Abstract:
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of providing energy to a dwelling. An engine is housed within an inner tank, which is in turn housed within an outer tank. The engine provides electricity which is used for a dwelling. Exhaust fumes from the engine are piped through a series of heat-exchanging tubes within the outer tank to heat potable water within the outer tank. Water enters the potable tank at a bottom of the tank, and warms as it rises through the outer tank toward an outlet near a top of the outer tank. Hot, potable water is provided from the top of the outer tank to the dwelling. Condensate from the exhaust is captured and used as potable water. Heat, vibration, and acoustic energy from the engine is captured by the fluid in the inner tank and transferred to the outer tank.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/304,403, filed Feb. 13, 2010 and titled FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY AND RESOURCE INDEPENDENCE. The present application is a continuation-in-part of each of the following applications: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/707,651, filed Feb. 17, 2010 and titled ELECTROLYTIC CELL AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF; PCT Application No. PCT/US10/24497, filed Feb. 17, 2010 and titled ELECTROLYTIC CELL AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/707,653, filed Feb. 17, 2010 and titled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING NUCLEATION DURING ELECTROLYSIS; PCT Application No. PCT/US10/24498, filed Feb. 17, 2010 and titled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING NUCLEATION DURING ELECTROLYSIS; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/707,656, filed Feb. 17, 2010 and titled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GAS CAPTURE DURING ELECTROLYSIS; and PCT Application No. PCT/US10/24499, filed Feb. 17, 2010 and titled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING NUCLEATION DURING ELECTROLYSIS; each of which claims priority to and the benefit of the following applications: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/153,253, filed Feb. 17, 2009 and titled FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/237,476, filed Aug. 27, 2009 and titled ELECTROLYZER AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE TECHNOLOGIES; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/304,403, filed Feb. 13, 2010 and titled FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY AND RESOURCE INDEPENDENCE. Each of these applications is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The world economy is dependent upon energy generated by annual combustion of more than one million years of fossil accumulations such as coal, natural gas and oil. Present practices for producing electricity from fossil and nuclear fueled central power plants are very inefficient. Most electricity is produced by driving a generator with a heat engine such as a steam turbine or gas turbine that is fueled by coal and to a lesser extent by natural gas, oil, or nuclear fuels. 
         [0003]    Original production of fossil hydrocarbons such as coal, oil and natural gas started with photosynthesis at a time in the distant past between 60 million and 500 million years ago. Biomass produced by photosynthesis is less than 1% efficient and only a small amount of biomass became anaerobically processed in geological circumstances that resulted in preservation of fossil fuels. Thus burning a fossil fuel in a power plant that claims to be 40% to 60% efficient actually provides far less than 0.5% conversion of solar energy into electricity. 
         [0004]    Enormous consumption of fossil fuels has enabled the U.S. to lead the world in economic development. Some 200 billion barrels of domestic oil and more or less equal energy equivalents as natural gas and coal have been burned. About 5% of the world&#39;s six billion humans in the U.S. consume 25% of world oil production, but U.S. reserves have been depleted to only 2% of total world reserves. Natural gas production has failed to keep pace with demand that has shifted from oil. Coal is now shipped great distances by rail car and slurry pipelines from cleaner mine deposits in efforts to meet environmental protection standards. 
         [0005]    Ageing U.S. power plants import nuclear fuel and world supplies of fissionable fuels are declining in close correlation to the fossil hydrocarbon fuels. It would require more than 1,600 nuclear power plants to produce the 95 Quads of energy now consumed yearly by the U.S. Nuclear power is not a viable option. 
         [0006]    Dwellings such as homes, office buildings and manufacturing plants typically purchase electricity from fossil fueled central power plants and use a fluid fuel such as natural gas or propane for space heating and water heating. Typical central power plants reject some 50-70% of the heat released by fossil fuel combustion as an accepted necessity of the thermodynamic cycles utilized by electricity utilities. If dwellings had access to the energy rejected from distant central power plants, virtually all of the space and water heating could be accomplished without incurring the cost, pollution, and resource depletion now incurred by burning a fossil fuel at the dwelling to produce these needs. 
         [0007]    Most of the world&#39;s population is deprived of the standard of living typical in the U.S. because of the high cost of electricity production, water heating, and air conditioning as provided by central power plants, liquefied petroleum or oil fired water heaters, and electric powered air conditioners. As easily exploited fossil fuel supplies are depleted, conservation of energy becomes increasingly important to all nations. 
         [0008]    Much of the world population suffers from occasional or incessant diseases due to air and water born pathogens and in other instances from inorganic poisons such as radon, arsenic, and other heavy metals. Considerable loss of food value or contamination results from attack by rodents, bugs and inappropriate food preservation practices and causes disease and malnutrition. These problems have proven to be extremely difficult to solve. 
         [0009]    Within the next decade the global economy must rapidly develop sustainable energy supplies or accept precipitous productivity losses. It is immoral to accept the hardships that will follow without a sustainable economy. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a partially schematic circuit diagram of an energy system for a dwelling according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of an exhaust tube according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partially schematic circuit diagram of an energy system for a dwelling according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a tank for use with an energy system according to the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a partially schematic diagram of an energy system according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The present disclosure is directed to an energy system for a dwelling, comprising an inner tank and a generator within the inner tank. The inner tank contains a first fluid surrounding at least a portion of the generator, and the generator is configured to produce electricity for the dwelling. In some embodiments, the energy system includes an outer tank containing at least a portion of the inner tank at least partially submerged within a second fluid, and an exhaust port operably coupled to the generator to receive exhaust fumes from the generator. The exhaust port can pass through the second fluid to exchange heat from the exhaust fumes to the second fluid. The energy system can further include a fluid outlet operably coupled to the outer tank to deliver the heated second fluid from the outer tank for use by the dwelling. 
         [0016]    The present disclosure is further directed to a method for providing energy to a dwelling. The method comprises operating an engine positioned within a first tank containing a first fluid. The first fluid is configured to absorb energy from the engine in the form of at least one of acoustic, vibration, and heat energy. The method also includes passing exhaust fumes from the engine through an exhaust port, and exchanging heat from the exhaust fumes to a second fluid held within a second tank. At least a portion of the first tank is submerged within the second fluid within the second tank. In some embodiments, the second fluid is configured to absorb energy from the first fluid within the first tank. 
         [0017]    The present disclosure is also directed to an energy system comprising an engine and generator for producing electricity and heat, and an exhaust line configured to receive exhaust from the engine. The system also includes a fluid storage tank through which the exhaust line passes to exchange heat with the fluid in the fluid storage tank. The system further includes a condensation collector for collecting water condensed in the exhaust line, and a heat exchanger operably connected to the fluid storage tank and configured to receive the fluid from the fluid storage tank and deliver heat from the fluid to a dwelling. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The present application incorporates by reference in its entirety the subject matter of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/626,021, filed Nov. 9, 2004 and titled MULTIFUEL STORAGE, METERING AND IGNITION SYSTEM (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8013US). The present application incorporates by reference in their entirety the subject matter of each of the following U.S. Patent Applications, filed concurrently herewith on Aug. 16, 2010 and titled: METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR DETECTION OF PROPERTIES OF FLUID CONVEYANCE SYSTEMS (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8003US); COMPREHENSIVE COST MODELING OF AUTOGENOUS SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ENERGY, MATERIAL RESOURCES AND NUTRIENT REGIMES (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8025US); ELECTROLYTIC CELL AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8026US); SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INTEGRATED PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, MATERIALS RESOURCES, AND NUTRIENT REGIMES (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8040US); SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INTEGRATED FULL SPECTRUM PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8041US); SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INTEGRATED FULL SPECTRUM PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE MATERIAL RESOURCES (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8042US); METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF SUPPLEMENTED OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION (SOTEC) (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8044US); GAS HYDRATE CONVERSION SYSTEM FOR HARVESTING HYDROCARBON HYDRATE DEPOSITS (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8045US); APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR STORING AND/OR FILTERING A SUBSTANCE (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8046US); ENERGY CONVERSION ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8048US); and INTERNALLY REINFORCED STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF MANUFACTURING (69545-8049US). 
         [0019]    Many of the details, dimensions, angles, shapes, and other features shown in the Figures are merely illustrative of particular embodiments of the disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments can have other details, dimensions, angles, and features without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that further embodiments of the disclosure can be practiced without several of the details described below. 
         [0020]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the occurrences of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this Specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In addition, the headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the claimed disclosure. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  shows an energy system  100  according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The energy system  100  includes an engine  110  and a generator  112  held within an inner tank  114 . The engine  110  can include a fuel line  118  and an air intake  120  that extend out of the inner tank  114  to provide needed materials, such as fuel and air, to the engine  110 . The fuel line  118  can include an appropriate valve  118   a  and flow-regulator  118   b,  and other appropriate fuel management equipment. Additional details about the fuel delivery and management equipment are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/128,673 titled “ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEM,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety. The air intake  120  can include an upwardly extending pipe  120   a  and an air filter  120   b  at an end of the pipe  120   a.  In some embodiments, the engine  110  comprises an internal combustion engine  110 . The engine  110  and generator  114  can include a flywheel to start and stabilize rotation of the engine  110 , and to provide electricity after the engine  110  reaches a desired speed of operation. The engine  110  and generator  112  can provide energy in the form of electricity for a dwelling or other small or moderate-scale consumption unit such as a store or outpost. An inverter  115  can receive electricity from the generator  112  and convert the electricity into an appropriate format for use by the dwelling. The inner tank  114  can include tubular walls  114   a  extending upward above the engine  110 . The inner tank  114  can include a vent  114   b  atop the inner tank  114 , which may include a roof (not shown) or other closure on the vent  114 . 
         [0022]    The inner tank  114  can be filled (or substantially filled) with a fluid  116  such as a suitable low vapor pressure fluid. For example, the fluid  116  can be a high temperature silicone, fluorocarbon, or suitable eutectic solution (or a mixture thereof) that can provide sound attenuation and heat-transfer. In some embodiments, the fluid  116  can include a self-extinguishing fluid, or a fire proof fluid to buoy exhaust fluid or leaked fuel or lubricant from the engine  110  to a surface of the fluid  116  to be vented out of the system  100 . The fluid  116  can also include a dielectric fluid to provide added insulation of high voltage leads from generator  112  and of accompanying circuitry and cabling. The fluid  116  can also include sulfur hexafluoride, sand, aluminum or steel balls, potassium hydroxide, or other media that provides for noise attenuation and improved fire proofing of the assembly by forcing displacement of leaked vapors, smothering by displacement of air or other oxidants, and by providing quenching capacity. The term “fluid” as used herein includes liquids and particulate solids such as sand or metal balls. In embodiments including particulate solids, a mixture of sizes of particulates can be used to fit within spaces and openings of various sizes within the inner tank  114 . 
         [0023]    The inner tank  114  can be within an outer tank  150  that can be filled with a fluid  152 . In some embodiments, the fluid  152  is potable water. The outer tank  150  can be made of a polymer-lined composite that is reinforced by high strength fiber glass, carbon or polymer windings. This construction enables the tank  150  to be inherently insulated and corrosion resistant for an extremely long service life. The outer tank  150  can include an inlet  154  at a base of the outer tank  150 , and an outlet  156  at a top of the tank  150 . The engine  114  can include an exhaust port  158  connected to a heat-exchanging tube  160 . The tube  160  can wind throughout the outer tank  150  in a helical or other appropriate fashion to transfer heat from the exhaust within the tube  160  to the fluid  152  within the outer tank  150 . In the embodiment pictured in  FIG. 1 , the heat-exchanging tube  160  winds helically about a generally vertical axis within a generally cylindrical outer tank  150 . In other embodiments, other arrangements are possible to achieve an appropriate level of heat exchange between the exhaust in the tube  160  and the fluid  152  in the tank  150 . 
         [0024]    The outer tank  150  can also include a condensation collector  162  at an exit of the tube  160  to collect condensation  161  from the exhaust. In embodiments in which the engine  110  uses hydrogen as fuel, approximately nine pounds of distilled quality water are produced from each pound of hydrogen that is used as fuel in the engine  110 . In some embodiments, the engine  110  can produce water and heat according to equations 1 and 2 below: 
         [0000]      H2+1/2O2→H2O+HEAT1   Equation 1
 
         [0000]      1 lb hydrogen+8 lbs oxygen→9 lbs water   Equation 2
 
         [0025]    In other embodiments, a hydrocarbon fuel such as a fuel alcohol, liquefied petroleum, fuel oil, or methane produced from sewage, garbage, farm wastes and other sources is used. Water may be condensed from the products of combustion as shown by the processes summarized in Equations 3 and 4. 
         [0000]      HxCy+yO2→xH2O+yCO2+HEAT3   Equation 3
 
         [0000]      CH4+2O2→2H2O+CO2+HEAT4   Equation 4
 
         [0026]    In many areas of the world serious loss of productivity and misery results from chronic illnesses and shortened life spans that are caused by bad water. Collection of water from the exhaust products of the energy conversion process is extremely important for assisting communities that are troubled with water-borne pathogens or in which ground water is unsuitable due to arsenic, lead, radon, or other inorganic poisons. The system  100  provides for safe and clean collection of about one gallon of water per pound of hydrogen that is used as fuel in a fuel cell or engine and does so in a cascade of energy utilization events that greatly improve the quality of life while conserving energy supplies. 
         [0027]    The arrangement of the inner tank  114  and the outer tank  150  advantageously encases energy from the engine  110  and transfers the energy to the fluids  116 ,  152  in the tanks  114 ,  150 . The outer tank  150  can be a vessel such as a cylinder, or as a cylinder with baffles, or as a vessel with heat transfer fins inside and or outside, or as a vessel with provisions for depressing convective flow of heated fluids in the tank  150 . Heat, sound, and vibration are therefore not transmitted substantially out of the system  100 , but are used to heat and/or pressurize the fluid  152  within the outer tank  150 . In some embodiments, the fluid  152  is hot, potable water that can be used by the dwelling. The outlet  156  can be connected to appropriate plumbing ports in the dwelling. The outlet  156  can include a sensor (not shown) that triggers the outlet  156  to release pressure from the outer tank  150  if the pressure or temperature reaches a threshold pressure. 
         [0028]    Several particularly synergistic and beneficial results are provided by the system  100 . For example, the heat and vibration energy caused by pulse combustion, as well as the noise, are substantially captured as heat in the fluid  152  for productive use. Additionally, some combustion processes can produce large amounts of water in the exhaust. The system  100  can capture this water, which is generally clean and usable, for productive use. These benefits are applicable to virtually any engine type, including combustion engines and fuel cells. The engine  110  can be a fuel cell that produces water and noise that are likewise captured as clean water and energy, respectively, in the fluid  152 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of the heat-exchanging tube  160 . In some embodiments, the tube  160  can be a flattened tube  160 . In some embodiments, the outer tank  150  can contain fins or channels that generally follow the path of the tube  160  through the tank  150 . The current from the inlet  154  to the outer  156  can therefore run counter to the path of the exhaust within the tube  160 . Accordingly, the width and height dimensions, w and h, may vary as needed to assure that inlet water does not travel in convective or other paths but moves in a countercurrent heat exchanging arrangement. 
         [0030]    In some embodiments, the tube  160  can be a bowed tube with a generally crescent overall cross sectional shape in which the middle portion is bowed upward to assist in directing the flow of heated and thus expanded water to be kept within the bowed underside of the tube  160  by buoyant forces. The tube  160  can fit within the outer tank  150  with the tube  160  winding helically throughout the tank  150 , while leaving a countercurrent path through the tank  150  along which fluid  152  can pass from the inlet  154  to the outlet  156 . This arrangement increases the efficiency of the system, and allows the fluid  152  to reach a reliable, consistent temperature at the outlet  156 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows a system  200  according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The system  200  includes an engine  210  and a generator  212 . The engine  210  can be an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell, or any other appropriate engine type. The engine  210  includes input lines  210   a  to provide the engine  210  with materials such as fuel, air, hydrogen, or any other appropriate material for use in the engine  210 . The fuel can be delivered through the input lines  210   a  as described in copending patent application entitled “FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY AND RESOURCE INDEPENDENCE,” referenced above, and incorporated by reference in its entirety. The generator  212  can be coupled to the engine  210  to convert energy from the engine  210  to electricity. The system  200  can include an inverter  212   a  and other suitable electrical equipment  212   b,  such as cabling, electrolyzers, batteries, capacitors, etc., to deliver electricity from the generator  212  to a dwelling. 
         [0032]    The system  200  can also include an exhaust line  214 , a heat exchanger  215 , and an oven  216 . The heat exchanger  215  can transfer heat from the exhaust to the oven  216 . The oven  216  can include several ovens of cascading heat levels, connected by a network of heat exchangers. For example, the oven  216  can include a first oven  216   a  that receives the exhaust heat first; a second oven  216   b  that receives the heat from the first oven  216   b;  and a third oven  216   c  that receives the heat from the second oven  216   c.  The air in the oven  216  can be distributed among the several ovens  216   a,    216   b,  and  216   c  through a series of valves and regulators  217 . The first oven  216   a  can be used to cook at the highest desirable temperatures, for example for a pizza oven. The second oven  216   b  can be used to cook at a slightly lower temperature, and the third oven  216   c  can be used to cook at an even lower temperature, such as to dry or preserve food. At least one of the ovens  216  can include a microwave oven. The oven  216  can include a desiccant filter (not shown) to dry air within the oven  216 . The desiccant filter can be periodically refreshed using hot exhaust from the engine  210 . Drying of fruits, meats and vegetables offer healthful, energy conserving, and advantageous alternatives for food preservation and compact storage. The system  200  provides quick and disease vector—free drying and preservation of food. 
         [0033]    The system  200  also includes a tank  220  through which the exhaust line  214  can pass to heat fluid, such as water, in the tank  220  after the exhaust passes through the oven  216 . In some embodiments, a suitable corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel can be used for construction of heat exchanger  215  and the tube  214 . Alternative materials for the heat exchanger  215  include high temperature polymers which provide cost effective anticorrosion benefits. The tube  214  can be made of polyester, silicone, and/or fluoropolymers. The arrangement of the exhaust line  214  and tank  220  can be generally similar to the system  100  described above with reference to  FIG. 1  above. The system  200  can include a condensation collector  221  near an exhaust port. In some embodiments, for example where sound, heat, and vibration attenuation are a priority, the engine  210  and generator  212  can be situated within an inner tank (not shown) that is in turn found within the tank  220  in a manner generally similar to the system  100  described in connection with  FIG. 1 . The fluid in the tank  220  can be potable water, and can be used for drinking, bathing, washing etc. within the dwelling. In some embodiments, the water (or other fluid) can be used to heat the dwelling as well. The tank  220  can include an outlet  222  connected to a heat exchanger  224  including a series of tubes winding through walls, a ceiling, and a floor of a dwelling. The dwelling can include insulation between the heat exchanger  224  and an external surface of the dwelling, but can be transmissive to heat to the interior of the dwelling. The water can return from the heat exchanger  224  to the tank  220 , or it can be used in the dwelling as potable water. The tank  220  can be constructed to produce and keep hottest water at the top of tank  220  and coldest water at the bottom of tank  220  by depressing or preventing mixing due to entering water momentum and/or convective currents. 
         [0034]    Provision of a series of heat utilizations at cascading temperatures starting with internal combustion or high temperature fuel cell operation followed by thermochemical regeneration of primary fuels to more energy yielding fuel species, heat exchange for cooking food, drying food, heating water, and using heated water in a fan coil or floor heating system greatly improves over conventional dwelling support practices. Overall energy utilization efficiency is increased compared to present practices. Energy security along with assured water production and pasteurization or sterilization are provided as inherent benefits. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a tank  300  according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The tank  300  can be made of metal or a polymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride or perfluoroalkoxy. The tank  300  can include a central shaft  310  that can be hollow or solid, and can include an axial tubular member  314 . In some embodiments, the bore of the shaft  310  can be used as a central conduit for connecting appropriate delivery tubes to pump to and from various locations within energy systems  100  and  200 , and to external destinations. A helical tube  312  can extend around the shaft  310  within the tank  300 .  FIG. 4  illustrates the tube  312  conceptually as a line; however, it is to be understood that the tube  312  can have any appropriate dimension within the tank  300 . The helical shape of the tube  312  can reinforce the tank  300  from within. The tank  300  can be rapidly manufactured by forming a polymer tube in the helical form shown in  FIG. 4  (which may or may not include forming around and bonding to a shaft  310 ). An impermeable liner  316  can be thermoformed over and bonded to the outside surfaces of the tube  312 . The tank  300  can include an overwrap  318  made of fiberglass, oriented polyolefin, oriented polyester, and/or graphite fiber in a suitable thermoset such as epoxy. In embodiments in which a central shaft  310  is incorporated, end reinforcements such as conformal bulkheads  320  and  322  can provide axial load spreading and reinforcement along with mounting provisions. Bonding shaft  310  to bulkheads  320  and  322  or providing load transfer by threaded fasteners or similar attachment thus provides axial arrestment of pressure stresses in the tank  300 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  illustrates an energy system  400  for a dwelling or other consumption unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The system  400  includes solar panels  402  that receive solar energy and convert the energy into heat and electricity for the dwelling. The heat can be removed from the solar panels  402  by a working fluid such as air and/or water by passing the fluid from a first manifold  404   a  to a second manifold  404   b.  The system  400  can also include an engine  410  and a generator  412  similar to systems  100  and  200  described above. Exhaust from the engine  410  and generator  412  can be transferred to a heat exchanger  414  within a container  416 . The container  416  can be any compartment in which heat from exhaust can be used, including an oven or a heating unit for a dwelling. The heat exchanger  414  can use countercurrent air by moving two fluids against one another as illustrated by arrows  414   a.  Alternatively, the exhaust can be passed through a thermal storage tank  418 . The thermal storage tank  418  may contain a high specific heat media  419  and/or a change of phase substance such as Glaber salt (Na2SO4.10H2O) or paraffin to heat or cool fluid adaptively circulated through the thermal storage tank  418 . The manifolds  404   a,    404   b  can direct heat from the solar panels  402  to the thermal storage tank  418  for later use elsewhere. 
         [0037]    The system  400  can include a tank  430 , and exhaust tubes  432  that pass through the tank  430 , and a condensation collector  434 , similar to the systems  100 ,  200  described above with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The fluid in the tank  430  can be heated from the exhaust from the engine  410 , or from the thermal storage tank  418  as needed. The tank  430  can include heat storage coils  431  surrounding the tank  430 . The hot fluid in the tank  430  can be cycled to a heat exchanger  440  in a floor or wall of a dwelling to heat the dwelling before returning to the tank  430 . The system  400  can include a controller  420  that provides control of the engine  410  and/or generator  412 , and sensors that receive temperature and/or humidity information. The controller  420  can adaptively control circulation of working fluids in various portions of the system  400 . The system  400  can also include a geothermal storage return bend  442  that extends below the surface of the earth where temperatures are generally more moderate than at the surface of the earth. The fluid in the return bend  442  can be moved by a pump  444  or other appropriate pressurizing equipment. The heat exchanger  440  can exchange heat to the return bend  442 , which can transfer the heat to a geothermal bank below the surface of the earth. The system  400  can circulate well water or water that has been cooled in a heat exchanger (not shown) that is buried in the soil at a sufficient depth to allow the water circulated in heat exchanger  440  to achieve the mean annual air temperature. In most continents the saturated zone of a ground water aquifer remains very close to the mean annual air temperature plus one degree for each  80 ′ of overburden to the surface. During cold weather months, this ground water is warmer than the ambient air temperature. During warm weather months, the ground water is often 20° F. to 40° F. cooler than the ambient air temperature and readily serves as a heat sink for cooling a dwelling. Similarly in areas near deep ocean water it is often found that adequately cool water is available from the ocean depths to readily cool a dwelling. 
         [0038]    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list. 
         [0039]    The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the disclosure can be modified, if necessary, to employ fuel injectors and ignition devices with various configurations, and concepts of the various patents, applications, and publications to provide yet further embodiments of the disclosure. 
         [0040]    These and other changes can be made to the disclosure in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all systems and methods that operate in accordance with the claims. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead its scope is to be determined broadly by the following claims.