A water heating assembly, related kit, use and method make use of a temperature control near a point of use of water, so as to reduce a time response for hot water at this point of use are provided. The water heating assembly includes a tank for containing water, an inlet temperature sensor for sensing an inlet temperature of the water upstream of the tank, and a valve located upstream of the tank. The valve is actuated when the sensed inlet temperature reaches a given temperature set-point such that the water is bypassed from the tank and directly sent to the point of use. The water heating assembly is configured such that the point of use can be fed with water at the desired temperature in a reduced time, the water coming directly from the hot water source and/or the water heating assembly, thereby saving water, energy and time.

A system for heating a first fluid flow from a first temperature to a second temperature, the system including a hot water supply line for receiving the first fluid flow at a first end and exhausting the first fluid flow at a second end; and a heating system including a heat engine, a thermal battery and a heat exchanger, wherein the thermal battery is configured to be replenished at a point of heat transfer by the heat engine and the hot water supply line is configured to receive heat from the thermal battery via the heat exchanger to elevate the temperature of the first fluid flow from the first temperature to the second temperature.

The invention generally relates to the filed of providing a liquid for human consumption. In particular, the invention relates to a system for channeling a liquid such as particularly an aqueous liquid such as water in a circuit and for controlling the contamination of the circulating liquid with microorganisms, as well as to a corresponding method using the same. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the effective energy saving in the course of providing a heated liquid for human consumption while controlling the limit values recommended, admissible or acceptable for microorganisms, in which the set temperature of a heating device (8) is adjusted to a value below 60° C., preferably to a value between 40 and 55° C., most preferably to a value between 43 and 48° C.

New forms of self-cleansing surfaces are provided. In some embodiments, a self-cleansing surface is provided, which is configured to be handled by a human user, as a user interface. The self-cleansing surface may comprise one or more surface device(s), with surface-covering pores configured to release a cleanser upon physical contact or actuation of the user interface, and configured to clean the self-cleansing surface. In some embodiments, the release is mediated by a physical trigger. In some embodiments, the surface device includes a control system that monitors surface handling with a sensor, and mediates the release with an actuator. The invention may be provided on or in any form of user interface that may be physically touched by a user. For example, in some embodiments, the invention may be provided on door handles or controls, appliance handles or controls, and any other user interfaces bearing a risk of carrying microbes.

A method for controlling a water heater comprising: receiving report information transmitted by a user-wearable device at a predetermined frequency; determining whether a user is coming back according to user location information included in the report information; and if the user is coming back, turning on a return water pump to permit water outputted from a water outlet of the water heater to return to the water heater through a water return port. The present disclosure determines a movement direction and the user location by using report information transmitted by the user-wearable device. If the user is coming back, the return water pump is turned on to permit water to return, so that the user can take a hot bath immediately after arriving home, thereby improving user's experience.

A hot water recirculation system for a house or other building causes water to be recirculated to a water heater for reheating until the water is above a set-point temperature at which time the heated water is made available for use at a faucet or other hot water plumbing fixture. Recirculation of hot water takes place only when there is demand for hot water at a hot water plumbing fixture. A flow switching module for use in the hot water recirculation system can selectively direct water supplied to the flow switching module from a water heater either to a hot water plumbing fixture or to return piping for returning the water to the water heater. The flow switching module may be operated manually, automatically, or semi-automatically.

An instant hot water delivery system includes a thermal storage bin that receives hot water from a water heater via a hot water supply conduit and stores the hot water therein. The thermal storage bin is disposed adjacent a point of demand to deliver the hot water instantly to the point of demand responsive to a demand. The thermal storage bin is configured to retain a thermal energy of the hot water for a prolonged period using a phase change material. When the hot water stored in the thermal storage bin cools down below a threshold temperature, the cooled down hot water is recirculated to the water heater via a cold water supply conduit using a crossover valve. The recirculation is based on thermosiphon. Fresh hot water from the water heater replaces the cooled down hot water that is displaced from the thermal storage bin.

A tempered hot water delivery system configured to prevent or reduce colonisation of Legionella bacteria in tempered water delivered from the system to one or more outlets in a facility. The system comprises: a thermostatic mixing valve comprising; a hot water inlet for connection to a supply of hot water at a temperature of at least 60° C., a cold water inlet for connection to a supply of cold water, a tempered water outlet for supplying tempered water obtained from mixing the supplied hot water and cold water to provide tempered water at a temperature of between 36° C. to about 53° C. to at least one tempered water outlet of a facility, a recirculating inlet for connection to a recirculating water line circuit; and a recirculating water line circuit comprising a circulating return line connected to a circulating return outlet from the facility and to a water inlet feed line for connection to an inlet of a water heater and storage tank for providing the supply of hot water, the recirculating water line circuit further comprising a thermostatic element configured to introduce hot water to the recirculating water line circuit to maintain the temperature of water in the recirculating water line circuit during periods of little or no draw-off.

A water heating and treatment system includes a water heater operatively coupled to a water heater controller, a hot water outflow line from the water heater, and a cold water supply line to supply water to the water heater. The cold water supply line includes at least one of an anti-scale device operatively coupled to an anti-scale device controller, and at least one sanitation device operatively coupled to a sanitation device controller. The mixing station is operatively coupled to a mixing station controller. The mixing station supplies heated water to at least a first temperature zone at a first hot water temperature. Controllers of the water heater controller, the anti-scale device controller, the sanitation device controller and the mixing station controller are co-located at a front of a single enclosure behind an openable door, the controllers operatively coupled to a supervisory controller.

A hot water supplier includes a combustion unit including multiple combustion stages; a combustion fan supplying combustion air; a fuel supply unit supplying fuel; a heat exchange unit; a water supply unit supplying hot water to heat exchange unit; a hot water tapping unit discharging hot water heated in heat exchange unit by using combustion heat obtained by burning fuel in combustion unit; and a control unit controlling heating operation. When reheating operation is allowed in which hot water from hot water tapping unit is returned to water supply unit and reheated by heat exchange unit, control unit stores heating time using only a combustion stage having minimum combustion capacity during reheating operation as time data. If this time data tends to increase over time, deterioration progress of a heat retaining material covering a hot water pipe to which hot water is supplied from hot water tapping unit is determined.