Material flow amplifiers as disclosed herein overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions (e.g., surface erosion and head losses) that arise from flow of certain types of materials (e.g., fluids, slurries, particulates, flowable aggregate, and the like) through a material flow conduit. Such material flow amplifiers provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow. Such cyclonic flow profile provides a variety of other advantages as compared to a parabolic flow profile (e.g., increased flow rate, reduce inner pipeline wear, more uniform inner pipe wear, reduction in energy consumption, reduced or eliminated slugging and the like).

The present invention generally relates to the production of fluidic droplets. Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for creating droplets by flowing a fluid from a first channel to a second channel through a plurality of side channels. The fluid exiting the side channels into the second channel may form a plurality of droplets, and in some embodiments, at very high droplet production rates. In addition, in some aspects, double or higher-order multiple emulsions may also be formed. In some embodiments, this may be achieved by forming multiple emulsions through a direct, synchronized production method and/or through the formation of a single emulsion that is collected and re-injected into a second microfluidic device to form double emulsions.

The present invention generally relates to the production of fluidic droplets. Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for creating droplets by flowing a fluid from a first channel to a second channel through a plurality of side channels. The fluid exiting the side channels into the second channel may form a plurality of droplets, and in some embodiments, at very high droplet production rates. In addition, in some aspects, double or higher-order multiple emulsions may also be formed. In some embodiments, this may be achieved by forming multiple emulsions through a direct, synchronized production method and/or through the formation of a single emulsion that is collected and re-injected into a second microfluidic device to form double emulsions.

A pulsation dampener system is provided. The pulsation dampener system includes a pump that pumps fluid through the pulsation dampener system. A pulsation dampener is located downstream from the pump and dampens pulsations within the fluid. A pressure sensor is located downstream from the pump and detects a pump pressure of the fluid at the pulsation dampener. A wye pipe located downstream of the pulsation dampener and the pressure sensor that diverts the fluid into two or more flow paths. From the wye, a first flow path increases pump pressure of the fluid and a second flow path allows the fluid to flow unrestricted. Piping receives the fluid from the first flow path and the second flow path and discharges the fluid further downstream.

A pulsation dampener system is provided. The pulsation dampener system includes a pump that pumps fluid through the pulsation dampener system. A pulsation dampener is located downstream from the pump and dampens pulsations within the fluid. A pressure sensor is located downstream from the pump and detects a pump pressure of the fluid at the pulsation dampener. A wye pipe located downstream of the pulsation dampener and the pressure sensor that diverts the fluid into two or more flow paths. From the wye, a first flow path increases pump pressure of the fluid and a second flow path allows the fluid to flow unrestricted. Piping receives the fluid from the first flow path and the second flow path and discharges the fluid further downstream.

Material flow amplifiers as disclosed herein overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions (e.g., surface erosion and head losses) that arise from flow of certain types of materials (e.g., fluids, slurries, particulates, flowable aggregate, and the like) through a material flow conduit. Such material flow amplifiers provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow. Such cyclonic flow profile provides a variety of other advantages as compared to a parabolic flow profile (e.g., increased flow rate, reduce inner pipeline wear, more uniform inner pipe wear, reduction in energy consumption, reduced or eliminated slugging and the like).

Material flow amplifiers as disclosed herein overcome drawbacks associated with known adverse flow conditions (e.g., surface erosion and head losses) that arise from flow of certain types of materials (e.g., fluids, slurries, particulates, flowable aggregate, and the like) through a material flow conduit. Such material flow amplifiers provide for flow of flowable material within a flow passage of a material flow conduit (e.g., a portion of a pipeline, tubing or the like) to have a cyclonic flow (i.e., vortex or swirling) profile. Advantageously, the cyclonic flow profile centralizes flow toward the central portion of the flow passage, thereby reducing magnitude of laminar flow. Such cyclonic flow profile provides a variety of other advantages as compared to a parabolic flow profile (e.g., increased flow rate, reduce inner pipeline wear, more uniform inner pipe wear, reduction in energy consumption, reduced or eliminated slugging and the like).

A flow system for avoiding particle agglomeration in nanofluids, including a flow restrictive element, wherein the flow restrictive element in use provides sudden expansion to the fluid such that cavitation takes place the fluid upon exiting the flow restrictive element. The flow system includes the flow restrictive element having a hydraulic diameter within a range between 0.5 m and 250 m, a vicinity of the flow restrictive element is provided with a heater, adapted to heat the nanofluid in the vicinity of the flow restrictive element.

A flow system for avoiding particle agglomeration in nanofluids, including a flow restrictive element, wherein the flow restrictive element in use provides sudden expansion to the fluid such that cavitation takes place the fluid upon exiting the flow restrictive element. The flow system includes the flow restrictive element having a hydraulic diameter within a range between 0.5 m and 250 m, a vicinity of the flow restrictive element is provided with a heater, adapted to heat the nanofluid in the vicinity of the flow restrictive element.

This invention relates to an universal thermal actuation imbedded in Hybrid High Integrity Pressure Protection System (H-HIPPS) for critical services in pipelines, refiners, power plants and subsea, the hybrid system includes a quick isolation subsystem between an overpressure zone and a normal pressure zone and a quick releasing subsystem between the overpressure zone and a lower pressure zone with quadruple redundancies, more particularly, the universal thermal actuation subsystem based on thermodynamics has a thermal system (pressure sources, volume vessel like air return reservoir and heat source) and a control chamber and shutter valves, the isolation subsystem system controlled by the actuation system has one normal open valve, the releasing subsystem system controlled by the actuation system has one normal closed valve, the actuation systems can be used for both linear and rotary actuation applications anywhere either remote locations or subsea.