Abstract: A deaerator includes a vessel having a chamber defined by an outer wall; and a tray module detachably connected to the vessel, the tray module having a plurality of deaerator trays which are connected to one another in a spaced relationship to form a stack which is suspended within the chamber.

Abstract: A differential pressure metering apparatus includes a manifold for fluidically coupling impulse lines. The manifold also includes a rigid body having a base, and an arm extending from the base, with a high and low pressure channel extending through the body from a high pressure inlet to opposing first and second high pressure outlet ports, and from a low pressure inlet to opposing first and second low pressure outlet ports respectively. The manifold is configured to be mounted to a flow restrictor pipe section in a wet-line configuration, in which the first high and low pressure outlet ports define impulse line extension directions having a downward component, and the second high and low pressure outlet ports define impulse line extension directions having an upward component.

Abstract: There is disclosed a heat engine 10 comprising: a heat exchanger 12 to transfer heat from a heat source 100 to a working fluid; a positive displacement expander 16 configured to receive inlet working fluid from the heat exchanger 12 and discharge expanded working fluid as a multiphase fluid so that there is an overall volumetric expansion ratio between the expanded working fluid and the inlet working fluid which is a function of an inlet dryness of the inlet working fluid; a variable expansion valve 14 disposed between the heat exchanger 12 and the expander 16, the valve being configured to introduce a variable pressure drop in the working fluid to vary the inlet dryness; and a controller 30 configured to maintain the overall volumetric expansion ratio by controlling the valve 14 to compensate for variable heat transfer to or from the working fluid.

Abstract: A pumping apparatus for a heat engine, includes an extraction line arranged to extract a fraction of liquid working fluid from a working circuit of a heat engine; an extraction line pump for pumping the extracted working fluid; an extraction line heat exchanger for vaporising the extracted working fluid; and a pressure-operated pump for pumping the working fluid around the working circuit, wherein the extraction line pump and the extraction line heat exchanger are arranged in series to convert the liquid working fluid to a pressurised motive gas; and wherein the pump is driven by the pressurized motive gas.

Abstract: A condensate drain apparatus including a valve for controlling discharge of condensate from the condensate drain apparatus; a collection chamber configured to receive a multiphase fluid flow upstream of the valve including gaseous and condensate phases, the collection chamber defining a collection volume for collecting the condensate to be discharged through the valve; sensor equipment for monitoring a parameter relating to a thermodynamic property of the fluid upstream of the valve; a controller configured to monitor the condensate collected in the collection chamber based on the monitored parameter, and to control the opening and closing of the valve to regulate the condensate collected in the collection chamber upstream of the valve; wherein the controller is further configured to determine the quantity of condensate discharged from the collection volume using a flow rate calculation for a choked flow of vaporizing liquid.

Abstract: There is disclosed a condensate drain, comprising: a body defining a drain chamber having a liquid-gas inlet and a liquid outlet; and a porous membrane having a pore size of about 0.2 ?m or less disposed within the body between the liquid-gas inlet and the liquid outlet; wherein in use, the porous membrane permits liquid to pass therethrough but restricts the passage of gas.

Abstract: A pumping apparatus for a heat engine, includes an extraction line arranged to extract a fraction of liquid working fluid from a working circuit of a heat engine; an extraction line pump for pumping the extracted working fluid; an extraction line heat exchanger for vaporising the extracted working fluid; and a pressure-operated pump for pumping the working fluid around the working circuit, wherein the extraction line pump and the extraction line heat exchanger are arranged in series to convert the liquid working fluid to a pressurised motive gas; and wherein the pump is driven by the pressurized motive gas.

Abstract: There is disclosed a steam oven installation, that in certain embodiments, comprises: a steam oven; a supply steam line for receive a superheated steam flow and for delivering supply steam to the steam oven; an injector for injecting a volume of control fluid into the supply steam line; a monitor for monitoring at least one thermodynamic property of steam within the steam oven installation; and a controller for controlling the injection of the control fluid based on the at least one monitored thermodynamic property so that the supply steam flow delivered into the steam oven comprises substantially dry saturated steam. There is also disclosed a corresponding method of controlling the supply of steam to a steam oven in a steam oven installation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a monitoring apparatus for a steam plant, the apparatus comprising: a sensor unit (110) associated with a component of the steam plant, the sensor unit (110) being configured to provide an output indicative of the operating condition of the component; wherein the sensor unit (110) has a plurality of operating modes, each operating mode having a different resource usage; the apparatus further comprising: a selector (130) for selecting one of the plurality of operating modes; wherein the operating mode is chosen based on a current operating condition of the steam plant. The invention also relates to a method of operating such an apparatus.

Abstract: System and methods for determining a non-condensable gas parameter relating to the amount of non-condensable gas within a variable flow rate fluid flow containing both non-condensable gas and condensate are disclosed. An apparatus may include a measurement tube for receiving the fluid flow and arranged such that the fluid flow through the measurement tube comprises alternating sections of non-condensable gas and condensate; a flow sensor for generating a flow rate signal relating to the flow rate of the fluid flow in the measurement tube; a phase sensor for monitoring over time the alternating sections of non-condensable gas and condensate flowing through the measurement tube and arranged generates a phase signal characteristic of the said sections monitored; and a non-condensable gas determining unit configured to determine a non-condensable gas parameter relating to the amount of non-condensable gas in the fluid flow based on the flow rate signal and phase signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed a flange fitting for a pipe comprising: a flange ring for locating around the pipe and having a plurality of angularly spaced fixing holes; and a retaining ring for locating around the pipe within a groove in the outer surface thereof which in use restricts axial movement of the flange ring on the pipe; wherein the retaining ring has a plurality of angularly spaced reduced-profile sectors in regions corresponding to the positions of the fixing holes.

Abstract: A method of determining the phase compositions of a multiphase fluid flow in a fluid line, including obtaining a vibration signal from the fluid flow using a vibration sensor comprising a target disposed in the fluid flow which vibrates in response to fluid flow in the fluid line. The vibration signal is analyzed to determine a first energy parameter which is related to the energy of the vibration signal within a first frequency band, and a second energy parameter which is related to the energy of the vibration signal within a second frequency band; and a phase composition parameter, such as a dryness parameter, relating to the phase compositions of the fluid flow is determined using the first and second energy parameters. An apparatus for determining the phase compositions of a multiphase fluid flow in a fluid line.

Abstract: Disclosed aspects relate to a flow meter comprising a flow target arranged to be disposed in a fluid flow path in a conduit; a beam coupled to the flow target and arranged to extend outside of the conduit; a sensor having a moveable sensor part coupled to the beam at a position which in use is outside of the conduit, and a static sensor part, wherein displacement of the moveable sensor part with respect to the static sensor part generates a signal. In use, fluid flow acting on the flow target causes displacement of the moveable sensor part, thereby generating a signal which is representative of the fluid flow rate.

Abstract: There is provided a valve element for a condensate trap comprising an expansion chamber in the form of a metallic bellows having a variable axial length and having first and second ends sealed with first and second end caps respectively. A valve closure member is provided on the second end cap and is arranged to cooperate with a valve seat. A first guide member is coupled to the first end cap and axially extends into the bellows and a second guide member is coupled to the second end cap, axially extends into the bellows and cooperates with the first guide member. This allows relative axial movement between the first and second end caps but restricts relative radial movement between the first and second end caps. This helps to ensure that the valve closure member properly seats on the valve seal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that relate to determining the phase compositions of a multiphase fluid flow in a fluid line, including determining a flow velocity parameter which is related to the flow velocity of the fluid flow in the fluid line using a flow sensor and obtaining a vibration signal from the fluid flow using a vibration sensor comprising a target disposed in the fluid flow which vibrates in response to fluid flow in the fluid line. The signal may be analyzed to determine an energy parameter which is related to the energy of the vibration signal within a frequency band, and a phase composition parameter, such as a dryness parameter, relating to the phase compositions of the fluid flow is determined using the flow velocity parameter and the energy parameter. An apparatus for determining the phase compositions of a multiphase fluid flow in a fluid line is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a monitoring apparatus (312) for a steam plant, the apparatus comprising: a vibro-acoustic sensor (311) associated with a component of the steam plant, the sensor (311) being configured to provide an output indicative of the operating condition of the component; and a condition monitoring unit (313) coupled to the sensor (311); wherein the condition monitoring unit (313) is configured to analyze the output of the sensor (311) in order to identify characteristics attributed to live steam and characteristics attributed to condensate and to estimate steam leakage and condensate load for the component based on the identified characteristics. The invention also relates to a corresponding method of monitoring a steam plant.

Abstract: Disclosed aspects relate to a flow meter comprising a flow target arranged to be disposed in a fluid flow path in a conduit; a beam coupled to the flow target and arranged to extend outside of the conduit; a sensor having a moveable sensor part coupled to the beam at a position which in use is outside of the conduit, and a static sensor part, wherein displacement of the moveable sensor part with respect to the static sensor part generates a signal. In use, fluid flow acting on the flow target causes displacement of the moveable sensor part, thereby generating a signal which is representative of the fluid flow rate.

Abstract: A flow meter for monitoring fluid flow through a pipeline, the flow meter comprising a conduit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for communication with respective sections of the pipeline; a target element positioned inside the conduit between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the target element being mounted for resilient axial displacement under a pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet; an arm secured at an anchor point on one side of the conduit and extending radially across the conduit, the target element being coupled to the arm for applying a load to the arm, upon said axial displacement of the target element, so as to deflect the arm relative to the anchor point; a sensor arrangement for measuring deflection of the arm at a point on the opposite side of the applied load to the anchor point; and a processor configured for providing a signal representative of the steam flow through the conduit in response to said measured deflection.

Abstract: A condensate recovery system may comprise a plurality of drain lines for draining condensate from an associated steam plant. Each drain line may incorporate a steam trap and feeds into a common condensate return line running between the drain lines and a condensate receiver tank. The system further may comprise an acoustic sensor positioned along the common condensate return line, upstream of the receiver tank, for providing an acoustic output indicative of the collective steam loss through steam traps upstream of the sensor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of determining the phase compositions of a multiphase fluid flow in a fluid line, including obtaining a vibration signal from the fluid flow using a vibration sensor comprising a target disposed in the fluid flow which vibrates in response to fluid flow in the fluid line. The vibration signal is analysed to determine a first energy parameter which is related to the energy of the vibration signal within a first frequency band, and a second energy parameter which is related to the energy of the vibration signal within a second frequency band; and a phase composition parameter, such as a dryness parameter, relating to the phase compositions of the fluid flow is determined using the first and second energy parameters. There is also disclosed an apparatus for determining the phase compositions of a multiphase fluid flow in a fluid line.