An apparatus for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air can include a cold box having a heat exchanger, and a system of columns; a pressure monitoring device; and a controller. The cold box can be configured to receive a purified and compressed air stream under conditions effective for cryogenically separating the air stream to form an air gas product. The apparatus may also include means for transferring the air gas product from the cold box to an air gas pipeline. The pressure monitoring device is configured to monitor the pipeline pressure, and the controller is configured to determine whether to operate in a power savings mode or a variable liquid production mode. By operating the apparatus in a dynamic fashion, a power savings and/or additional high value cryogenic liquids can be realized in instances in which the pipeline pressure deviates from its highest value.

A water extractor includes a plurality of layers of low pressure zones and a plurality of channels of high pressure zones. The low pressure zone layers alternate, in a radial direction, with the high pressure zone channels. At least one of the low pressure zones is configured to enable a flow to enter, from at least one high pressure zone, to at least one low pressure zone.

Enhancing condensation heat transfer performance in applications including power generation, thermal management of high-performance electronics, water purification, distillation, natural gas processing, and air conditioning can be achieved with heat transfer devices. Condensation heat transfer can be enhanced via a hierarchical structure attached on a condenser surface. This novel hierarchical structure is composed of a thin, highly permeable, thermally conductive porous wick and a highly porous, robust, intrinsically hydrophobic membrane bonded or attached on top of the wick.

Enhancing condensation heat transfer performance in applications including power generation, thermal management of high-performance electronics, water purification, distillation, natural gas processing, and air conditioning can be achieved with heat transfer devices. Condensation heat transfer can be enhanced via a hierarchical structure attached on a condenser surface. This novel hierarchical structure is composed of a thin, highly permeable, thermally conductive porous wick and a highly porous, robust, intrinsically hydrophobic membrane bonded or attached on top of the wick.

A condenser having passages of varying geometry for cooling of fluid. The condenser apparatus includes substantially parallel tubes each defining a channel and having an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end, the first end having a greater hydraulic diameter than the second end. Inlet and outlet manifolds are provided. The tubes may be oriented substantially vertically with the inlets above the respective outlets. A heat exchanger core comprises the tubes and substantially horizontally oriented fin material connecting the tubes. The tubes may receive a relatively higher temperature vapor or vapor and liquid mixture into the inlets of the tubes, around the tubes coolant flows substantially horizontally to remove heat from the tubes, and relatively cooler saturated liquid is discharged from the outlets. In one embodiment, the tube's channel splits into multiple channels to reduce the hydraulic diameter and increase the surface area ratio.

A condenser having passages of varying geometry for cooling of fluid. The condenser apparatus includes substantially parallel tubes each defining a channel and having an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end, the first end having a greater hydraulic diameter than the second end. Inlet and outlet manifolds are provided. The tubes may be oriented substantially vertically with the inlets above the respective outlets. A heat exchanger core comprises the tubes and substantially horizontally oriented fin material connecting the tubes. The tubes may receive a relatively higher temperature vapor or vapor and liquid mixture into the inlets of the tubes, around the tubes coolant flows substantially horizontally to remove heat from the tubes, and relatively cooler saturated liquid is discharged from the outlets. In one embodiment, the tube's channel splits into multiple channels to reduce the hydraulic diameter and increase the surface area ratio.

Systems and methods for cooling a power generation working fluid are disclosed that reduce the amount of cooling fluid used. These systems and methods save on water usage in the generation of power by thermoelectric power generation systems.

A method for the co-production of hydrogen and methanol including a hydrocarbon reforming or gasification device producing a syngas stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide; introducing the syngas stream to a water gas shift reaction thereby converting at least a portion of the CO and H2O into H2 and CO2 contained in a shifted gas stream; cooling the shifted gas stream and condensing and removing the condensed fraction of H2O; then dividing the shifted syngas stream into a first stream and a second stream; introducing the first stream into a first hydrogen separation device, thereby producing a hydrogen stream, and introducing the second stream into a methanol synthesis reactor, thereby producing a crude methanol stream and a methanol synthesis off gas; introducing at least a portion of the methanol synthesis off gas into a second hydrogen separation device.

A heat transfer tube for a boiler, an interior of the heat transfer tube having a supercritical pressure and being configured to have a heating medium flow therethrough, includes: a groove portion defined on an inner circumferential surface and having a spiral shape extending continuously toward a tube axis direction; and a rib portion extending continuously and protruding inward in a radial direction by the groove portion of the spiral shape. In a cross section taken along the tube axis direction, a width of the groove portion in the tube axis direction is defined as Wg, a height of the rib portion in the radial direction is defined as Hr and a tube outer diameter is defined as D, and the width Wg of the groove portion, the height Hr of the rib portion, and the tube outer diameter D satisfy Wg/(Hr.Math.D)>0.40.

A heat transfer tube for a boiler, an interior of the heat transfer tube having a supercritical pressure and being configured to have a heating medium flow therethrough, includes: a groove portion defined on an inner circumferential surface and having a spiral shape extending continuously toward a tube axis direction; and a rib portion extending continuously and protruding inward in a radial direction by the groove portion of the spiral shape. In a cross section taken along the tube axis direction, a width of the groove portion in the tube axis direction is defined as Wg, a height of the rib portion in the radial direction is defined as Hr and a tube outer diameter is defined as D, and the width Wg of the groove portion, the height Hr of the rib portion, and the tube outer diameter D satisfy Wg/(Hr.Math.D)>0.40.