Abstract: A two-stage steam condenser that prevents freezing from occurring in the tube rows by continual purging of the tube rows. Such continual purging prevents any steam from back-flowing into a tube row thereby eliminating the possibility that condensate or noncondensable gases will become trapped therein. This is achieved by isolating each of the tube rows in the second stage of the condenser so that the pressure of one tube row is not exposed to the pressure occurring in another adjacent tube row. The condensate collected in the various tube rows of this second stage is delivered to a common drain pot that is hydraulically balanced to accommodate the various pressures in these tube rows. Such hydraulic balancing also prevents any back-flowing from occurring from one tube row into another.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for roughening or otherwise changing the gasket face of a bolt-like header plug. This apparatus utilizes a cutting or etching tool that cuts into the originally flat gasket face. A threaded shank formed by a lathe or other screw cutting machine extends from the face and is not useable for modifying the face. Roughening or otherwise modifying of the gasket face is in the form of grooves cut into the face so as to increase the sealing effect of the header plug when in use.