Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for increasing the temperature of a substance which is initially in an at least partly solidified state in a container, where at least one heat exchanger is arranged in the container. One object is to obtain that the temperature of a substance may be changed relatively fast. This is obtained by having pumping means for displacing the substance, exchanging heat between a heat exchanger and the substance, displacing substance with the pumping means for increased heat exchange between the heat exchanger and the substance, as well as stirring the substance with the pumping means by displacing the substance inside the container. When the substance is displaced, then not only stagnant substance is in contact with the heat exchanger for heat exchange. The amount of substance in contact with the heat exchanger is thereby greatly increased, and the heat transfer is less dependent on thermal conductivity of the substance.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for increasing the temperature of a substance which is initially in an at least partly solidified state in a container, where at least one heat exchanger is arranged in the container. One object is to obtain that the temperature of a substance may be changed relatively fast. This is obtained by having pumping means for displacing the substance, exchanging heat between a heat exchanger and the substance, displacing substance with the pumping means for increased heat exchange between the heat exchanger and the substance, as well as stirring the substance with the pumping means by displacing the substance inside the container. When the substance is displaced, then not only stagnant substance is in contact with the heat exchanger for heat exchange. The amount of substance in contact with the heat exchanger is thereby greatly increased, and the heat transfer is less dependent on thermal conductivity of the substance.

Abstract: A fuel-fired water heater is coupled to an electrically powered air conditioning refrigerant circuit in a manner permitting water to be heated with either combustible fuel or electricity. In one embodiment a condenser piping section is externally coiled around the water heater tank, in direct thermally conductive contact therewith, and in another embodiment the condenser piping section is disposed in the interior of the tank and is coiled around the water heater flue in a laterally outwardly spaced relationship therewith. In various depicted arrangements thereof the other refrigerant circuit components are compactly supported on the water heater.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-efficiency water pump and heater assembly for use with a pool or spa as a device that facilitates the filtering and heating of the pool water. A water pump and turbine engine are combined using an inventive linkage assembly that incorporates a revolutions per minute (rpm) reducing device. The rpm reducing device is operative to reduce the rpm speed associated with the turbine engine substantially to a revolutions-per-minute speed commonly associated with pool water pumps. A heat exchanger is disposed in the exhaust path of the turbine engine whereby water flowing through the heat exchanger coils is heated to a predetermined threshold as monitored by a temperature-monitoring device. The temperature-monitoring device causes a bypass device to redirect the flow of exhaust air once the predetermined temperature threshold has been reached such that the heat exchanger coils are bypassed as long as the water temperature is at or above the predetermined threshold.