Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in direct contact water heaters and in methods of effecting heat exchange between hot gas and cold water. In a typical direct contact water heater cold water is sprayed downwards within a main chamber where it meets hot gas passing upwardly in a counter-current fashion. A direct contact water heater according to this invention includes an antechamber through which the hot gas is passed before entering the main chamber. The hot gas passing upwardly in a counter current fashion to hot water which is at a temperature higher than the dew point of the gas raises the dew point of the hot gas before it enters the main chamber so that the cold water entering the main chamber is heated in an efficient manner to higher temperatures than could previously be effected.

Abstract: An apparatus for saturating a gas with the vapor of a liquid is formed by two chambers. In the first chamber the gas is passed through the liquid which has a higher temperature than the temperature at which the gas must ultimately have been saturated on leaving the apparatus. Thereafter, the gas is passed into a second chamber. The liquid in said chamber has the temperature at which the gas must be saturated.

Abstract: A system of apparatus is especially adapted to react gaseous contaminates of natural gas streams with a slurry of reactant particles and incorporates a contactor tower with a bottom gas inlet having a screen at its dynamic liquid level to confine downwardly a fill of packer-spacer material. Gas entering through the bottom inlet of the tower is divided by the packer-spacer material in tortuous flow paths maintained by the confining screen.In advance of the contactor tower, after an inlet scrubber, is a heater which elevates the temperature of the gas before it enters the contactor tower. This avoids formation of clogging hydrates and liquefication of the gas. Using an outlet scrubber assures against entrance of droplets of any liquid into the pipeline.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for heat exchange between two liquids without solid matters contained in the liquids. The apparatus comprises a pressure vessel which is divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment comprising an inner space having an open end and an outer annular space. A baffle having a closed upper end is provided around the upper portion of each inner space with an annular slit between the baffle and the wall of the inner space. The baffle extends to a level below the upper end of the inner space. Injection nozzles for the heat-receiving liquid are provided in the upper portion of the outer space of each compartment, and an outlet pipe is connected to the lower end of the outer space. Inlet and outlet pipes for the heat-delivering liquid are connected to the upper and lower ends respectively of the inner space.