Abstract: A fire tube heater apparatus includes a shell, with a tube bundle received in the shell and a burner section communicated with the tube bundle. The tubes in the tube bundle have circular inlet and outlet end portions with a flattened, serpentine intermediate portion. The intermediate portion has a width greater than the inlet outside diameter and a tube thickness transverse to the width less than the inlet outside diameter.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be a fired heater for a hydrocarbon conversion process. The fired heater includes inlet and outlet headers or manifolds, a set of heater tubes with each heater tube having an inlet and an outlet, at least one restriction orifice adjacent the inlet of at least one heater tube. The restriction orifice may be within the inlet manifold and adjacent the inlet of a heater tube, or between the inlet manifold and the inlet to the heater tube. A process may include passing a hydrocarbon stream through the fired heater described herein during the course of operating a hydrocarbon conversion process.

Abstract: A circulating fluidized bed boiler includes a furnace for combusting carbonaceous fuel, at least one outlet channel connected to the upper portion of the furnace for removing flue gas and solid particles generated in the combustion of the fuel, each outlet channel provided with a particle separator attached with a flue gas channel for transferring cleaned flue gas and a return duct for transferring separated solid particles to the lower portion of the furnace. The return duct is provided with a gas seal, a heat exchange chamber, a lift channel and an overflow conduit, in which solid particles exiting the gas seal are guided to the upper portion of the heat exchange chamber and from the lower portion of the heat exchange chamber through the lift channel to the furnace, or directly from the upper portion of the heat exchange chamber through the overflow conduit to the furnace.

Abstract: A fire tube heater apparatus includes a shell, with a tube bundle received in the shell and a burner section communicated with the tube bundle. The tubes in the tube bundle have circular inlet and outlet end portions with a flattened, serpentine intermediate portion. The intermediate portion has a width greater than the inlet outside diameter and a tube thickness transverse to the width less than the inlet outside diameter.

Abstract: A boiler for cooling waste gases has side walls including a pair of opposite side walls defining a passage through which the waste gases flow, cooling-tube sections in the passage against the walls, and at least one tubular tie rod having outer ends anchored in the opposite side walls and extending transversely through the passage, A coolant is pumped through the cooling-tube sections and through the tubular tie rod. The tie rod extends straight through the passage and is braced at its ends under tension against the opposite side walls.

Abstract: A device for use when cleaning the heating surface of a tube changer, such as the fire tubes in a boiler, having a scraper member that is fixed to a movement member for moving the scraper member through one fire tube at a time and a guide for positioning the scraper member directly in front of the open end of a fire tube, such that said scraper member can be moved from the guide into the fire tube and conversely from the fire tube into the guide. The guide can be moved on a frame transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the fire tubes for automatic cleaning of the fire tubes both when in service and out of service.

Abstract: Provided is an atmospheric electron particle beam nozzle, with a nozzle body having a lumen disposed therethrough; an electrode that is disposed within the lumen, optionally concentrically with the nozzle body, to define an output chamber within the lumen that encompasses the electrode. Also provided is an atmospheric electron particle beam system that provides: a nozzle, that supplies a nozzle body having a lumen disposed therethrough; an electrode disposed within the lumen, optionally concentrically with the nozzle body, to define an output chamber; an RF generator that is in communication with a transformer having a number of turns and connected to a vacuum variable capacitor, and connected electrically to the electrode; and a fluid source that supplies the nozzle with a fluid. Also herein is a method of projecting an electron beam, by projecting an electron charged fluid sheath over a distance, and projecting the electron beam within the sheath.

Abstract: Process to reduce the temperature of a hydrogen and carbon monoxide containing gas by contacting the gas with a metal alloy surface having a lower temperature than the temperature of the gas, wherein the metal alloy surface comprises between 0 and 20 wt % iron, between 0 and 5 wt % aluminium, between 0 and 5 wt % silicon, between 20 and 50 wt % chromium and at least 35 wt % nickel, wherein the metal alloy surface maintains it lower temperature than the temperature of the gas by making use of coolant water.

Abstract: Two improvements for heaters are disclosed which can be implemented as either apparatus or method. First is a novel flue gas injection system. Second is a novel burner configuration. The improvements can be used alone or together. In the flue gas injection system, flue gas is injected between the burners and the tubes to reduce heat flux on the tubes and shift part of the heat duty from the radiant to the convective section. These approaches work toward increasing the capacity of heaters where we can increase the firing rate in the heater and still keep the tube metal temperature and radiant fluxes within acceptable limits.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating the output fluids of a well by way of efficiently applying heat to the fluids. Separation takes place in a sealed vessel to which heat is applied to the fluid by contact with a multi-pass firetube assembly through which hot exhaust gas is expelled from a forced draft burner. The firetubes forming the assembly are of smaller diameter than used in conventional separators and not subject to high leakage experienced in conventional separating vessels, and the heat transfer is highly efficient resulting in less fuel consumption and less emission of greenhouse gases.

Abstract: A combustion chamber for a chiller includes a burner and igniter which are maintained in the horizontal position. The horizontal positioning is implemented by a steel casting, which includes a thick flange portion. The thick flange portion is between the combustion chamber and the outside surface, therefore keeping the outside surface cooler. The steel casting has a mitered extension of the combustion chamber, which allows for more efficient heat transfer. By orienting the burner and igniter in the steel casting in the horizontal position, one eliminates prior art ceramic annular cooling devices. The horizontal orientation enables the overall height of the generator to be decreased and also allows for easy access during installation and maintenance of the burner and igniter.

Abstract: A thermal processing plant has heating tubes which are arranged in an undulating line in an oven chamber. Burners which generate a gas stream directed against the opposite wall of the oven are positioned at each of the “wave crests” and in each of the “wave troughs.” The thermal radiation of the oven wall and of the reaction zone (combustion heat) heats the heating tubes uniformly.

Abstract: This invention concerns a boiler fitted with a burner suitable for wall heaters or built-in kitchen heaters in which a mantle-shaped heat exchanger made of pipe elements connected in parallel and/or series divides the boiler chamber into a combustion chamber and an exhaust chamber. The heat exchanger has openings for hot flue gases distributed over its mantle. The burner head disposed in the combustion chamber is suitable for burning oil and has a flame tube with an axial flame opening and a flame baffle element disposed at a distance from the flame opening which is constructed so that the flame is diverted into the space between the flame tube and the heat exchanger. In addition, a fire chamber mantle can be disposed between the heat exchanger and the flame tube to protect the heat exchanger from direct contact with the flame.