A heating assembly for a vapour generating device includes a heating device arranged to heat, in use, a body, the body including a vaporisable substance located in use in a heating compartment of the heating assembly, the heating assembly being arranged to supply, in use, power to the heating device to heat the body; a temperature sensor arranged to monitor, in use, a temperature related to heat generated from the body, temperature information related to heat generated from the body being determinable from the monitored temperature; and a memory accessor arranged to access, in use, a memory that holds a relationship between the temperature information, the amount of power supplied to the heating device or the profile of power supplied to the heating device, and at least one condition including an age of the body, or a type of the body, or the presence of the body.

An in-ground geothermal heat pump (GHP) closed loop optimization method is disclosed for designing, analyzing, optimizing, controlling, and simulating a detailed model and analysis of a building's in-ground geothermal heat pump system, including borehole length, number of boreholes, heat pump capacity, grid layout, total electric operating costs, efficiency ratios, and hybrid designs, among others. In one aspect of the disclosure described herein, the GHP optimization method can reliably and efficiently predict and optimized the fluctuations of the GHP equipment performance in very small increments which enable the determination of energy consumption and demand information on a specific and unique hourly schedule basis for the building design, including incorporating thermal load data for each individual zone of the building. More specifically, the small increment method here can be used to eliminate overly broad approximations by evaluating GHP performance that is specific to building dynamics, constants, and variables for all of the building individual zones and the building's hourly operating schedule, thereby providing an efficient, reliable, simple, and effective geothermal heat pump design and simulation model.

Apparatus, systems, and methods to monitor and control operation of an aquatic facility comprising a water basin, a water supply subsystem, and other subsystems. A simplified, centralized, scalable control subsystem comprises a base controller including with inputs and outputs and a human-machine interface. Sensors are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly sense one of a pre-selected set of parameters related to the operation of the aquatic facility. Actuators are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly actuate one of a pre-selected set of operations of the aquatic facility. The base controller is programmable relative to setpoints or other operational criteria of the aquatic facility; and actuation of at least a base subset of the actuators and graphical representation of the facility and the water supply, and the at least one subsystem, and the pre-selected operations of the aquatic system.

Some embodiments are directed to an apparatus for monitoring at least one thermal control device, the device including a power supply input terminal suitable for being connected to an electric power source. The monitoring apparatus includes an electronic console that stores control instructions from the or each thermal control device. The control instructions include, for each thermal control device, at least one temperature setpoint and one energy consumption setpoint; at least one temperature sensor suitable for providing temperature data measurements, the temperature and energy consumption setpoints being determined based on parameters comprising at least said temperature data measurements; and at least one device for controlling the electric power supply of the or one of the thermal control devices, connected to the power supply input terminal of said device and suitable for controlling the electric power supply of the device based on at least the temperature and energy consumption setpoints.

A heating assembly for a vapour generating device includes a heating device arranged to heat, in use, a body, the body including a vaporisable substance located in use in a heating compartment of the heating assembly, the heating assembly being arranged to supply, in use, power to the heating device to heat the body; a temperature sensor arranged to monitor, in use, a temperature related to heat generated from the body, temperature information related to heat generated from the body being determinable from the monitored temperature; and a memory accessor arranged to access, in use, a memory that holds a relationship between the temperature information, the amount of power supplied to the heating device or the profile of power supplied to the heating device, and at least one condition including an age of the body, or a type of the body, or the presence of the body.

Apparatus, systems, and methods to monitor and control operation of an aquatic facility comprising a water basin, a water supply subsystem, and other subsystems. A simplified, centralized, scalable control subsystem comprises a base controller including with inputs and outputs and a human-machine interface. Sensors are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly sense one of a pre-selected set of parameters related to the operation of the aquatic facility. Actuators are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly actuate one of a pre-selected set of operations of the aquatic facility. The base controller is programmable relative to setpoints or other operational criteria of the aquatic facility; and actuation of at least a base subset of the actuators and graphical representation of the facility and the water supply, and the at least one subsystem, and the pre-selected operations of the aquatic system.

Apparatus, systems, and methods to monitor and control operation of an aquatic facility comprising a water basin, a water supply subsystem, and other subsystems. A simplified, centralized, scalable control subsystem comprises a base controller including with inputs and outputs and a human-machine interface. Sensors are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly sense one of a pre-selected set of parameters related to the operation of the aquatic facility. Actuators are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly actuate one of a pre-selected set of operations of the aquatic facility. The base controller is programmable relative to setpoints or other operational criteria of the aquatic facility; and actuation of at least a base subset of the actuators and graphical representation of the facility and the water supply, and the at least one subsystem, and the pre-selected operations of the aquatic system.

An energy cutoff apparatus for a water heating system includes a safety cutoff circuit and a presence detection circuit. The safety cutoff circuit receives a temperature signal from a temperature sensor. The temperature signal is indicative of whether a temperature of water in the water heating system within a permissible temperature range. The safety cutoff circuit disables a safe operation current branch when the temperature signal indicates the water temperature is outside the permissible water temperature range. The presence detection circuit detects a presence of the temperature sensor and disables a presence detection current branch if the temperature sensor is absent. Switches can power heating elements of the water heating system responsive to the safe operation current branch being enabled and the temperature sensor being present and can disable the heat elements responsive to the safe operation current branch being disabled or the temperature sensor being absent.

A water heater appliance, as provided herein, may include a casing, a tank, an inlet conduit, an electric heating system, and a controller. The tank may be disposed within the casing, the tank defining an inlet and an outlet. The inlet conduit may be mounted to the tank at the inlet of the tank. The electric heating system may be in thermal communication with the tank to heat water within the tank. The controller may be in operative communication with the electric heating system. The controller may be configured to initiate a responsive-heating cycle. The responsive heating cycle may include detecting expiration of a dormant event at the water heater appliance, initiating a randomized delay period in response to detecting expiration of the dormant event, and initiating activation of the water heater appliance following the delay period.

A system for heating water to improve safety and efficiency. The system may have normal operation measured in time. After a time of normal operation, a water temperature setpoint may be checked. If the setpoint is not at a certain level, normal operation may continue. If the setpoint is within the certain level, water temperature may be measured. If the water temperature is less than a desired level, one or more draws of water may be measured for a preset temperature drop. If the draws do not meet the temperature drop, a return to check the setpoint may be made. If the draws meet the temperature drop, the setpoint may be reduced and a time of normal operation may be measured to determine whether a burn cycle occurs within the time. If not, normal operation may continue; but if so, a return to check the setpoint may be made.