Abstract: A thermal energy storage (TES) system includes a plurality of closely packed TES modules, each TES module having a shell enclosing a plurality of sealed tubes that each contain a TES media. A computer-controlled flow control system includes a flow distributor, for example a flow distributor having a plenum configured to receive a heat transfer fluid (HTF), and a plurality of control valves controlled by the computer to controllably distribute the HTF from the plenum to the plurality of TES modules. Sensor data from the TES modules, for example temperature, pressure, and/or flow data, is provided to the computer. In some embodiments the plenum includes two or more compartments with separate HTF flow ports, which may be provided to the controller at different temperatures.

Abstract: An improved thermal store is provided. The thermal decouples the heat output from the thermal store from the energy provided to the heater.

Abstract: A radiator for domestic heating with a heat-transfer fluid operating in two-phase form includes a reservoir of the heat-transfer fluid; a hot source, intended to raise the temperature of the heat-transfer fluid to a temperature such that it causes said fluid to undergo a change of phase; and a heater, at which the heat transfer with ambient air takes place, having n channels, communicating in a lower zone with the reservoir, it being possible for n to be equal to 1. The heat-transfer fluid is a mixture of at least two different heat-transfer liquids, the heat-transfer liquids having between them boiling points differing by at least ten degrees Celsius, and the liquid with the lowest boiling point representing 70% to 95% of the volume of the mixture for a mixture temperature of about 20° C.

Abstract: A method of controlling the input and output of heat to and from a heat-storing material. The method includes the step of externally supplying thermal energy to the heat-storing material capable of being supercooled and filled into a plurality of small containers together with a phase-segregation preventive agent by use of a structure for supplying heat, whereby the heat-storing material is melted. The method also includes the steps of maintaining the heat-storing material in the supercooled state after the emission of sensible heat, and releasing the supercooled state of the heat-storing material by use of a structure for releasing the supercooled state of the heat-storing material, when the release of the stored heat energy is required, whereby the heat at the melting point is generated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat-storage type heater which has a function of compensating a time lag between the generation and emission of heat, and comprises means for supplying heat to a heat-storing material 1 capable of being supercooled, the heat-storing material 1 being filled into a plurality of small containers 2, means 3 for releasing the supercooled state of the heat-storing material, and a thermal radiation surface.

Abstract: A heat-storage heater which has a function of compensating a time lag between the generation and emission of heat and comprises a device such as a heat exchanger or electric heater supplying heat to a heat-storing material 1 capable of being supercooled, the heat-storing material 1 being filled into a plurality of small containers 2, a device such as a heat exchanger, thermoelectric element, electrodes, or vibrator 3 for releasing the supercooled state of the heat-storing material, and a thermal radiation surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat-storage type heater which has a function of compensating a time lag between the generation and emission of heat, and comprises means for supplying heat to a heat-storing material 1 capable of being supercooled, the heat-storing material 1 being filled into a plurality of small containers 2, means 3 for releasing the supercooled state of the heat-storing material, and a thermal radiation surface.

Abstract: In a heat storage air conditioning apparatus, a power demand time-sequence data collecting unit collects time-sequence data on demand for power; a power demand curve estimating unit estimates a power demand curve obtained as a result of analysis of the power demand time-sequence data collected by the power demand time-sequence data collecting unit; a thermal energy load demand estimating unit estimates thermal energy load demand from the power demand curve estimated by the power demand curve estimating unit; an operation unit of a thermal-energy source feeds cooling/heating energy; a heat accumulating unit stores the cooling/heating energy supplied from the operation unit therein; a cold/hot air discharging unit discharges the thermal energy stored in the heat accumulating unit; a cooling/heating energy quantity recognizing unit recognizes the quantity of cooling or heating energy dissipated from the cold/hot air discharging unit; and a converting unit converts the quantity of cooling/heating energy into the

Abstract: A ventilation-heating apparatus comprises a fresh air passage with which a fresh air ventilation mechanism is associated and which opens into a room-side inflow air supply opening. The ventilation-heating apparatus further comprises a room air passage with which a room air ventilation mechanism is associated and which opens into a room-side air removal outlet opening. Fresh air and room air passages are passed through a heat exchanger which is suitable for the transfer of heat from the room air passage to the fresh air passage. An electrically heatable metallic heating element is provided in the region of the fresh air passage. A suitable heat storage element is associated with the heating element for the storage of the heat produced. An electrically heatable metallic additional heating element which can be selectively switched on is provided in the region of the fresh air passage.

Abstract: The proposal is for a heater consisting of a container with connections for a heating agent circuit for the circulation of a heat conveying medium, in which the container (50, 59) through which the heat conveying medium is to flow is thermally connected to at least one heat store fitted in the heater and preferably in which the container (50, 59) is at least partially fitted in another container (51) of heat-conducting material which can be filled with a heat storage fluid, where the two containers are not in mutual fluid communication and/or the container (50,59) through which the heat conveying medium flows is at least partly adjacent to a solid heat storage core (20). The invention also relates to a heating installation with heaters of the invention making use of solar power.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric radiator. A heating body, made of a resistive element embedded in a light alloy unit, is housed in an enclosure. The enclosure and heating body are separated by stiffening elements to surround the heating body with an air space. Heat is controlled by cutting power to the heating body during a variable time interval.

Abstract: An electric baseboard heater includes a ceramic glass block within which a steel wire electric heating element is insert molded. The ceramic glass block is mounted in a heater housing which includes a lower draft opening below the ceramic glass block and an upper air outlet above the ceramic glass block. When a voltage is applied to the steel wire, heat is generated by the wire and is absorbed and radiated by the ceramic glass block. Cool air is drawn into the draft opening in the housing and up past the ceramic glass block whereupon it exits the air outlet heated by the ceramic glass block. The heater is efficient because the ceramic glass heats very quickly and continues to radiate heat for a period of time after the voltage is removed from the steel wire. It is safe because the hot electric heating element is contained within the ceramic glass where it cannot contact flammable items.

Abstract: An electric baseboard heater includes a ceramic glass block within which a steel wire electric heating element is insert molded and which is provided with several through holes for convective movement of air through the block. The ceramic glass block is mounted in a heater housing which includes a lower draft opening below the ceramic glass block and an upper air outlet above the ceramic glass block. The glass block is preferably mounted so that one of its faces is exposed by the housing. When a voltage is applied to the steel wire, heat is generated by the wire and is absorbed and radiated by the ceramic glass block. Cool air is drawn into the draft opening in the housing and up through the through holes in the ceramic glass block whereupon it exits the air outlet heated by the ceramic glass block. The ceramic glass block is advantageously mounted at an angle in the housing to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance while at the same time increasing the convective movement of air through the heater.

Abstract: A method of energy load management for the heating and cooling of a building. The method involves utilizing a wallboard as a portion of the building, the wallboard containing about 5 to about 30 wt. % a phase change material such that melting of the phase change material occurs during a rise in temperature within the building to remove heat from the air, and a solidification of the phase change material occurs during a lowering of the temperature to dispense heat into the air. At the beginning of either of these cooling or heating cycles, the phase change material is preferably "fully charged". In preferred installations one type of wallboard is used on the interior surfaces of exterior walls, and another type as the surface on interior walls. The particular PCM is chosen for the desired wall and room temperature of these locations.

Abstract: A method of combining electric heating with a wood-heated masonry furnace is provided. The masonry furnace has an outer jacket (1) and at least one fire chest (5, 6) arranged therewithin for burning the wood. Cheek conduits (8) between the outer surface of the fire chest and the inner surface of the outer jacket, are provided. The conduits are connected to the fire chest (5, 6) at one end and to a flue (9) at the opposite end. At least one electric resistor element (13) is installed inside the furnace. In order that electrical heating could be easily combined with any existing masonry furnace, holes (14) are drilled in the fire cover (10) of the furnace and the at least one resistor element (13) is arranged to hang from the fire cover (10) in the air space (8, 16) inside the furnace.

Abstract: A heating and cooling device comprising a box type heat exchange tank containing a heat transfer medium having an thermal accumulation effect therein and a heat exchange pipe arranged in said heat exchange tank. An air discharging member is mounted to an outlet of the heat exchange pipe and provided with a fan for blowing air in the heat exchange pipe into a room. An air suction member connected to said inlet of the heat exchange pipe, to suck outside air and supply it into the heat exchange pipe, A heater is disposed just below said air suction member, to heat an air entering the air suction member in a heating operation of the device. A cooling chamber is also disposed, to cool the heat transfer medium in the heat exchange tank. A water pump may be disposed below the heat exchange tank, so as to pump a relatively cold underground water into the heat exchange tank. The underground water is used as the heat transfer medium for a cooling operation of the device.

Abstract: An electrical storage heater having a heat store which is electrically heated, an internal air passage which extends upwardly through the heat store, a flow controller which is located above the upper end of the internal passage for controlling the convective flow of the air through the internal passage, and an actuator for the flow controller. The actuator includes a bimetallic element secured to the flow controller.

Abstract: A double loop heat storage space heating furnace has a housing with an upper heat storage section containing an electrically heated heat storage brick portion and a lower section containing an air-to-air heat exchanger having first and second air flow passages. The furnace has two separate flow courses. The first flow course uses a room air fan to circulate room air through the first passages of the heat exchanger. The second flow course has a recirculating fan in the lower housing section for recirculating air in a continuous closed loop through the heat storage brick portion to be heated and the second flow passages of the heat exchanger so that heat is delivered from the heated recirculated air and the room air in the heat exchanger. The upper housing section includes a cooling air space surrounding the heat storage brick portion through which the room air fan circulates a portion of the room air to maintain the furnace housing at a temperature similar to that of the room air.

Abstract: An electric thermal storage heater with a heat storage brick assembly enclosed within an insulating sheath and an outer shell or housing; there is a space between the outer shell and the insulating sheath through which low temperature air is passed; the brick assembly has air flow openings therethrough into which the electric heating elements may be slipped during installation, and the openings communicate with entrance and exit passages which supply air to and through the brick assembly; air valving is provided to close and modulate the air flowing through the brick assembly and through the low temperature air path; the heating elements maintain the temperature of the bricks between 500.degree. F. and 1300.degree. F., depending upon the expected heating load; and air ducts and a fan move air from the storage heater to the duct system of a heat pump or similar forced air heating device.

Abstract: An electric thermal storage heating unit including (i) an insulated housing defining a storage chamber with two laterally extending linear openings through the base of the storage chamber, (ii) a plurality of heat-sink bricks within the storage chamber which define separate vertical ducts above each of the lateral linear openings, and (iii) a pair of substantially planar, serpentine electrical heating elements each defining an uppermost portion with parallel upper right and upper left sides and a lowermost portion with parallel lower right and lower left sides wherein the uppermost portion is angled with respect to the lowermost portion within the plane defined by the element so as to cause the right and left sides of the lowermost portion to extend at an obtuse angle of less than 180.degree.