Intellihot, Inc.

A method for controlling a heating system to meet a heating demand, the heating system including more than one thermal battery, the method including comparing a state of charge (SOC) of one of the more than one thermal battery to a low thermal storage threshold, wherein if the SOC is lower than the low thermal storage threshold and the more than one thermal battery is more than one thermal battery, disposing the control valve of the one of the more than one thermal battery in a closed state; and comparing the SOC of one of the more than one thermal battery to a high thermal storage threshold, wherein if the SOC is greater than the high thermal storage threshold, disposing the control valve of the one of the more than one thermal battery in an open state.

A heating system includes a thermal battery having a storage container configured to hold a first fluid and an opening configured to substantially expose the first fluid to atmospheric pressure. A fluid conductor is disposed through the first fluid and extends from an inlet point at the storage container to an outlet point at the storage container. The fluid conductor is configured to receive a second fluid at a first temperature at the inlet point and to supply the second fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature at the outlet point. Thermal energy stored in the first fluid is transferred to the second fluid through the fluid conductor while the first fluid remains substantially non-pressurized. The arrangement enables efficient on-demand heating while decoupling thermal storage from pressurized fluid delivery.

Disclosed is a condensate trap system for condensing appliances. The trap includes a cap, a dip tube extending through the cap from a top end to a bottom end, and a canister that houses a cup and has a bottom drain port. An opening along the dip tube proximate the top end is in gas communication with a pressure sensor. The canister's top end is removably coupled to the cap, with the dip tube's bottom end disposed within the cup interior. During normal operation, condensate received at the cap fills the cup, overflows, and exits the canister via the drain port while the opening remains unsubmerged. If the drain port or downstream plumbing is obstructed, liquid rises to submerge the opening, interrupting gas communication and generating a sensor signal indicative of a blocked condensate path.

A thermal battery including a container including an interior space configured for receiving a heat transfer fluid; and a coil disposed in the interior space of the container, the coil comprising an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein at least one of the inlet end of the coil and the outlet end of the coil is configured to be movably disposed with respect to the container through at least one aperture of the container, wherein one of an expansion and a contraction of the coil is accommodated by allowing movement of the coil relative to the container.

A heating system for heating a fluid received at an inlet, the system including a first heating device disposed in a first heated line branched from the inlet, wherein a first flow of the fluid through the first heated line is configured to be modulated by a first valve; a second heating device disposed in a second heated line branched from the inlet, wherein a second flow of the fluid through the second heated line is configured to be modulated by a second valve; and a bypass line and a third valve disposed in the bypass line, wherein a flow through the bypass line is configured to be modulated by the third valve, wherein the first and second heating devices and the first, second and third valve are configured to cooperate to heat the fluid at an outlet received from the first and second heated line and the bypass line.

A heating system including at least one thermal battery including a storage container for holding a fluid, an outlet fluid conductor through which the fluid exits the storage container, an inlet fluid conductor through which the fluid enters the storage container, a first valve interposed in the outlet fluid conductor; and a second valve interposed in the inlet fluid conductor, wherein each thermal battery is configured to be thermally chargeable and dischargeable by controlling the first valve and the second valve to allow a flow of the fluid in concert and to disallow a flow in concert.

An adaptor for adapting a solar heater to a thermal storage device, the adaptor including a first port disposed on a first surface, a second port disposed on a second surface, a third port disposed on the second surface, and a fourth port disposed on the first surface, wherein a fluid flow is configured to be directed from the solar heater through the first port before exiting through the second port into the thermal storage device, the fluid flow is configured to continue to be directed from the thermal storage device through the third port before entering through the third port and continuing to exit through the fourth port to return to the solar heater.

A heating system including a trunk line including a first half and a second half; an inlet fluid conductor and an outlet fluid conductor, wherein the inlet fluid conductor connected to an inlet end of the trunk line and the outlet fluid conductor connected to an outlet end of the trunk line; at least one heating subsystem, each of the at least one heating subsystem including a fluid path for heating a working fluid disposed therein, a first end of the fluid path connected to the first half and a second end of the fluid path connected to the second half; a primary pump interposed in the inlet fluid conductor, the pump configured to push the working fluid through the at least one heating subsystem and the trunk line; a bleed valve disposed at a downstream end of the first half.

A heating system includes a thermal battery, a heat pump configured to store heat in the thermal battery, a photovoltaic thermal system including a solar electric generator and a solar thermal generator, wherein the solar thermal generator is configured to store heat in the thermal battery and the solar electric generator is configured to generate electrical charge and a housing within which the thermal battery and the heat pump are disposed and atop which the photovoltaic thermal system is disposed.

A method for determining the suitability of a thermal storage medium of a thermal battery based in a locale, the method including predicting a required concentration of the thermal storage medium based on historical temperature data of the locale and predicted temperature data of the locale, wherein the required concentration of the thermal storage medium is predicted based upon a concentration of the thermal storage medium corresponding to the historical temperature data and the predicted temperature data and determining the concentration of the thermal storage medium and comparing the concentration of the thermal storage medium to the required concentration of the thermal storage medium, wherein if the required concentration of the thermal storage medium is higher than the concentration of the thermal storage medium, the thermal storage medium is said to be unsuitable.