Abstract: A direct contact steam injection heater includes a Mach diffuser having a plurality of steam diffusion holes in lieu of a coaxial steam nozzle. High velocity steam (i.e. choked flow) flows radially through the plurality of steam diffusion holes into a high velocity axial flow of liquid through a combining tube within the heater. An adjustably positionable cover over the steam diffusion holes in the Mach diffuser modulates the amount of steam added to the liquid by exposing the proper number of steam diffusion holes. This modulation is done at constant steam pressure without the use of an external steam control device. The arrangement facilitates thorough mixing of steam and liquid within the combining region. It also discourages the generation of relatively large steam bubbles within the mixture, even when heating liquids that promote the generation of relatively large steam bubbles such as liquids without a significant number or nucleation points or without sufficient surface tension.

Abstract: A steam injection heater for liquids. The liquids are carried by a conduit characterized as having an upstream end, downstream, substantially circular cross-section and tapered section. A steam inlet pipe is caused to pass through a side wall of the conduit for injecting steam at its outlet proximate the longitudinal axis of the conduit upstream with the tapered section. The steam inlet pipe further includes a mixing element of a configuration to cause steam emanating from the steam inlet pipe to enter the conduit as a rotating cone of steam for efficiently transferring heat energy from the steam to the moving stream of liquids.

Abstract: A fluid mixing apparatus for mixing a first fluid with a second fluid and to prevent acoustic hammer effects, utilizing a condensing tube array. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a direct steam injection process heater is provided, having a first body for introducing a first fluid, generally a liquid or slurry, a second body for introducing a second fluid, generally steam, an orifice plate disposed between the two bodies, and a valve member for movement to and away from the orifice plate. The orifice plate has a plurality of frusto-conical holes which are engaged preferably by an equal number of complementary-configured, conically-tipped pins mounted onto the valve member. An actuator moves the valve member relative to the orifice plate such that the pins penetrate and partially or wholly obscure the holes, thus regulating the flow of the second fluid through the holes.

Abstract: A direct contact condenser having a downward vapor flow chamber and an upward vapor flow chamber, wherein each of the vapor flow chambers includes a plurality of cooling liquid supplying pipes and a vapor-liquid contact medium disposed thereunder to facilitate contact and direct heat exchange between the vapor and cooling liquid. The contact medium includes a plurality of sheets arranged to form vertical interleaved channels or passageways for the vapor and cooling liquid streams. The upward vapor flow chamber also includes a second set of cooling liquid supplying pipes disposed beneath the vapor-liquid contact medium which operate intermittently in response to a pressure differential within the upward vapor flow chamber. The condenser further includes separate wells for collecting condensate and cooling liquid from each of the vapor flow chambers.

Abstract: A barometric direct-contact steam condenser (10) in which a stream of vapor and formed condensate contacts a free surface of the condensate, which surface is preferentially removed, preferably continuously, so as to provide a cooler surface against which and/or as a result of which more vapor can condense.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for diffusing a liquid condensate return stream in an industrial steam condenser to reduce erosion and corrosion on the condenser structure. One or more diffuser screens are located intermediate a sparger nozzle and a condenser structure to diffuse the condensate screen prior to impact on the condenser structure.

Abstract: A deaerator tray in the form of a horizontally elongated trough for receiving a quantity of liquid to be deaerated. The trough has a flat bottom having a pair of spaced, elongated sides having upper liquid overflow edges. Guide structure is provided for directing the flow of liquid overflowing from the edges, the guide structure includes a pair of flat elongated inclined wall members each directly connected to a respective one of the sides below the upper liquid overflow edges along the length thereof. The wall members extend outwardly away from each other and downwardly away from the respective upper liquid overflow edges. Each wall member is inclined relative to the vertical and terminates in a lower edge to enhance deaeration of the liquid as the latter is guided down the wall members and falls from the lower edge.

Abstract: A nuclear power plant includes a containment for containing activity carriers. An outlet in the form of an excess pressure safety device leads out of the containment. A filter connects the outlet to the atmosphere. The filter includes a container, a washing fluid disposed in the container, a Venturi scrubber being integrated in the container and connected to the outlet, the container having an upper region with a gas outlet, and a stack connected to the gas outlet.

Abstract: A tray stack for a boiler feedwater deaerator is provided with a plurality of horizontally spaced troughs arranged in vertically spaced and staggered tiers. Each of the troughs has a generally V-shaped bottom and a pair of outwardly-extending, inclined wall members having notched lower edges. The vertical projected dimension of the inclined wall members is less than the overall depth of the trough such that the distance of travel encountered by the feedwater dropping from the lower edge of the wall members to the next adjacent, underlying trough is maximized, thereby increasing the interactive area of contact between the cascading water and uprising flow of steam. The lower edge of each wall member is preferably notched to enhance dispersion of the falling water, and the wall members also are disposed to positively guide the falling water into the adjacent underlying trough without bypassing the same.

Abstract: A method for condensing a gas in a liquid medium to prevent the formation of gas hammer, comprising impinging a gas against a plate at such a velocity so as to cause the gas to fan out in a thin sheet before condensing in the liquid medium.

Abstract: A skeletonized piston assembly in which a tube forms a piston shank and an enlarged thin disc has a peripheral edge which provides the piston skirt. A guide disc is spaced from the other disc and guides movement of the piston. Quick release fittings and a removable helical flight assembly adapt the heater for sanitary applications and easy clean-out.

Abstract: In a steam condensing apparatus according to this invention, a plurality of branch pipes each having an exhaust nozzle are attached to the distal end of a guide pipe which extends into coolant to eject steam of coolant into the coolant, the branch pipes having different nozzle diameters and/or pipe lengths.

Abstract: A thermal storage heater system for heating fluids includes a storage tank for accumulating and storing energy in the form of a quantity liquid heated to a high temperature by an electric immersion heating element in the tank. A source of a first fluid to be heated is connected to the inlets of pilot and primary heat exchangers immersed in the high temperature liquid for transferring heat to the first fluid. A first circuit connects the outlet of the pilot heat exchanger to a point of use. A second fluid circuit connects the outlet of the primary heat exchanger to the point of use and includes a spring-loaded pressure sensitive check valve responsive to the flow rate in the first circuit for regulating the flow of fluid through the primary heat exchanger in response to a change in flow indicative of insufficient heating of the fluid by the pilot heat exchanger. The system includes an additional heat exchanger for heating a second fluid to be heated.

Abstract: The system removes heat from a vessel containing the source of heat, utilizing heat energy from water circulating through the vessel. The circulating water passes through a subcooler and into a convergent-divergent nozzle of a flash jet pump. Cooled water is drawn into the flash jet pump by the high-velocity flow generated, mixes with the water flashed into steam and condenses it. The mixture flows to the inlet connection of the pressure vessel. A second flash jet pump is utilized to initially fill the vessel with coolant water. Steam in the vessel is condensed in a shock condenser.

Abstract: Blowdown device for steam power plants includes a tube extending into a volume of water, the tube being formed with a multiplicity of holes having a substantially uniform diameter for introducing, into the water, steam that is flowing in the tube, the holes being disposed in rows spaced one from another a distance equal to at least 2.5 times the diameter of the holes.

Abstract: The housing of a direct contact condenser has a partition with a manifold water supply adapted to discharge water to opposite sides of the partition. A plurality of showers are disposed below the elevation of the water supply and through which a gas stream will pass sequentially. Each shower receives water from one side of the partition. The last shower is provided with temperature sensors which are connected to a valve for controlling water flow in response to either the temperature of the fluid and the water at the last shower.

Abstract: A direct contact condenser is arranged to establish sequential steam flows of downward, lateral, and tortuous but collectively upward directions in a housing. Cooling liquid fed to the condenser is introduced to first overflow means for temporarily accumulating cooling liquid and for allowing excess accumulated cooling liquid to overflow. Second overflow means is provided for temporarily accumulating the cooling liquid supplied from the first overflow means, for allowing the cooling liquid to fall in multiple streams into the collectively upward steam flow zone to cause direct heat exchange between the falling cooling liquid and the steam, and for causing excess cooling water accumulated by the second overflow means to overflow. The cooling liquid overflowing from the second overflow means is supplied to the downward stream flow to cause direct heat exchange between the cooling liquid and the steam when excess accumulated cooling liquid overflows from the second overflow means.

Abstract: A method of continuously degassing water in which the vapor phase components melted in the water are continuously degassed by heating the water and reducing the pressure of the water. An in-line heater is used to continuously mix saturated steam into water supplied continuously, to heat said water and to accelerate the foaming of the vapor phase components melted in the water by cavitation caused by the mixing of said saturated steam. Thereafter the water is degassed automatically while being pooled in a degassing tank under atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: Water is continuously circulated in a closed stream through a plurality of vertically juxtaposed passages. Steam is introduced at the upstream ends of these passages and is drawn along the passages by the water so as to directly contact this water and condense. A restriction provided in each of the passages insures good condensation so that only gaseous noncondensable and nonsoluble portions of the incoming steam are drawn off at the downstream end of the passages where only the water is allowed to pass out.

Abstract: A convection steamer apparatus and method having improved heat-transfer characteristics for rapidly and effectively processing food items or the like at atmospheric pressure and at a relatively low constant steam temperature comprising a steam generator and distribution system for delivering steam in a turbulent controlled path to a heating chamber. A diffuser device acts to introduce substantially dry steam into the distribution system and a pressure differential generator device communicates with the chamber for continuously inducing a pressure differential to continuously purge air and/or unused steam from said chamber to maintain turbulent, generally orbital flow of dry steam in heat-transfer relation around the food items to be processed.The invention further contemplates an improved construction for an atmospheric closure for fluid and heat sealing of the heating chamber during the processing of such food items or the like.

Abstract: A foraminous steam injection tube is mounted within a heating chamber to inject steam into water flowing through the heating chamber to heat the water. A foraminous diffusion screen is mounted around the steam injection tube and in spaced tandem relation, to diffuse the steam jets issuing therefrom, suppress the formation of large bubbles and to eliminate water hammer in the system.

Abstract: An upright type spray attemperator for regulating the temperature of upwardly flowing superheated vapor and comprising a vessel fitted with an inner sleeve having a side outlet at the upper end thereof and containing a deflector adjacent the outlet to collect and return water droplets for further heating and wherein the outlet is formed of perforations sized to reduce the pressure of the steam passing therethrough so as induce flashing of any entrained water droplets and insure their complete vaporization.