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.

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.

A method of heating water in a water storage tank. The method includes: selecting an outlet port and an inlet port from at least three ports located in the tank at different heights along a vertical direction. The outlet port is below the inlet port. The method further includes extracting water from the outlet port, supplying the extracted water to an external heat exchanger configured for heating the extracted water, and delivering heated water from the heat exchanger to the selected inlet port.

A heat storage system includes a compressor that compresses refrigerant; a heat storage tank that stores a heating medium; heat exchange means provided outside the heat storage tank for heating the heating medium using heat of the refrigerant compressed by the compressor; a heat accumulating circuit including a feed path that feeds the heating medium flowing out of the heat storage tank to the heat exchange means, a return path that returns the heating medium heated by the heat exchange means into the heat storage tank, and a pump that circulates the heating medium; and control means capable of executing an initial operation that controls an operating frequency of the compressor at the beginning of a heat accumulating operation in which the heating medium heated by the heat exchange means is accumulated in the heat storage tank. The initial operation includes a first operation that maintains the operating frequency at a first frequency and, after the first operation, a second operation that maintains the operating frequency at a second frequency higher than the first frequency.

A hot water supply apparatus includes a heat pump device in which a compressor and a heat exchanger are connected, a heat medium circuit connected to the heat pump device via the heat exchanger, a tank that stores water after the water exchanges heat with a heat medium of the heat medium circuit, two tank-temperature detection units attached at different heights to the tank and each detects a temperature of water in the tank, and a controller that controls, by using a value detected by each of the two tank-temperature detection units, a temperature of water in the tank. The controller sets a target hot water supply temperature based on a stored-hot-water temperature detected by one of the two tank temperature detection units and a within-tank temperature difference that is a difference between temperatures within the tank detected by the two tank-temperature detection units.

The present invention relates to a sensor for measuring temperature of a fluid within a vessel, the vessel having a first region and a second region and the fluid having a temperature profile extending between the first region and the second region, the sensor comprising an array of elements, each element having a temperature-dependent parameter, the array being capable of deployment within or adjacent the vessel such that the array extends along the vessel for measuring the temperature profile, the elements of the array being coupled together between an input and an output, the input being coupled or capable of being coupled to a driving source for driving the sensors, and the output being coupled or capable of being coupled to a detector for measuring an aggregate of the temperature-dependent parameter from the array of elements. The invention further relates to a fluid temperature controller comprising a first input for receiving a first signal indicating a measurement of an aggregate of a temperature-dependent parameter from a sensor deployed within or adjacent a vessel containing a fluid having a temperature profile, a second input for receiving a second signal indicating a (preferably absolute) temperature of the fluid in the vessel and a processor configured to calculate a total thermal energy of the fluid in the vessel based on the first and second signals. The invention also relates to a combination comprising a sensing arrangement and a controller; a device; and a system.

A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, and a first temperature sensor disposed toward a top end of the tank to measure a first temperature and a second temperature sensor disposed toward a bottom end of the tank to measure a second temperature. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on a plurality of algorithms and measurements made by the first and second temperature sensors. The plurality of algorithms solves for at least one calculated temperature for at least one point between a first location of the first temperature sensor and a second location of the second temperature sensor, where the at least one calculated temperature is used to determine the amount of heated water in the tank.

A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, and a first temperature sensor disposed toward a top end of the tank to measure a first temperature and a second temperature sensor disposed toward a bottom end of the tank to measure a second temperature. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on a plurality of algorithms and measurements made by the first and second temperature sensors. The plurality of algorithms solves for at least one calculated temperature for at least one point between a first location of the first temperature sensor and a second location of the second temperature sensor, where the at least one calculated temperature is used to determine the amount of heated water in the tank.

The disclosed technology includes a liquid storage tank having a heating element, an inlet for receiving unheated liquid, an outlet for outputting heated liquid, and a partition configured to divide the tank into a first portion and a second portion. The partition can have an aperture such that the first portion and the second portion are in fluid communication. The liquid storage tank can include an actuator in mechanical communication with the partition and configured to linearly move at least a portion of the partition based at least in part on the temperature of liquid within the tank.

A temperature sensor securing system and method is described for securing two or more temperature sensors against an outer surface of a side wall of a tank of an electric water heater. The temperature sensors are secured spaced apart on an elongated support such as a circuit board which is held in position against the tank outer surface by support means. An expandable liquid foam causes the temperature sensors to be biased against the outer surface of the tank side wall to sense the temperature of the side wall at the location of the sensors and to generate actual temperature signals to a controller which is programmed to communicate with a subscriber and/or energy provider to control the water temperature inside the tank.