A method is described of mixing fluid materials, including solids and gases. The materials to be mixed are introduced between two cylindrical rotors mounted in parallel on a motorized shaft. The rotors have arrays of cavities on their cylindrical surfaces and rotate within close proximity to the interior of a cylindrical shell. Passage of the fluid between the rotating rotors and the interior surface of the cylindrical shell causes cavitation, which mixes the materials. The mixture is passed to outlets on the far sides of the rotors from the inlet. Apparatus is described for extending the flow path of the materials and thus increasing exposure to the cavitation process.

An apparatus and method of use employs a multiple displacement evacuation tank and a cavitation apparatus. Heated fluid from the cavitation apparatus is used to treat a plant material to obtain a purified oil product therefrom. The cavitation apparatus output is used to both heat the multiple displacement evacuation tank contents and supply a feed to the multiple displacement evacuation tank for oil product manufacture. The fluid is preferably a lipid emulsion and the plant material is preferably a hemp material that allows for recovering of the cannabinoids therefrom.

A hydrodynamic heater includes an inlet port for receiving a stream of fluid from an external source and an outlet port for discharging a stream of heated fluid from the hydrodynamic heater. A hydrodynamic chamber operates to selectively heat fluid present within an interior region of the hydrodynamic chamber. The hydrodynamic chamber includes an inlet port and an outlet port located along an interior wall of the hydrodynamic chamber. The hydrodynamic chamber inlet port is fluidly connected to the inlet port of the hydrodynamic heater. The hydrodynamic heater includes a fluid metering device having an inlet fluidly connected to the hydrodynamic heater inlet port and an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet port of the hydrodynamic chamber.

A hydrodynamic heater includes an inlet port for receiving a stream of fluid from an external source and an outlet port for discharging a stream of heated fluid from the hydrodynamic heater. A hydrodynamic chamber operates to selectively heat fluid present within an interior region of the hydrodynamic chamber. The hydrodynamic chamber includes an inlet port and an outlet port located along an interior wall of the hydrodynamic chamber. The hydrodynamic chamber inlet port is fluidly connected to the inlet port of the hydrodynamic heater. The hydrodynamic heater includes a fluid metering device having an inlet fluidly connected to the hydrodynamic heater inlet port and an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet port of the hydrodynamic chamber.

A hot water pressure washer employs an internal combustion engine with a drive shaft having an exhaust manifold fluidly connected to an exhaust water heat exchanger. The engine is driveably connected to a hydrodynamic heater, and a high-pressure pump for generating a stream of high-pressure fluid. The hot water pressure washer captures 80-90% of the thermal energy generated during combustion processes of the engine for heating water.

A method is provided for inputting thermal energy into fluidic medium in a process or processes related to oil refining and/or petrochemical industries by at least one rotary apparatus comprising a casing with at least one inlet and at least one exit, a rotor comprising at least one row of rotor blades arranged over a circumference of a rotor hub mounted onto a rotor shaft, and a stator configured as an assembly of stationary vanes arranged at least upstream of the at least one row of rotor blades. In the method, an amount of thermal energy is imparted to a stream of fluidic medium directed along a flow path formed inside the casing between the inlet and the exit by virtue of a series of energy transformations occurring when said stream of fluidic medium passes through stationary and rotating components of said rotary apparatus, respectively. The method further comprises: integration of said at least one rotary apparatus into a heat-consuming process facility configured as a refining and/or petrochemical facility and further configured to carry out heat-consuming process or processes related to refining of oil and/or producing petrochemicals at temperatures essentially equal to or exceeding 500 degrees Celsius (° C.), and conducting an amount of input energy into the at least one rotary apparatus integrated into the heat-consuming process facility, the input energy comprises electrical energy. A rotary apparatus and related uses are further provided.

A method is described of mixing fluid materials, including solids and gases. The materials to be mixed are introduced between two cylindrical rotors mounted in parallel on a motorized shaft. The rotors have arrays of cavities on their cylindrical surfaces and rotate within close proximity to the interior of a cylindrical shell. Passage of the fluid between the rotating rotors and the interior surface of the cylindrical shell causes cavitation, which mixes the materials. The mixture is passed to outlets on the far sides of the rotors from the inlet. Apparatus is described for extending the flow path of the materials and thus increasing exposure to the cavitation process.

A thermal control system may transfer energy (directly or after a delay) to a thrusting device that can be used to slow a reentry vehicle entering a gaseous atmosphere from orbit. The thermal control system may mitigate the heating of the vehicle by transferring heat generated by the viscous interaction between the vehicle and high-altitude portions of a planetary atmosphere to a working fluid. This working fluid may then be routed through and/or ejected through one or more nozzles aligned to produce thrust in a direction that opposes the forward motion of this vehicle. This counter thrust may help to slow the reentry vehicle and reduce the amount of kinetic energy that can be converted into thermal energy. The working fluid may also be stored to use for propulsion after the reentry vehicle slows below hypersonic velocities.

An air heating apparatus may be mounted on a common base and define a pair of air flow paths. The air heating apparatus may include a housing forming an outer envelope through which the air flow paths extend, with the air flow path being separate from each other at all locations in the interior of the outer envelope. The interior of the housing may be divided into two subhousings defining two separate subchambers. The housing may have inlet and outlet openings extending through the outer envelope for each of the air flow paths of the subchambers. At least two air heating assemblies may each be configured to heat air moving along a separate one of the air flow paths, the air heating assemblies being positioned in the interior of the housing with each of the air heating assemblies being positioned in a respective one of the subchambers of the subhousings.

An air heating apparatus may be mounted on a common base and define a pair of air flow paths. The air heating apparatus may include a housing forming an outer envelope through which the air flow paths extend, with the air flow path being separate from each other at all locations in the interior of the outer envelope. The interior of the housing may be divided into two subhousings defining two separate subchambers. The housing may have inlet and outlet openings extending through the outer envelope for each of the air flow paths of the subchambers. At least two air heating assemblies may each be configured to heat air moving along a separate one of the air flow paths, the air heating assemblies being positioned in the interior of the housing with each of the air heating assemblies being positioned in a respective one of the subchambers of the subhousings.