Abstract: Disclosed is a method for effective venting of a condenser of the type having an air removal section, wherein improved is reducing dissolved oxygen or other gases content in the condensate, reducing condensate and feed water side corrosion, reducing excess condenser pressure in the condenser, and/or improving the condenser heat transfer coefficient by eliminating or reducing zones that promote subcooling selected from an air bound or a stagnant zone. The method includes replacing one or more of water filled tubes within the air bound zone or the stagnant zone with one or more vent tubes in connection with a source for venting air or other gas from the air bound zone or the stagnant zone or recognizing the ineffectiveness of an ARS in the air bound zone and providing one or more vent tubes in connection with a source for venting said air bound zone or the stagnant zone.

Abstract: A method for measuring the effects of fouling of heat transfer tubes in heat exchangers where a cooling fluid at lower temperature is removing heat from another fluid at higher temperature includes placing a nonrestrictive mass flow rate and temperature measuring tube extension sensor on a tube outlet end; obtaining the tube inlet temperature for deriving the rise in fluid temperature; analytically computing the amount of heat transferred from the hot fluid to the cold fluid; from tube length, inside and outside tube diameter, analytically deriving the tube heat transfer coefficient; and determining tube fouling factor, the value of which is the fraction of the clean tube heat transfer coefficient available for transferring heat, by dividing the heat transfer coefficient by the known heat transfer coefficient of an unfouled tube.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for effective venting of a condenser of the type having an air removal section, wherein improved is reducing dissolved oxygen or other gases content in the condensate, reducing condensate and feed water side corrosion, reducing excess condenser pressure in the condenser, and/or improving the condenser heat transfer coefficient by eliminating or reducing zones that promote subcooling selected from an air bound or a stagnant zone. The method includes replacing one or more of water filled tubes within the air bound zone or the stagnant zone with one or more vent tubes in connection with a source for venting air or other gas from the air bound zone or the stagnant zone or recognizing the ineffectiveness of an ARS in the air bound zone and providing one or more vent tubes in connection with a source for venting said air bound zone or the stagnant zone.

Abstract: The inventive method for measuring the mass of the gas component and the mass of the water vapor component of a gas/water vapor source stream flowing in a conduit under reduced pressure comprises storing a correlation of relative saturation of water in said gas and the output electrical signal of a relative humidity sensor. Next, a correlation of the flow rate of the gas component of a flowing gas/water vapor reference stream and the output electrical signal of a temperature-compensated flow sensor as a function of water vapor density is stored. A correlation of maximum water vapor saturation in the gas as a function of temperature also is stored. An electrical signal of a temperature sensor in contact with said source stream then is generated. An output electrical signal of a relative humidity sensor in contact with said source stream also is generated. An output electrical signal of a temperature-compensated flow sensor in contact with said source stream further is generated.

Abstract: The inventive method for measuring the mass of the gas component and the mass of the water vapor component of a gas/water vapor source stream flowing in a conduit under reduced pressure comprises storing a correlation of relative saturation of water in said gas and the output electrical signal of a relative humidity sensor. Next, a correlation of the flow rate of the gas component of a flowing gas/water vapor reference stream and the output electrical signal of a temperature-compensated flow sensor as a function of water vapor density is stored. A correlation of maximum water vapor saturation in the gas as a function of temperature also is stored. An electrical signal of a temperature sensor in contact with said source stream then is generated. An output electrical signal of a relative humidity sensor in contact with said source stream also is generated. An output electrical signal of a temperature-compensated flow sensor in contact with said source stream further is generated.

Abstract: A system and method is described for measuring fuel consumption by combustion engines operated in a manner wherein one component of fuel is used for the process of combustion itself and another complementary component of that same fuel is employed within a recirculation path for the purpose of cooling functions, for example, the cooling of fuel injectors. A fuel combiner is incorporated within the fuel delivery system having an output at the suction side of a fuel pump. One input to this fuel combiner is recirculated fuel, while the opposite input is make-up fuel from the fuel tank. The method and system employs a fluid meter which measures the flow of make-up fuel at the input to the combiner. Return or recirculating fuel is cooled and degassed with a gas phase separator in a preferred embodiment. Additionally, a thermally based flow meter provides for enhanced accuracies with the system and method.

Abstract: A flow sensor assembly particularly suited for measuring localized flow components within a region of flow which may exhibit flow components of varying velocity vector in both intensities and directions. The assembly includes a sampling conduit which confronts the localized flow and, through an entrance partitioning arrangement, develops a sampling flow therethrough representing the product of the cosine of the angle of incidence of the intercepted flow with the axis of the sensing channel. A flow sensor is positioned within the sampling flow to provide a readout of the velocity thereof. The apparatus can be mounted on a movable probe and employed to determine the intensity and direct of localized fluid flow components within larger regions of flow.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the distance to and through magnetically permeable materials having a planar surface includes a dipole field generating magnetic field transmitting antenna and a dipole field sensitive receiver antenna. The antennae are displaced from one another in a direction parallel to the planar surface a distance d with the field axis of one antenna, preferably the transmitting antenna, parallel to the planar surface and with the axis of the field of the other antenna intersecting and perpendicular to the axis of the field of the first antenna and substantially perpendicular to the planar surface. With this arrangement, perturbations in the magnetic field caused by the magnetically permeable material induce a signal in the receiver antenna which is proportional to 1/D.sup.3 where D is the distance between the antenna and the planar surface and is of the same order as d.