The invention relates to a fluid container for a motor vehicle, having a container wall that bounds a storage volume for storing liquid with respect to an environment, a heating element that is arranged in the storage volume, and a housing, wherein the housing encloses the heating element in a liquid-tight manner with respect to the supply volume.

Switchable radiative energy harvesting systems and methods of harvesting radiation are disclosed. A system includes an optical filter that includes at least one of an active material and a passive material. The optical filter is switchable between a shield mode and a harvesting mode such that the at least one of the active material and the passive material is in a reflecting state during the shield mode such that the optical filter blocks passage of radiation from a thermal emitter to a thermophotovoltaic cell and a transmitting state during the harvesting mode such that that the optical filter allows the radiation to pass from the thermal emitter to the thermophotovoltaic cell.

A heating system includes at least one electric heater disposed within a fluid flow system and a control device that is configured to determine a temperature of the at least one electric heater based on a model, at least one fluid flow system input, and at least one heater input. The at least one heater input includes at least one physical characteristic of the heating system, the at least one physical characteristic includes at least one of a resistance wire diameter, a heater insulation thickness, a heater sheath thickness, a conductivity, a specific heat and density of the material of the heater, an emissivity of the heater and the fluid flow pathway, and combinations thereof. The control device is configured to provide power to the at least one electric heater based on the temperature of the at least one electric heater.

A heating system includes at least one electric heater disposed within the fluid flow system. A control device includes a microprocessor and is configured to determine a temperature of the at least one electric heater based on a model and at least one input from the fluid flow system. The control device is configured to provide power to the at least one electric heater based on the temperature of the at least one electric heater.

A chemical heat storage device heats a subject to be heated existing in a pipe. The chemical heat storage device includes a reactor that generates heat by chemically reacting with a reaction medium, an absorber that causes an absorbent to absorb and stores the reaction medium, and a connection tube that is connected to the reactor and absorber, for the reaction medium to migrate through. The reactor includes a solid reaction material disposed along an outer peripheral surface of a place where the subject exists in the pipe and a casing that seals the reaction material so as to form a space along an outer peripheral surface of the reaction material. One end of the connection tube is open to the space.

A method of starting up a thermoreactor arranged in an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine includes igniting combustion gas by spark ignition in at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas resulting from the combustion of the combustion gas is fed at least partially to the thermoreactor as an exhaust gas flow. The temperature of the exhaust gas resulting from combustion of the combustion gas is increased by the moment in time of the spark ignition being selected later in comparison with a present moment in time.

A heater is provided that includes at least one resistive heating element having a material with a non-monotonic resistivity vs. temperature profile and exhibiting a negative dR/dT characteristic over a predetermined operating temperature range along the profile. The heater can include a plurality of circuits disposed in a fluid path to heat fluid flow.

A method for operating a heater system including a resistive heating element having a material with a non-monotonic resistivity vs. temperature profile is provided. The method includes heating the resistive heating element to within a limited temperature range in which the resistive heating element exhibits a negative dR/dT characteristic, operating the resistive heating element within an operating temperature range that at least partially overlaps the limited temperature range, and determining a temperature of the resistive heating element such that the resistive heating element functions as both a heater and a temperature sensor. The resistive heating element can function as a temperature sensor in a temperature range between about 500° C. and about 800° C., and the non-monotonic resistivity vs. temperature profile for the material of the resistive heating element can have a local maximum and a local minimum.

A temperature control system includes a heater core utilizing heat of a heat medium; an engine heat exchanger utilizing exhaust heat of an engine to heat the heat medium; a condenser utilizing heat other than the exhaust heat to heat the heat medium; a heat circuit having the heater core and condenser; a communication flow path making the engine heat exchanger communicate with the heat circuit; and a connection state switching mechanism switching a flow state of the heat medium, between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit, while flowing through the heater core, and in the second state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit without flowing through the heater core. The heat circuit is arranged at a front of a passenger compartment, and the engine heat exchanger is arranged at a rear of the compartment.

A temperature control system includes a heater core utilizing heat of a heat medium; an engine heat exchanger utilizing exhaust heat of an engine to heat the heat medium; a condenser utilizing heat other than the exhaust heat to heat the heat medium; a heat circuit having the heater core and condenser; a communication flow path making the engine heat exchanger communicate with the heat circuit; and a connection state switching mechanism switching a flow state of the heat medium, between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit, while flowing through the heater core, and in the second state, the heat medium flows through the heat circuit without flowing through the heater core. The heat circuit is arranged at a front of a passenger compartment, and the engine heat exchanger is arranged at a rear of the compartment.