The present invention provides an electric boiler having a heating element surrounded by a thermally conductive inner container to define an inner passage about the heating element, the inner container having an inlet 13, 14 and an outlet for a flow of water and is arranged such as to cause water received at the inner container inlet to flow along the inner passage in close proximity to a surface of the heating element, the boiler further comprising an outer container in which the inner container is substantially located, the outer container defining an outer passage about at least part of the inner container, the outer container having an outlet into the inner container wherein the outer container is arranged such as to cause water to flow along the outer passage in close proximity to a surface of the inner container, such that water received in the boiler makes at least a double pass through the boiler to increase the potential heat transfer to the water.

A water heater and a method of heating water utilizing microwave energy are disclosed. The water heater includes an inlet pipe connecting tubular coils. The tubular coils overlap over one another in a pyramid-shape structure. The tubular coils include a microwave generator positioned adjacent to them. The water heater includes an insulation member that positions around the tubular coils. The tubular coils connect to an outlet pipe including a pressure relief valve and a switch. The inlet pipe supplies cold water to the tubular coils. The microwave generator produces microwave energy directed at the tubular coils. The microwave energy penetrates into the tubular coils and heats up the water. The insulation member reflects back the microwave energy into the tubular coils and ensures there is no loss of energy. The hot water flows through the outlet pipe.

A radiant heating system includes a housing and a plurality of heating elements. The housing includes a top cover configured to cover and seal an upper surface of the housing and a coolant directing enclosure positioned on an upper interior surface of the top cover. The top cover includes a plurality of openings, an inlet configured to allow a coolant to enter into the housing and an outlet configured to allow the coolant to exit the housing. The plurality of heating elements are configured to be inserted into the plurality of openings of the top cover such that the plurality of heating elements project into the housing and contact a coolant. A diameter of the inlet is greater than a diameter of the outlet.

A fluid heating apparatus for heating fluid on a fluid path may comprise a fluid pump, a fluid heater, a temperature sensor to sense fluid temperature and generate a temperature signal, and a temperature control assembly configured to control the temperature of the fluid. The control assembly may comprise a target temperature input to receive a target temperature, a pump control to control operation of the fluid pump to control a flow rate of the fluid, and a heater control to control operation of the fluid heater to control a degree of heat output by the fluid heater. The temperature control assembly may be configured to increase and decrease fluid flow along the fluid path and to increase and decrease heat output of the fluid heater to control the temperature of the fluid at the fluid outlet.

A plasma heating apparatus including a boiler vessel for holding water to be heated, a cathode housed in the vessel, the cathode defining a watertight cathode chamber isolated from the water in the vessel, and, an anode housed in the cathode chamber, the anode including an internal passage for receiving a gas from outside of the vessel when the passage is connected to a gas supply, and wherein the anode is connectable to a power source for receiving power for generating a plasma in the cathode chamber. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a heat or power generating system or plant including the plasma heating apparatus.

A plasma heating apparatus including a boiler vessel for holding water to be heated, a cathode housed in the vessel, the cathode defining a watertight cathode chamber isolated from the water in the vessel, and, an anode housed in the cathode chamber, the anode including an internal passage for receiving a gas from outside of the vessel when the passage is connected to a gas supply, and wherein the anode is connectable to a power source for receiving power for generating a plasma in the cathode chamber. In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a heat or power generating system or plant including the plasma heating apparatus.

A central plant includes a plurality of subplants including a chiller configured to output supply water at a supply water temperature, a sensor configured obtain a measurement of the supply water temperature, and a control system. The control system is configured to calculate an additional load factor based on the measurement of the supply water temperature and a supply water temperature setpoint, obtain an actual load for the chiller, calculate an effective load based on the additional load factor and the actual load, generate load allocations for the plurality of subplants based on the effective load, and control the plurality of subplants to operate in accordance with the load allocations.

A central plant includes a plurality of subplants including a chiller configured to output supply water at a supply water temperature, a sensor configured obtain a measurement of the supply water temperature, and a control system. The control system is configured to calculate an additional load factor based on the measurement of the supply water temperature and a supply water temperature setpoint, obtain an actual load for the chiller, calculate an effective load based on the additional load factor and the actual load, generate load allocations for the plurality of subplants based on the effective load, and control the plurality of subplants to operate in accordance with the load allocations.

A system for controlling building equipment includes building equipment configured to output a resource having a measurable characteristic, a sensor configured obtain a measurement of the measurable characteristic, and a control system. The control system is configured to calculate an additional load factor based on the measurement of the measurable characteristic and a setpoint for the measurable characteristic, obtain an actual load for the building equipment, calculate an effective load based on the additional load factor and the actual load, generate load allocations for the building equipment based on the effective load, and control the building equipment to operate in accordance with the load allocations.

A smart boiler system serving boilers each equipped with sensor/s monitoring an aspect of boiler water heating functionality and a local controller collecting sensor data and communicating data to remote server, the system comprising a central server in data communication with said data network and including a processor having operational mode/s including a maintenance-needs-detection operational mode operative to scan data stored in a boiler data repository, on occasion, and to rank boilers accordingly, in terms of predetermined criterion defining maintenance need/s, and provide push output/s indicating a subset of boilers currently ranking high in terms of predetermined criterion defining at least one maintenance need.