Heat exchanger assemblies are provided that can include: a heat exchanger housing; at least one primary conduit operably coupled to the heat exchanger housing and configured to convey a primary heat exchange fluid; at least one secondary conduit operably coupled to the heat exchanger housing and configured to convey a secondary heat exchange fluid; at least one thermal interface between the primary and secondary fluids; and at least one sensor operably engaged with the thermal interface. Heat exchanger assemblies including molten salt, liquid metal, or water/steam as part of the heat exchange fluids of the heat exchanger assembly are provided. The heat exchanger assemblies can include: at least one thermal interface between primary and secondary heat exchange fluids of the heat exchanger assembly; and a sensor operably engaged with the at least one interface.

An exhaust system is provided that includes an exhaust aftertreatment unit, first and second exhaust pathway in communication with and upstream of the exhaust aftertreatment unit, a thermally activated flow control device operable in a first and second mode, and a thermal storage device. In the first mode, the flow control device permits exhaust to flow to the aftertreatment unit through the first pathway and inhibits flow through the second pathway. In the second mode, the flow control device permits exhaust flow to the aftertreatment unit through the second pathway and inhibits flow through the first pathway. The flow control device may switch between the first and second modes based on a change of temperature. The thermal storage device is within the second pathway, stores thermal mass, and provides thermal insulation to enable a catalyst of the aftertreatment unit to maintain a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time.

Systems, methods and devices for utilizing an energy chassis device designed to sense, collect, store and distribute energy from where it is available using devices that harvest or convert energy to locations requiring energy such as but not limited to HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) systems. The systems, methods and devices can also be used with a next generation geothermal heat exchanger that achieves higher energy harvesting efficiency and provides greater functionality than current geothermal exchangers.

A magnetostrictive transducer assembly for generating a longitudinal elastic guided wave of a selected frequency and mode and for guiding the wave into an open end of a heat exchanger tube for testing the tube. The transducer assembly comprises a current-carrying coil of wire, a magnetostrictive material wrapped around the coil of wire, a mechanism for pressing the magnetostrictive material against an inner surface of the tube, and one or more biasing magnets placed in the vicinity of the current-carrying coil of wire and the magnetostrictive material.

Methods and systems for predicting at least one temperature along a fluid flow path of a fluid flow system having a heater disposed in the fluid flow path are provided. In one example, a method includes: obtaining at least one input, wherein the at least one input includes a setpoint, a mass flow rate, an inlet temperature, or a combination thereof; calculating a temperature associated with the heater based on a predefined model and the at least one input; and setting a value of the at least one temperature along the fluid flow path to the temperature of the heater.

A probe may be configured to be inserted into the bore of a heat exchanger tube and pushed through the length of said tube. The probe may include at least one sensor configured to at least one of detect and quantify internal fouling in said tube without being influenced by the presence of external fouling. The at least sensor may be configured to be in signal communication with a processor and a graphical user interface. Inspection methods and computer-readable media also are disclosed.

A first temperature value indicating a temperature near a heat source, a second temperature value indicating a temperature near an outer end of a cooling rib extending from the heat source, and a third temperature value indicating an ambient temperature in the location of the heat source are used to determine fouling status.

Disclosed herein are a wavy fin, a heat exchanger having the same, an apparatus for manufacturing the same, a method of manufacturing the same, and a computer-readable recording medium storing the method. The wavy fin is configured such that top and bottom parts are alternately formed in a width direction while being connected by side parts, and the top, bottom, and side parts extend in a longitudinal direction so as to form a wave such that ridges and valleys are alternately repeated, and includes a front part in front of each ridge or valley of the wave in the longitudinal direction, and a rear part beyond the ridge or valley of the wave in the longitudinal direction. The front and rear parts are offset from each other in the width direction so as to be misaligned at the ridge or valley of the wave.

A heat exchanger is disclosed, having a vessel for containing a refrigerant, the vessel having a chamber bounded by a surface of a vessel wall, the vessel including an inlet and an outlet for transport of a refrigerant into and out of the chamber. At least one tube portion is inside the chamber, to enable fluid communication into and/or out of the tube portion through a first orifice and a second orifice. This at least one tube portion has an average diameter. The chamber has a space for the refrigerant, with the space having a volume, and the at least one tube portion has an outer surface in contact with the space for the refrigerant, this surface having an area. The volume divided by a product of the area and the average diameter is smaller than or equal to a constant.

A method predicts an amount of wear that is expected to occur on the tubes of a steam generator as a result of vibration against another structure within the steam generator. The method includes determining a volumetric amount of material that has been worn from a location on a tube over a duration of time and employing that volume as a function of time to determine the volume of material of the tube wall that is predicted to be worn from the tube or another tube at a future time. The volumetric-based analysis enables more accurately prediction of the wear depth at a future time. This enables the plugging of only those tubes that are determined from a volumetric analysis to be in risk of breach at the future time, thus slowing the rate at which tubes of a steam generator will be plugged.