A process and apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling at least one air conditioning and/or heating plant (1) including a delivery line (3), a return line (4) and service lines (5) hydraulically interposed between the delivery line (3) and the return line (4), each service line (5) comprising at least one thermal exchange unit (7). The process detects a value (φ) of the flow rate of the carrier fluid traversing the thermal exchange unit (7), and determines a temperature difference (ΔT) between the temperature (Tt1) of the carrier fluid, at the first section (5a), detected at a first instant (t1), and the temperature (Tt2) of the carrier fluid, at the second section (5b), detected at a second instant (t2).

An electronic converter unit for retrofitting to an external part of a housing of a pump unit is described. The housing comprises a light source for emitting light to display an operating status of the pump unit. The electronic converter unit comprises: a photo detector for measuring light emitted from the light source of the pump unit, a converter unit for converting optical signals to electrical signals, and transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting the electrical signals to an external communication unit.

A hydronic distribution system includes self-regulating valves networked together and operable to share valve temperature and valve position information with a microprocessor or other type of controller. The microprocessor runs one or more algorithms that process the temperatures and positions of the valves and then computes a desired speed for one or more variable speed pumps within the system. Controlling the pumps to operate at the desired speed and still maintain the correct amount of process fluid flow needed by the system reduces the overall energy use of the hydronic distribution system, saves on the operational lives of the pumps, and increases system efficiency.

A hydronic distribution system obtains, in real time, valve operating information from one or more valves arranged in a network, executes a speed determination algorithm which processes the valve operating information to determine a desired speed for one or more pumps to maintain a desired amount of process fluid flow of a process fluid to plural coils, and sets a speed of the one or more pumps, based on the desired speed for the one or more pumps that is determined.

An Organic Rankine Cycle power generation system includes: a first heat storage tank having a closed cylindrical shape and including a first internal heat exchanger therein; a second heat storage tank including a second internal heat exchanger therein; a first circulating pipe branched from a high temperature water supply pipe; a second circulation pipe branched from the high temperature water supply pipe; a first cold water supply pipe supplying cold water from the outside to the inside of the first heat storage tank; a second cold water supply pipe supplying cold water from the outside to the inside of the second heat storage tank; and an opening and closing unit selectively opening and closing the first circulation pipe and the second circulation pipe, and the first cold water supply pipe and the second cold water supply pipe.

A regulating flap reduction gear for an electrically driven regulating flap for regulating a gas or liquid volume flow includes two parallel bearing plates between which gear parts are rotatably arranged. A plurality of spacers keep the two bearing plates at a distance from one another. The plurality of spacers are designed as tabs of one, first bearing plate, which are bent by 90° from the plane of the first bearing plate and have at least one lateral projection. The tabs are inserted with their free tab ends into plug-in openings of the other second bearing plate until their at least one lateral projection rests against the second bearing plate.

A thermal energy network interconnecting a plurality of thermal loads and methods of providing thermal energy therebetween, the network and methods including: a primary circuit loop for working fluid, at least two thermal loads thermally connected to the primary circuit loop, at least one of the thermal loads being capable of taking heat from the primary circuit loop and at least one of the thermal loads being capable of rejecting heat into the primary circuit loop, an energy centre connected to the loop and capable of acting as a heat source or a heat sink, and a control system adapted to provide to the primary circuit loop a positive or negative thermal input from the energy centre as a balancing thermal input to compensate for net thermal energy lost to or gained from the at least two thermal loads by the primary circuit loop.

A method of balancing a heating system with a flow system, including a supply flow line (60) and a return flow line (70), a heat source (55) and a pump (10) hydraulic lines (L.sub.1-L.sub.n), some having a heating element (H.sub.1-H.sub.n) with a balancing valve (V.sub.1-V.sub.n). The method includes: carrying out one or more measurements by opening one hydraulic line only and determining a flow rate through the pump and a pressure difference across the pump, establishing a hydraulic model based on the determined flow rate and pressure difference from at least two measurements from step, and at least one additional measurement for at least two hydraulic lines, specifying a desired flow rate for each of the hydraulic lines, and adjusting one or more of the dedicated balancing valves in order to meet the desired flow rate for each of the hydraulic lines by using the hydraulic model.

A water heater system includes a water heater having a first water outlet and a second water outlet. The water heater system further includes a flow detection device coupled to the first water outlet to detect a water flow through the first water outlet. The water heater system also includes a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second water outlet. The flow control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the second water outlet based on whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device.

Disclosed is an air heating apparatus including a burner configured to cause a combustion reaction, a main passage, through which water flows while circulating, a heat exchanging device configured to receive heat from combustion gas generated by the combustion reaction and heat the water flowing along the main passage, a heating heat exchanger configured to receive the water heated by the heat exchanging device and exchange heat with the air for heating, a fan configured to send the air to the heating heat exchanger, and a hot water discharge port connected to the main passage such that the water heated by the heat exchanging device is discharged to an outside of the main passage.