Abstract: A plate heat exchanger comprising a stack of plates defining flow spaces between pairs of adjacent plates, the stack being compressed together between a head and a follower by load bearing rails, the head and the follower are urged together by tie bars. To obtain even compression of the plates the tie bars are as close as possible to the flow spaces. At least one tie bar extends through a cut-out formed within a plate area, the cut-out being bounded at the outer periphery of one of the plates.

Abstract: A method of producing a wear or corrosion resistant coating by forming a coating of grains of hard metallic alloys bonded with an organic binder. The coating is applied to a substrate, heated so that the binder decomposes and then isostatically hot pressed. No liquid phase is formed in the coating during the process.

Abstract: In a plate heat exchanger having a welded plate pair comprising first and second plates (2, 4) which are welded together at a contact region (19), a by-pass area (22) is defined between the plates on the inboard side of the contact region (19). The plates (2,4) are so shaped and arranged that a second by-pass area (22a) similar to the first, is defined between the second plate (4) and the first plate (2a) of an adjacent, similar, plate pair, on the inboard side of a gasket (28) clamped between the two plate pairs. A gasket groove (18) in the first plate has an inner side wall which is substantially continuous and which is of fixed or variable height substantially greater than zero.

Abstract: There is disclosed a microwave applicator which is positioned above an electrically conductive conveyor band on which products, such as biscuits in a baking oven, are carried to be subjected to microwave radiation, the applicator having a launch section configured to provide an electric field in the region above the band which is that which would exist in a parallel plate transmission line extending lengthwise of the oven, the electric field having a plane of polarity which is normal to the plane of the band.

Abstract: In the heat treatment of food particularly pre-packed food it is important to control the temperature and to provide uniform heat distribution within the article, By using a number of microwave emission slots in a waveguide which are brought to resonance in the presence of pre-packed articles carried over the slots by a conveyor the rate of rise of temperature within the article is controlled without unnecessary energy loss between articles carried seriatim on the conveyor The slots may be set obliquely to the direction of passage of the article Alternatively the slots may be formed by a series of smaller slots staggered obliquely across the waveguide so that the presence of the article tunes each of the slots in turn as it passes over the waveguide. The slots may be covered with low-loss dielectric material to prevent extraneous matter falling into the slots and to space the article from the slots so as to control power dissipated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat exchanger member adapted to extract or impart thermal energy from or to a body, which member comprises:a. a substantially solid core member having bores therethrough through which heat exchange medium can flow; andb. an outer cladding of stainless steel over at least those areas of the member to be in direct contact with the body.