A thermostat is described for controlling air temperature in a building. The time associated with causing the controlled air temperature to reach a target temperature is estimated and displayed to a user. Input from a user indicating the target temperature can be received and the estimating and displaying can be carried out in real time. The thermostat can be wall-mounted or the user input can be received and estimated time can be displayed using a remote device, for example that communicates wirelessly with other components of the HVAC system.

A cooling apparatus for an engine includes an oil warmer, an engine internal passage, a warmer passage, a water pump, and a thermostat. The warmer passage connects an outlet of the internal passage to an inlet of the internal passage. The thermostat regulates an amount of coolant that flows into the oil warmer. The thermostat includes a valve member, a body, and a plurality of types of wax. The thermostat determines a degree of opening of the valve member in accordance with amounts of expansion of the respective types of wax caused by melting of the respective types of wax. The types of wax include a first wax, which melts at a first temperature, and a second wax, which melts at a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature.

A method of controlling a water-pump of an air conditioning system used in an active air conditioning water circulating system includes: detecting an environmental parameter and a load value of the active air conditioning water system actively; adjusting a flow rate of a water-pump of the active air conditioning water system according to a first control logic when the environmental parameter is less than a first pre-default parameter and the load value is less than a load threshold; and, adjusting the flow rate of the water-pump according to a first control logic when the environmental parameter is not less than the first pre-default parameter or the load value is not less than the load threshold. The present disclosed example can enhance a flow control capacity for different environmental statuses via controlling the flow rate in the different environmental status according to the different control logic.

A method of controlling a water-pump of an air conditioning system used in an active air conditioning water circulating system includes: detecting an environmental parameter and a load value of the active air conditioning water system actively; adjusting a flow rate of a water-pump of the active air conditioning water system according to a first control logic when the environmental parameter is less than a first pre-default parameter and the load value is less than a load threshold; and, adjusting the flow rate of the water-pump according to a first control logic when the environmental parameter is not less than the first pre-default parameter or the load value is not less than the load threshold. The present disclosed example can enhance a flow control capacity for different environmental statuses via controlling the flow rate in the different environmental status according to the different control logic.

A thermally actuated flow control valve comprises a wax filled actuator assembly including a guide, a piston, a cup and a diaphragm. The cup is disposed at the guide first end and defines a cavity that receives a thermally activated pellet. The thermally activated pellet, diaphragm and piston act in concert to exert a variable actuating force as a temperature of a fluid increases between a first temperature T.sub.1 and a second temperature T.sub.2. The valve is arranged so that the cup and wax are directly exposed to fluid flowing through the valve and a peripheral shoulder of the cup acts as a valve member to control flow through the valve. One end of the guide also acts as a valve member to control flow between an inlet and outlet of a return flow pathway.

A thermally actuated flow control valve comprises a wax filled actuator assembly including a guide, a piston, a cup and a diaphragm. The cup is disposed at the guide first end and defines a cavity that receives a thermally activated pellet. The thermally activated pellet, diaphragm and piston act in concert to exert a variable actuating force as a temperature of a fluid increases between a first temperature T.sub.1 and a second temperature T.sub.2. The valve is arranged so that the cup and wax are directly exposed to fluid flowing through the valve and a peripheral shoulder of the cup acts as a valve member to control flow through the valve. One end of the guide also acts as a valve member to control flow between an inlet and outlet of a return flow pathway.

An expansion valve includes a main body including a first valve chamber having a first opening communicating with a first pipe, a second valve chamber having a second opening communicating with a second pipe, and a valve hole connecting the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber to each other, a valve body including a first main shaft, at least a part of which is provided in the first valve chamber, a second main shaft, at least a part of which is provided in the second valve chamber, and a constricted portion provided in the valve hole and connecting the first main shaft and the second main shaft to each other, a first porous member provided in a first passage between the first pipe and the valve hole, and a first shield member provided in a region of the first passage between the first pipe and the first porous member, and shields a part of a passage cross-section of the first passage.

An expansion valve includes a main body including a first valve chamber having a first opening communicating with a first pipe, a second valve chamber having a second opening communicating with a second pipe, and a valve hole connecting the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber to each other, a valve body including a first main shaft, at least a part of which is provided in the first valve chamber, a second main shaft, at least a part of which is provided in the second valve chamber, and a constricted portion provided in the valve hole and connecting the first main shaft and the second main shaft to each other, a first porous member provided in a first passage between the first pipe and the valve hole, and a first shield member provided in a region of the first passage between the first pipe and the first porous member, and shields a part of a passage cross-section of the first passage.

A pressure sensor includes a ceramic sensor that is accommodated between a body and a holder. On an end surface of the sensor, plural resistive bodies are printed and fired in a straight line using a thick-film resistive paste material by screen printing.

An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. Voice recognition software identifies a trigger phrase included in the natural language audio message and in response the HVAC controller performs an action. In response to identifying a trigger phrase at the HVAC controller, the HVAC controller may establish a single duplex connection with a remote server having a voice interaction module. An end user may then have a continuous dialog with the voice interaction module via the HVAC controller over the established single duplex connection. The voice interaction module may allow for an end user to interrupt the dialog at any time, as desired.