A tabletop steam sterilizer system is housed within a tabletop cabinet housing having a water inlet that is adapted for connection to a municipal water supply, thus allowing its use anywhere that there is a standard water supply and without need of a distilled water supply. The tabletop steam sterilizer system includes a plurality of independently operable sterilizing chambers, each of which receives steam from a single steam generator. A single system controller provides for the on-demand sharing of system resources among the two sterilizing chambers. The tabletop steam sterilizer system also includes a water distiller system that receives water from the municipal or other non-distilled water supply, converts that municipal or other non-distilled water to distilled water, and supplies that distilled water to the sterilization chambers to carry out a sterilization cycle. Exhaust from the sterilization chambers may be recycled back to the distiller system for processing by the distiller system back into distilled water for subsequent sterilization cycles.

A tabletop steam sterilizer system is housed within a tabletop cabinet housing having a water inlet that is adapted for connection to a municipal water supply, thus allowing its use anywhere that there is a standard water supply and without need of a distilled water supply. The tabletop steam sterilizer system includes at least one sterilizing chamber, although more than one independently operable sterilizing chamber may be provided. The tabletop steam sterilizer system also includes a water distiller system that receives water from the municipal or other non-distilled water supply, converts that municipal or other non-distilled water to distilled water, and supplies that distilled water to the sterilization chamber to carry out a sterilization cycle. Exhaust from the sterilization chamber may be recycled back to the distiller system for processing by the distiller system back into distilled water for subsequent sterilization cycles.

Air infusing apparatus for generating air-infused steam. A mixer mixes air from a source of air with steam from a source of steam. An exhaust exhausts the mixed air and steam.

A boiler system having a series of boilers. Each boiler includes a shell having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a hollow interior. The boilers also have an oxidizer inlet entering the hollow interior adjacent the upstream end of the shell and a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upstream end of the shell for introducing fuel into the hollow interior of the shell. Each boiler includes a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior. Oxygen is delivered to the oxidizer inlet of the first boiler in the series. Flue gas from the immediately preceding boiler in the series is delivered through the oxidizer inlet of each boiler subsequent to the first boiler in the series.

A boiler system having a series of boilers. Each boiler includes a shell having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a hollow interior. The boilers also have an oxidizer inlet entering the hollow interior adjacent the upstream end of the shell and a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upstream end of the shell for introducing fuel into the hollow interior of the shell. Each boiler includes a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior. Oxygen is delivered to the oxidizer inlet of the first boiler in the series. Flue gas from the immediately preceding boiler in the series is delivered through the oxidizer inlet of each boiler subsequent to the first boiler in the series.

A boiler system having a series of boilers. Each boiler includes a shell having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a hollow interior. The boilers also have an oxidizer inlet entering the hollow interior adjacent the upstream end of the shell and a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upstream end of the shell for introducing fuel into the hollow interior of the shell. Each boiler includes a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior. Oxygen is delivered to the oxidizer inlet of the first boiler in the series. Flue gas from the immediately preceding boiler in the series is delivered through the oxidizer inlet of each boiler subsequent to the first boiler in the series.

A boiler system having a series of boilers. Each boiler includes a shell having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a hollow interior. The boilers also have an oxidizer inlet entering the hollow interior adjacent the upstream end of the shell and a fuel nozzle positioned adjacent the upstream end of the shell for introducing fuel into the hollow interior of the shell. Each boiler includes a flue duct connected to the shell adjacent the downstream end for transporting flue gas from the hollow interior. Oxygen is delivered to the oxidizer inlet of the first boiler in the series. Flue gas from the immediately preceding boiler in the series is delivered through the oxidizer inlet of each boiler subsequent to the first boiler in the series.

Thermal energy storage and recovery methods and systems are provided herein, which utilize a thermal energy storage vessel. The vessel comprises a packed bed of chemically inert particulates exhibiting high thermal conductivity. A gaseous heat transfer fluid (e.g., steam) is fed to the vessel, whereby at least a portion of the fluid condenses on the particulates and transfers latent heat to the particulates. During a heat recovery step, a heat recovery fluid (e.g., air) is fed to the vessel, whereby sensible heat transfers from the particulates to the heat recovery fluid. The warmed heat recovery fluid may then be used to provide required heat for a variety of applications.

This invention fundamentally changes the basic design principles adopted over the last 50 years that addresses the basic root cause for the station blackout threat faced by all nuclear power plants. The Fukushima nuclear accident that occurred in Japan in 2011 could have turned benign had the plant implemented this invention. It uniquely utilizes the decay heat directly from the reactor core through steam cycles to produce useable power onsite with one or a number of steam turbines of less capacities in combination with compatible electric generators. Such arrangement is reliable to be the onsite energy source. The electric power produced by generators attached to these steam turbines could support necessary all safety functions. The result is that during the first week of urgent threat to the nuclear reactor, there will always be electric power available to run the safety equipment, computers, lighting and other vital devices continuously.

This invention fundamentally changes the basic design principles adopted over the last 50 years that addresses the basic root cause for the station blackout threat faced by all nuclear power plants. The Fukushima nuclear accident that occurred in Japan in 2011 could have turned benign had the plant implemented this invention. It uniquely utilizes the decay heat directly from the reactor core through steam cycles to produce useable power onsite with one or a number of steam turbines of less capacities in combination with compatible electric generators. Such arrangement is reliable to be the onsite energy source. The electric power produced by generators attached to these steam turbines could support necessary all safety functions. The result is that during the first week of urgent threat to the nuclear reactor, there will always be electric power available to run the safety equipment, computers, lighting and other vital devices continuously.