A biomass heating system for firing fuel in the form of pellets and/or wood chips is disclosed, comprising: a boiler with a combustion device; a heat exchanger with an inlet and an outlet; wherein the combustion device comprises a combustion chamber with a primary combustion zone and with a secondary combustion zone provided downstream thereof; the combustion device having a rotating grate on which the fuel can be burned; the secondary combustion zone of the combustion chamber being fluidically connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger and the primary combustion zone being laterally enclosed by a plurality of combustion chamber bricks.

A biomass heating system for firing fuel in the form of pellets and/or wood chips is disclosed, comprising: a boiler with a combustion device; a heat exchanger with an inlet and an outlet; wherein the combustion device comprises a combustion chamber with a primary combustion zone and with a secondary combustion zone provided downstream thereof; the combustion device having a rotating grate on which the fuel can be burned; the secondary combustion zone of the combustion chamber being fluidically connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger and the primary combustion zone being laterally enclosed by a plurality of combustion chamber bricks.

An apparatus includes a high-pressure tank, a controller, a valve, controlled by the controller, and a heater.

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.

In an electric water heater having adjustable set point and differential temperatures, upper and lower heating elements, and associated temperature sensors respectively operative to sense upper and lower tank water temperatures, a specially designed control system is provided for controlling the heating elements. The control system is operative to prevent dry firing of the heating elements by measuring temperatures over time with the temperature sensors.

This invention relates to a heater. A combustion air blower feeds combustion air to a burner device. The burner device burns a gas-air mixture from the combustion air and a fuel and serves for heating air. A circulating air blower discharges heated air from the heater. A control device acts on at least one component of the heater, wherein a night mode parameter set associated with an operation of the heater in a night mode and a default parameter set are stored in a data storage device. After an activation of the night mode, the control device accesses the night mode parameter set and uses the same for acting on the component. The night mode parameter set effects a reduction of background noise generated by the heater.

This invention relates to a heater. A combustion air blower feeds combustion air to a burner device. The burner device burns a gas-air mixture from the combustion air and a fuel and serves for heating air. A circulating air blower discharges heated air from the heater. A control device acts on at least one component of the heater, wherein a night mode parameter set associated with an operation of the heater in a night mode and a default parameter set are stored in a data storage device. After an activation of the night mode, the control device accesses the night mode parameter set and uses the same for acting on the component. The night mode parameter set effects a reduction of background noise generated by the heater.

An electrical power distribution control system configured to issue a demand response signal to cut power to a plurality of electrical power consuming loads within an electrical power distribution network to reduce a peak power demand within an electrical power grid during a peak power demand. Unlike conventional demand response systems, the controller in each consumer residence includes both a distributed control based on the ability to track individual 24 hour usage patterns and selectively delay the demand response signal on individual resistive heating loads based on usage patterns for the purpose of reducing a likelihood of consumers experiencing effects of the reduced peak power demand.

A flameless heater system is described. The flameless heater system includes an energy source configured to generate energy and a heating system operatively coupled to the energy source, the heating system being configured to convert the energy to heat. The flameless heater system further includes a humidifying system operatively coupled to the energy source, the humidifying system being configured to convert the energy into moisture and a control system operatively coupled to the energy source, the heating system and the humidifying system, the control system being configured to monitor and control the energy source, the heating system and the humidifying system.

A method for commissioning a biomass heating system for combusting fuel in the form of pellets and/or wood chips, the biomass heating system comprising a boiler with a combustion chamber, a blower and a control device with a memory and a display, the method comprising the following steps: Determining (S2) whether the biomass heating system is initialized for the first time, wherein if the biomass heating system is not initialized for the first time, the method is terminated, and if the biomass heating system is initialized for the first time, the method is continued with the following step: Setting a plurality of heat generation parameters (S5) comprising at least the following parameters: a boiler type parameter defining at least a working range of the blower; a material parameter defining the characteristics of the fuel(s) to be combusted.