Abstract: A water heating system comprises a lower energy storage tank connected with a source of energy and an upper tank mounted on top of the lower. The upper tank may be a conventional water heater or a water storage tank connected at an outlet therefrom with an instantaneous type water heater, and the tanks are interconnected through a valve. The valve operates to direct incoming cold water through a heat exchanger in the lower tank for being preheated prior to introduction into the upper tank and accommodates a thermal syphon effect between the tanks when fresh water is not being supplied, whereby heat energy is automatically transferred from the lower to the upper tank. The lower tank may advantageously and economically comprise a conventional drum, for example a 55 gallon drum, and all system components are mounted in a cover assembly for the lower tank, so that the upper tank need not be specially fabricated, with the cover assembly also serving to support the upper tank.

Abstract: An energy storage system of increased conductivity for enhanced receipt, capture, storage, removal and release of energy is provided by dispersing finely divided filaments of highly conductive material throughout chemical energy storage media and causing the conductive filaments to establish a myriad network of highly conductive paths in contact with substantially the entirety of the media and energy exchangers devised to add energy to and remove energy from the media via the conductive paths.