Abstract: A hydronic heating system that has a boiler supplying hot supply water, a reservoir of cooler return water, a supply water line, a return water line and one or more heating loops through which water flows from the supply line to the return line, the heating loop including a heating element that is a length of tubing that conducts water from the supply to the return and is mounted in a wall or a floor of an area heated by said system by RFH or RWH has: a thermally conductive plate mounted in the area floor or wall, adjacent a surface thereof and a space defined at least in part by said plate, in which the length of tubing is held and a compliant filler material fills the space between the tubing and the plate, so that the tubing is held in the space in intimate thermal contact with the plate, so that the plate is heated by conduction of heat from the tubing and the plate has a radiating surface that radiates heat to the area.

Abstract: One aspect of this invention comprises an improved conveyance system comprises an endless flexible belt which circulates through at least two arcs, at least one gripping member attached to the belt, the gripping member having a free end and an anchoring end, and a biasing means which biases the anchoring end of the gripping member toward the surface of the conveyor belt, wherein the gripping member is open as it traverses an arced path and is closed as it traverses a straight path. A workpiece is loaded as the gripping member traverses the first arc, and offloaded as the gripping member traverses the second arc, Preferably, the first arc has a greater radius than the second arc. The inventive also comprises a heater utilizing the conveyance system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method suitable for the continuous curing of pasted battery plates. The apparatus includes a hydroset oven having an atmospherically controlled hydroset chamber in which a continuous transport conveyor is mounted. Pasted plates are automatically loaded onto the transport conveyor and moved continuously through the hydroset chamber. Plenums are positioned in the hydroset oven chamber adjacent to the transport conveyor to direct temperature and humidity controlled air over the battery plates to affect hydrosetting. Additional hydroset ovens may be provided depending on the quantity of battery plates being processed. The apparatus also includes a drying oven containing a continuous transport conveyor. The drying oven is arranged in series with the hydroset oven to receive the hydroset battery plates and dry them in a continuous process.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device used for cooling, or keeping cool, an individual liquid container. Although a cooler for milk or coffee creamer will be described in detail, the device can be used for refrigerating any liquid, and the interior of the device may serve as the container. The device is composed of a container, which is normally closed but has an opening feature for loading the device or dispensing a liquid, and a cooling unit. An outer container surface is thermally insulated from an inner container surface and a cooling component portion of a cooling unit is in thermal contact with the inner container surface. In one version of the device the cooling unit is a thermoelectric module, and the insulation is of the vacuum bottle type. In another version of the invention the outer container comprises both the insulation and the outer container surface as a unitary structure. Specially constructed heat dissipating fins remove heat from the heat rejecting portion of the refrigerating unit.

Abstract: A premix burner assembly for heating the combustion chamber of a dryer for an HMA plant, soil remediation plant, or the like is designed to meet the very low emission limitations that are imposed in certain areas such as the southern portion of California. The burner assembly includes a burner, a primary nozzle, an air source connected to the burner, a fuel source, and a fuel injection system connected to the fuel source and to the burner. Premixing is achieved through the supply of a gaseous fuel from the fuel injection system into the burner upstream of the primary nozzle so as to lead to nearly complete premixing of the air and fuel prior to discharge into the combustion chamber, thereby permitting combustion of the fuel with only very small amounts of excess air. Burner efficiency is increased and emissions are further reduced by employing air distribution and control devices upstream of the fuel injection system and by carefully controlling the supply of both air and fuel to the burner.

Abstract: An automated sludge lance and method is described for cleaning sludge from tubes in a steam generator. The lance guide and waterlance are moved inside the steam generator to direct a fluid between the tubes to effectively clean sludge from the tubes. The remote control system is mounted outside the steam generator where it is readily serviceable. The automated sludge lance and method can be used in the no-tube-lane, in the annular chamber, or in combination.

Abstract: A high-efficiency wall-mounted boiler utilizes air/fuel control via a servovalve for the gas responsive to pressure drops across air and gas orifices measured to a common downstream pressure. A ceramic burner is floatingly held against its gasket and seals the combustion chamber while the blower is of adjustable speed to allow load modulation.

Abstract: An object holder is raised, a mount portion is stopped at a middle stop position higher than a lower stop position, and an object of treatment is preheated. Thereafter, the object holder is further raised, the mount portion is stopped at an upper stop position in a processing tube higher than the middle position, and the object is heat-treated. A first temperature sensor for measuring a temperature on the obverse side of the object on the mount portion is located facing the obverse side. A second temperature sensor for measuring a temperature on the reverse side of the object on the mount portion is located facing the reverse side. The temperature of the object is detected in accordance with the respective outputs of the first and second temperature sensors.

Abstract: An automated sludge lance and method is described for cleaning sludge from tubes in a steam generator. The lance guide and waterlance are moved inside the steam generator to direct a fluid between the tubes to effectively clean sludge from the tubes. The remote control system is mounted outside the steam generator where it is readily serviceable. The automated sludge lance and method can be used in the no-tube-lane, in the annular chamber, or in combination.

Abstract: In a steam generator having a convective part arranged downstream of the furnace chamber and essentially consisting of final superheater (1), pre-superheater, evaporator and economizer connected in series on the flue-gas side, a further contact heat exchanger (5) having a plurality of tube banks (10) is arranged upstream of the final superheater (1). This contact heat exchanger (5) is connected to the steam drum (6) in such a way that it can be operated as both an evaporator and a superheater. The working medium to be heated flows in parallel from the bottom to the top through the tube banks (10), as a rule arranged vertically or inclined, of the contact heat exchanger in the evaporator circuit and flows in series through said tube banks (10) of the heat exchanger in the superheater circuit.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for controlling the kiln gas stream in a conventional long wet or dry process cement kiln modified for delivery of solid fuel into the calcining zone. Air is injected into the kiln gas stream at a point downstream of the clinkering zone and upstream of the drying zone to promote combustion efficiency downstream of the clinkering zone.

Abstract: A method for making sintered abrasive grain. The sintered abrasive grain can be incorporated into abrasive articles such as bonded abrasives (e.g., grinding wheels), coated abrasives, and nonwoven abrasives.

Abstract: A heat processing apparatus for subjecting heat processing to a wafer by heating includes a reaction tube for containing the wafers, a heating element provided around the reaction tube, for heating an inside of the reaction tube, a plurality of heat radiating members provided concentrically around the heating element with an airtight space between the heating element and an innermost one of the heat radiating members and airtight spaces between the heat radiating members, and a pressure-reducing device for reducing the pressure of these airtight spaces. In this heat processing apparatus, the pressures of the airtight spaces are reduced by the pressure-reducing means at least when the temperature of the inside of the reaction tube is increased.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning and removing the buildup of products of corrosion, oxidation, sedimentation and comparable chemical reactions from various portions of a fire tube boiler. Specific areas to be cleaned are the surfaces of the fire tubes, crevices, and junctions inside the boiler. Also cleaned is the location where the fire tube boiler comes into contact with the tube sheets, boiler shell and fire tubes. One or a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are placed inside the boiler and activated to transmit ultrasonic energy at a sufficient amplitude and frequency to dislodge deposits, sedimentation and sludge from the interior surfaces of the boiler.

Abstract: An upper bundle steam generator cleaning system including a cleaning head deployment and support device receivable through a hand hole of the steam generator and including retractable cylinders which raise the cleaning head up through the flow slots to position a cleaning head about a flow slot of the upper tube bundles; and a cleaning head mounted with the support device for directing fluid about the tubes of the upper bundles of the steam generator for directing fluid about the tubes of the upper bundles of the steam generator thereby cleaning the generator from the top down flushing deposits downward during the cleaning process.

Abstract: Recirculation-type steam generator ensuring heat transfer between a fluid circulating in a primary circuit and a fluid circulating in a secondary circuit, constituted by a pressure envelope containing a vaporization enclosure having a roof and covering a bundle of tubes traversed by the primary fluid. The generator receives the secondary fluid which circulates in the vaporization enclosure. The steam produced by the secondary fluid is extracted during this circulation and is dried by cyclone separators constituted by cyclones fixed to first ends of tubular columns whose ends are fixed to the vaporization enclosure roof communicating with the vaporization enclosure. The cyclone separators are detachably fixed to the vaporization enclosure roof.

Abstract: A boiler cleaning device includes a frame mounting a carriage for moving a lance in and out of a boiler along said frame. The carriage is moved by a drive-chain which passes through a differentially geared set of sprockets, one of which carries a pinion rotating a ring gear mounted on a spindle portion of the lance. The spindle has a plurality of recesses each including an abutment and a ramp while the gear carries a spring loaded plunger which engages the abutment to rotate the spindle and the lance in one direction. When the drive is reversed to move the carriage backward, the gear rotates the other direction and the plunger merely rides up the ramps and down the abutments and the spindle does not rotate.

Abstract: A low NO.sub.x, integrated boiler-burner cogeneration apparatus includes a horizontally fired, factory assembled package boiler having an inlet plenum and a furnace space. A gas turbine-generator having an outlet for providing turbine exhaust gas to the furnace space is connected to the boiler. A multi-nozzle burner (MNB) array including a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced burner nozzles is located at an entrance to the furnace space for supplying fuel for combustion into the furnace space while distributing the heat of the combustion exhaust gases across the furnace space to minimize NO.sub.x formation. One or more chill tube assemblies are located within the furnace space immediately downstream of the MNB array for rapidly reducing the temperature of the combustion exhaust gases.

Abstract: A steam generator configuration, in particular of a low temperature carbonization-combustion plant, includes a supporting structure. A flue gas channel is disposed in the supporting structure and has a first vertical segment, a second at least approximately horizontal segment, and a third vertical segment being connected through the second segment to the first segment to form a structural unit. Supporting members suspend the first segment in the supporting structure in order to avoid restrictions to expansion and deformation of the flue gas channel as a result of thermal expansion. The supporting members are in an oblique or slanted position relative to the vertical in a cold condition. The oblique position essentially corresponds to a thermal expansion of the second horizontal segment in a hot condition. The supporting elements are parallel to the vertical in the hot condition.

Abstract: A retractable sootblower having an open frame. The frame includes an inboard end wall, an outboard end wall and a pair of opposingly positioned side panels. The side panels are seamless and mounted to interconnect the inboard and outboard end walls together. The side panels cooperating with the end walls to generally define a rectangularly shaped structure which encloses the carriage and lance tube of the sootblower. The generally open top and bottom of the frame allows for substantially unobstructed access from above and below to the carriage and lance tube. The sootblower also includes a dry lance hub which eliminates various problems associated with lubricant deterioration.