a heat sink, from the heat sink to the heat exchanger, from the heat exchanger to a heat source, and from the heat source back to the working chamber. The storage medium forms a substance mixture together with a respective carrier fluid. The substance mixture can be conducted in a respective closed circuit through the associated heat exchanger for an exchange of heat with the working medium, and the substance mixture circulates between the associated heat exchanger and at least one reservoir in the respective closed circuit. The reservoir can be refilled layer-by-layer with the substance mixture conducted through the respective associated heat exchanger.

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods of managing temperature distributions of phase change material. The disclosed technology can include a system comprising a platform having a passageway therethrough. The platform can include a density that is less than a density of the phase change material when in a solid phase and greater than a density of the phase change material when in a liquid phase. The system can further include a whip rod disposed at least partially in the passageway of the platform.

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods of managing temperature distributions of phase change material. The disclosed technology can include a system comprising a platform having a passageway therethrough. The platform can include a density that is less than a density of the phase change material when in a solid phase and greater than a density of the phase change material when in a liquid phase. The system can further include a whip rod disposed at least partially in the passageway of the platform.

Systems and methods for concentrating and storing solar energy are provided. A solar energy receiver for use with the systems and methods may include a container for holding a solar absorption material, such as a phase change material, and a cooled cover disposed above the container for condensing and collecting vaporized phase change material collected along an underside of the cover.

A heat transfer fluid system for a vehicle including an electric energy supply system such as a fuel cell system and/or a battery system, the heat transfer fluid system including a heat transfer fluid circuit arranged for controlling the temperature of the electric energy supply system via a heat transfer fluid, and a heat transfer fluid storage tank defining a tank volume for the heat transfer fluid, the heat transfer fluid storage tank including a partition dividing the tank volume into a first volume and a second volume, and a biasing device, wherein the partition is movable to/from any position between a minimum heat storage position corresponding to a minimum second volume, and a maximum heat storage position corresponding to a maximum second volume, and the heat transfer fluid system further including a valve assembly including one or more valves.

A thermal energy storage system comprising a working fluid to store and transfer thermal energy between a heat source and a thermal load and a vessel to store the working fluid. The vessel has an interior region and a floating separator piston in the interior region to separate a hot portion from a cold portion of the working fluid. There is a first manifold thermally coupled to an output of the heat source and to an input of the thermal load and fluidly coupled to the interior region of the vessel and a second manifold thermally coupled to an input of the heat source and an output of the thermal load and fluidly coupled to the interior region of the vessel. There is a controller configured to maintain the working fluid in a liquid state.

The application pertains to, for example, novel processes and systems for heat transfer, refrigeration, energy storage, and various cooling and heating processes. Such processes may include cooling or mixing various liquid-liquid phase transition liquids to release and/or energy. Additionally or alternatively, such processes may include charging and/or discharging thermal storage reservoirs with layered liquids of various temperatures.