The present disclosure provides natural gas and petrochemical processing systems, including oxidative coupling of methane reactor systems that may integrate process inputs and outputs to cooperatively utilize different inputs and outputs in the production of higher hydrocarbons from natural gas and other hydrocarbon feedstocks. The present disclosure also provides apparatuses and methods for heat exchange, such as an apparatus that can perform boiling and steam super-heating in separate chambers in order to reach a target outlet temperature that is relatively constant as the apparatus becomes fouled. A system of the present disclosure may include an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) subsystem that generates a product stream comprising compounds with two or more carbon atoms, and a dual compartment heat exchanger downstream of, and fluidically coupled to, the OCM subsystem.

The present disclosure provides natural gas and petrochemical processing systems, including oxidative coupling of methane reactor systems that may integrate process inputs and outputs to cooperatively utilize different inputs and outputs in the production of higher hydrocarbons from natural gas and other hydrocarbon feedstocks. The present disclosure also provides apparatuses and methods for heat exchange, such as an apparatus that can perform boiling and steam super-heating in separate chambers in order to reach a target outlet temperature that is relatively constant as the apparatus becomes fouled. A system of the present disclosure may include an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) subsystem that generates a product stream comprising compounds with two or more carbon atoms, and a dual compartment heat exchanger downstream of, and fluidically coupled to, the OCM subsystem.

A solar thermal power generation system is provided with a low-temperature heat collection device; a steam separator; a first hot water line that feeds water separated by a steam separator to the low-temperature heat collection device; a low-temperature heat storage device provided in the first hot water line; a high-temperature heat collection device; a steam turbine; a first main steam line that feeds superheated steam to the steam turbine; a second main steam line that branches from the first main steam line and joins with the first main steam line; a high-temperature heat storage device provided in the second main steam line; a low-temperature bypass line that bypasses the low-temperature heat collection device and; and a high-temperature bypass line that bypasses the high-temperature heat collection device and connects a steam outlet-side of the steam separator to an inlet-side of the high-temperature heat storage device.

A solar thermal power generation system is provided with a low-temperature heat collection device; a steam separator; a first hot water line that feeds water separated by a steam separator to the low-temperature heat collection device; a low-temperature heat storage device provided in the first hot water line; a high-temperature heat collection device; a steam turbine; a first main steam line that feeds superheated steam to the steam turbine; a second main steam line that branches from the first main steam line and joins with the first main steam line; a high-temperature heat storage device provided in the second main steam line; a low-temperature bypass line that bypasses the low-temperature heat collection device and; and a high-temperature bypass line that bypasses the high-temperature heat collection device and connects a steam outlet-side of the steam separator to an inlet-side of the high-temperature heat storage device.

A steam generator for generating a superheated fluid from a working fluid using a stream of heated gas, the steam generator comprising: a housing, which defines a gas flow path having an inlet at one, upstream end thereof into which a stream of heated gas is delivered and an outlet at the other, downstream end thereof; and a steam generation module which is disposed within the gas flow path of the housing, the steam generation module comprising a heat exchanger which receives a working fluid and is operative to raise the temperature of the working fluid to provide a saturated fluid, and a superheater which receives the saturated fluid from the heat exchanger and is operative to raise the temperature of the saturated fluid and provide a supersaturated fluid.

A steam generator for generating a superheated fluid from a working fluid using a stream of heated gas, the steam generator comprising: a housing, which defines a gas flow path having an inlet at one, upstream end thereof into which a stream of heated gas is delivered and an outlet at the other, downstream end thereof; and a steam generation module which is disposed within the gas flow path of the housing, the steam generation module comprising a heat exchanger which receives a working fluid and is operative to raise the temperature of the working fluid to provide a saturated fluid, and a superheater which receives the saturated fluid from the heat exchanger and is operative to raise the temperature of the saturated fluid and provide a supersaturated fluid.

A method of heat recovery from bulk solids includes introducing the bulk solids into an inlet of a heat exchanger for indirect heat exchange with water as the bulk solids flow, by gravity, from the inlet to an outlet of the heat exchanger, pumping the water into subcritical heating heat transfer elements within the heat exchanger for indirect heat exchange with the bulk solids to heat the water and thereby provide heated, pressurized water, and flashing off steam from the heated, pressurized water.

A method of heat recovery from bulk solids includes introducing the bulk solids into an inlet of a heat exchanger for indirect heat exchange with water as the bulk solids flow, by gravity, from the inlet to an outlet of the heat exchanger, pumping the water into subcritical heating heat transfer elements within the heat exchanger for indirect heat exchange with the bulk solids to heat the water and thereby provide heated, pressurized water, and flashing off steam from the heated, pressurized water.

An enhanced boiling apparatus includes a substrate having at least one heated region, at least one outer surface, and one or more asymmetric shaped cavities extending into the substrate along the at least one outer surface. Each of the one or more asymmetric shaped cavities has a sidewall which intersects at a corner with a bubble pathway surface with a different slope from the sidewall. Each of the asymmetric shaped cavities is configured to non-gravitationally direct fluid that is moving along the sidewall out along the bubble pathway surface.

An enhanced boiling apparatus includes a substrate having at least one heated region, at least one outer surface, and one or more asymmetric shaped cavities extending into the substrate along the at least one outer surface. Each of the one or more asymmetric shaped cavities has a sidewall which intersects at a corner with a bubble pathway surface with a different slope from the sidewall. Each of the asymmetric shaped cavities is configured to non-gravitationally direct fluid that is moving along the sidewall out along the bubble pathway surface.