A method of treating/cooling a process fluid includes spraying a working fluid into a stream of the process fluid to form a mixed fluid and separating the working fluid from the mixed fluid to form a treated/cooled process fluid and a separated working fluid. The separated working fluid is conditioned to form a recycled working fluid and sprayed into the stream of the process fluid. A variant includes indirectly cooling a process fluid using a cooled working fluid. The spraying may use a working fluid in the form of microdroplets with Sauter Mean Diameter no greater than 100 microns onto a selected fluid.

A method of treating/cooling a process fluid includes spraying a working fluid into a stream of the process fluid to form a mixed fluid and separating the working fluid from the mixed fluid to form a treated/cooled process fluid and a separated working fluid. The separated working fluid is conditioned to form a recycled working fluid and sprayed into the stream of the process fluid. A variant includes indirectly cooling a process fluid using a cooled working fluid. The spraying may use a working fluid in the form of microdroplets with Sauter Mean Diameter no greater than 100 microns onto a selected fluid.

A contact tray for use in a mass transfer column and having a tray deck for receiving a liquid stream and a plurality of valves distributed across the tray deck through which vapor ascends for interacting with the liquid stream. Each valve has an opening in the tray deck in the form of a central segment and extensions that extend outwardly from opposite ends of the central segment. The valves each include a valve body with a valve cover positioned in covering relationship above and extending outwardly beyond the opening and legs that are attached to the valve cover at recesses located at opposite ends of the valve cover. The legs extend downwardly through the extensions in the opening and include stops in portions of the legs positioned below the tray deck to permit limited vertical movement of the legs to allow the valve body to move between open and closed positions in response to ascending vapor pressure against an undersurface of the valve cover. Deflectors are positioned at opposite sides of the legs to restrict vapor passage around the legs.

A contact tray for use in a mass transfer column and having a tray deck for receiving a liquid stream and a plurality of valves distributed across the tray deck through which vapor ascends for interacting with the liquid stream. Each valve has an opening in the tray deck in the form of a central segment and extensions that extend outwardly from opposite ends of the central segment. The valves each include a valve body with a valve cover positioned in covering relationship above and extending outwardly beyond the opening and legs that are attached to the valve cover at recesses located at opposite ends of the valve cover. The legs extend downwardly through the extensions in the opening and include stops in portions of the legs positioned below the tray deck to permit limited vertical movement of the legs to allow the valve body to move between open and closed positions in response to ascending vapor pressure against an undersurface of the valve cover. Deflectors are positioned at opposite sides of the legs to restrict vapor passage around the legs.

Systems and methods that involve distributing water droplets onto a media, particular but nonlimiting examples of which include systems and methods for exchanging heat between process water and air in an evaporative cooling system that includes media with a plurality of individual elements each having a surface. The surfaces of at least some of the individual elements individually have a static electrical charge, and the static electrical charges are different among the surfaces of the individual elements.

A contact tray has a tray deck for receiving a liquid stream and a plurality of valves distributed across the tray deck through which vapor ascends for interacting with the liquid stream. Each valve includes an opening in the tray deck, wall segments that extend upwardly along opposite sides of the opening, and a valve body. The valve body has a trapezoidal valve cover positioned in covering relationship above and extending outwardly beyond the opening and legs that are attached to the valve cover at recesses located at opposite ends of the valve cover. A vent is positioned in one of the legs.

A contact tray has a tray deck for receiving a liquid stream and a plurality of valves distributed across the tray deck through which vapor ascends for interacting with the liquid stream. Each valve includes an opening in the tray deck, wall segments that extend upwardly along opposite sides of the opening, and a valve body. The valve body has a trapezoidal valve cover positioned in covering relationship above and extending outwardly beyond the opening and legs that are attached to the valve cover at recesses located at opposite ends of the valve cover. A vent is positioned in one of the legs.

A system and method is provided for direct condensing steam heating of oil sands process slurry streams including viscous bitumen froth and tailings products streams. Slurry viscosities greater than that of water increase cavitation and vibration issues. High solids content exacerbate component erosions. Difficult, and competing, steam and slurry interactions are managed by steam nozzle arrangements and management of steam injection at sub-sonic velocities based on a ratio of the slurry back-pressure Pb and steam supply delivery pressure Po.

A raw meat protein product is prepared by a process comprising directing a raw meat protein along a mixture conduit, placing steam in contact with the raw meat protein to raise the temperature of the raw meat protein to a pathogen neutralizing temperature, and maintaining that temperature in the raw meat protein for a treatment period of time. The process then includes applying a vacuum to the heated raw meat protein to vaporize water that has condensed from the steam and then separating the raw meat protein from the vaporized water and any remaining steam.

A heat exchanger may include a first container having a gas inlet, a liquid inlet, a gas outlet, and a liquid outlet. The gas inlet may flow a gas at a first temperature into the container while the liquid inlet introduces droplets of a liquid into the container at a second temperature. In the container, the liquid droplets may fall under the force of gravity while the gas flows through the container in a direction that is different from a direction of the spray of the liquid through the container. Accordingly, the liquid and the gas may come into direct contact within the first container and exchange heat. After the liquid and gas exchange heat, the liquid may leave the container through the liquid outlet and the gas may leave the container through the gas outlet.