Abstract: A heat storage system consisting of a compartmented tank containing a liquid medium capable of storing heat therein, a flow control system operable to establish a liquid flow in the tank operable to concentrate the hottest liquid in a compartment remote from the outer tank wall, and sucessively less hot liquid in compartments successively closer to the outer tank wall, whereby to minimize heat loss from the tank through its walls, a pumping system operable to remove liquid from the coolest compartment of the tank to an external heater and return it to the hottest compartment of the tank, and a pumping system operable to remove liquid from the hottest region of the tank to a heat-consuming external load device such as a home heating system, and return it to the coolest region of the tank. A simple reversal of parts permits the system to be used for the storage of negative heat, or cold, for use in operating a heat-absorbing external load device, such as a home cooling system.

Abstract: A solar heating system including a specially designed tank divided into zones in which heat is stored in water, the hottest water in each zone rising to the top thereof by convection. A solar flow circuit draws water from the bottom of the coldest zone, and delivers it through a solar heat collection device back to the bottom of the hottest zone it is capable of heating. A heating flow circuit is drawn from the top of the hottest zone and delivered through a heat dispersing device in a comfort zone back to the top of the coldest zone, and then across the tops of the zones back to the hottest zone. An auxiliary heater fired by external fuel is provided to supply heat when the solar unit cannot carry the heating load. Provision is also made for collecting heat from any other external source available and storing it in the tank, so as to reduce any load on the auxiliary heater.

Abstract: A home heating and cooling system consisting of a pair of large water tanks and a heat-operated absorption-type refrigeration system disposed between the tanks and operable to transfer heat from one tank to the other. The "hot" tank supplies hot water for operating a hot water home heating system, supplies a portion of the heat necessary to operate the refrigeration system, and may also operate a home hot water supply system, drawing heat from the "cold" tank and from the atmosphere through the refrigeration system. In periods of low heat demand, it may store large amounts of heat for later use in periods of higher demand, thereby reducing the heating load imposed on the refrigeration unit. The "cold" tank supplies a cold liquid for a home cooling system operable by such liquid, and the heat absorbed by said cooling system, together with heat absorbed from the atmosphere, is transferred to the hot tank by the refrigeration unit.