This invention relates generally to articles, devices, and methods for inhibiting or preventing the formation of scale during various industrial processes. In certain embodiments, a vessel is provided for use in an industrial process, the vessel having a textured, liquid-impregnated surface in contact with a mineral solution, wherein the liquid-impregnated surface comprises a matrix of features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain an impregnating liquid lubricant therebetween or therewithin, wherein the impregnating lubricant has a low surface energy density, and wherein the spreading coefficient S.sub.os(w) of the impregnating lubricant (subscript ‘o’) on the substrate (subscript ‘s’) in the presence of the salt solution (subscript ‘w’) is greater than zero, such that the impregnating lubricant fully submerges the textured substrate.

This invention relates generally to articles, devices, and methods for inhibiting or preventing the formation of scale during various industrial processes. In certain embodiments, a vessel is provided for use in an industrial process, the vessel having a textured, liquid-impregnated surface in contact with a mineral solution, wherein the liquid-impregnated surface comprises a matrix of features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain an impregnating liquid lubricant therebetween or therewithin, wherein the impregnating lubricant has a low surface energy density, and wherein the spreading coefficient S.sub.os(w) of the impregnating lubricant (subscript ‘o’) on the substrate (subscript ‘s’) in the presence of the salt solution (subscript ‘w’) is greater than zero, such that the impregnating lubricant fully submerges the textured substrate.

A heat exchanger (10) for a thermochemical biomass converter, the heat exchanger (10) comprises first and second conduits (12a, 12b) that are configured to carry, in use, process medium of the converter, and a heat transfer member (14) that thermally connects the first and second conduits (12a, 12b) to one another to define a heat transfer medium between the conduits (12a, 12b). The thermal expansion coefficient of the first and second conduits (12a, 12b) is matched to the thermal expansion coefficient of the heat transfer member (14) to continually provide thermal connection between the heat transfer member (14) and conduits (12a, 12b) under changing temperature conditions.

A heat exchanger, includes a heat exchange pipe unit and a fin unit, the heat exchange pipe unit includes a refrigerant input pipe, a heat exchange pipe assembly and a refrigerant output pipe; the refrigerant input pipe is connected to one end of the heat exchange pipe assembly; the refrigerant output pipe is connected to the other end of the heat exchange pipe assembly; the fin unit is fixedly arranged outside of the heat exchange pipe assembly; the heat exchange pipe assembly and the fin unit are made of aluminum alloy; and the corrosion potential of the aluminum alloy which forms at least a part of the heat exchange pipe assembly is greater than the corrosion potential of the aluminum alloy which forms the remaining part of the heat exchange pipe assembly.

A protection element for vapor chamber includes a main body and a protection element. The main body is divided into a working zone and a sealing zone. The sealing zone is located around an outer periphery of the working zone and is provided with a notch area, to which a fluid-adding and air-evacuating pipe is connected. The protection element is correspondingly mounted to the notch area to contact with the sealing zone of the main body. With the arrangement of the protection element, the fluid-adding and air-evacuating pipe is protected against collision and impact and accordingly, the main body of the vapor chamber is protected against vacuum and working fluid leakage.

A method of operating a heat exchanger involves conveying a first fluid having a first temperature along spaced apart first passages of the heat exchanger and conveying a second fluid along spaced apart second passages of the heat exchanger while the first fluid is being conveyed along the first passages to transfer heat from the second fluid to the first fluid. The method also includes conveying a fluid along the third passages when the temperature of the second fluid in at least some of the second passages is below a predetermined temperature to transfer heat from the fluid being conveyed along the third passages to the second fluid.

The invention relates to a tubular boiler with a heat exchange tube with at least one helical layer situated in a heat exchange chamber, and which includes a set of laterally joined spirals. The boiler includes, an inner side of the helical layer, an oven that is rigidly joined to said layer and connected to a feeder by means of which fuel is supplied. The boiler also includes an output collector for collecting ash and slag, which connects the inside of the heat exchange chamber to the outside of the boiler, and a forced-air-current generator that generates a movement of air inside the boiler and directs it to the oven. This movement of air moves the ash and slag along the at least one helical layer to the output collector.

A protection system for a heat exchanger is disclosed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The protection system includes at least one net with a first pair of opposite sides and a second pair of opposite sides. The at least one net is deployed over at least one heat exchanger core to cover at least a portion of the at least one heat exchanger core, wherein the at least one net is mounted to either one of a pair of side plates of the at least one heat exchanger core and a pair of headers of the heat exchanger by means of a plurality of engagement elements to deploy the at least one net over the at least one heat exchanger core.

A pipe is manufactured through injecting a chloride ion-containing aqueous solution into a copper pipe to fill the copper pipe, thereby forming a copper oxide film on an inner surface of the copper pipe.

A pipe is manufactured through injecting a chloride ion-containing aqueous solution into a copper pipe to fill the copper pipe, thereby forming a copper oxide film on an inner surface of the copper pipe.