A guide system including a top end, a bottom end, a lumen and a plurality of openings, the system is disposed within a coil lumen at the bottom end of the heat exchanger coil with the bottom end of the system extending beyond the bottom end of the coil in a direction from the top end to the bottom end of the coil, the system configured in a shape of the coil lumen and the openings are disposed on the bottom end of the system, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to channel the flue flow from a burner through a path to heat a fluid flow of the coil before entering the lumen of the system via the openings to avoid a pressure drop due to a tendency for the flue flow to follow a path defined by a shape of the bottom end of the coil.

A fluid disperser includes a plate body installed in a channel, having a first wall portion in a middle region of a first surface facing the upstream side, and provided with a plurality of holes allowing a fluid to flow in from the upstream side to the downstream side, and a second wall portion provided on the first surface and having an inner surface intersecting with a line extending from the middle region to a circumferential edge of the first surface.

A heat exchanger includes a sensor grid with sensor leads extending through tube restraints for heat exchange tubes in the heat exchanger. The tube restraint includes a body having a plurality of tube openings defined therein with each tube opening receiving one heat exchange tube of the set of heat exchange tubes therethrough. The body also includes a sensor lead opening defined therein to receive a sensor lead therethrough. Each tube opening has a larger dimension than the sensor lead opening. The sensor grid is installed during manufacture rather than in the field, allowing the sensor grid to be on outermost and inner sets of heat exchange tubes in the heat exchanger.

Aspects of liquid operational systems are described. According to one aspect, a system to automatically fill a liquid operational component is described. According to another aspect, a self-diagnostic system is described. According to yet another aspect, a flow conditioning arrangement is described. A control system for a heat-transfer system includes a plurality of sensors. Each sensor is configured to observe an operational parameter indicative of a thermodynamic quantity and to emit a signal containing information corresponding to the observed operational parameter. Control logic includes a processing unit and instructions stored on a memory that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the control logic to determine a first thermodynamic quantity associated with each sensor from information contained in a signal from the respective sensor; determine a second thermodynamic quantity associated with each sensor from information contained in a signal received from at least one other sensor in the plurality of sensors; compare the first thermodynamic quantity with the second thermodynamic quantity; and responsive to the comparison of the first thermodynamic quantity with the second thermodynamic quantity, output a control signal.

A heater assembly includes a flow guide and a plurality of electrical resistance heating elements. The flow guide defines a continuous geometric helicoid disposed about a longitudinal axis of the heater assembly. The flow guide defines a predetermined pattern of perforations that extend in a longitudinal direction through a first longitudinal length of the geometric helicoid. The longitudinal direction is parallel to the longitudinal axis. The geometric helicoid has a first pitch at a first zone along the longitudinal axis and a second pitch at a second zone along the longitudinal axis. The second pitch is shorter than the first pitch. The electrical resistance heating elements extend through the perforations.

A heater assembly includes a flow guide and a plurality of electrical resistance heating elements. The flow guide defines a continuous geometric helicoid disposed about a longitudinal axis of the heater assembly. The flow guide defines a predetermined pattern of perforations that extend in a longitudinal direction through a first longitudinal length of the geometric helicoid. The longitudinal direction is parallel to the longitudinal axis. The geometric helicoid has a first pitch at a first zone along the longitudinal axis and a second pitch at a second zone along the longitudinal axis. The second pitch is shorter than the first pitch. The electrical resistance heating elements extend through the perforations.

Aspects of liquid operational systems are described. According to one aspect, a system to automatically fill a liquid operational component is described. According to another aspect, a self-diagnostic system is described. According to yet another aspect, a flow conditioning arrangement is described. A control system for a heat-transfer system includes a plurality of sensors. Each sensor is configured to observe an operational parameter indicative of a thermodynamic quantity and to emit a signal containing information corresponding to the observed operational parameter. Control logic includes a processing unit and instructions stored on a memory that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the control logic to determine a first thermodynamic quantity associated with each sensor from information contained in a signal from the respective sensor; determine a second thermodynamic quantity associated with each sensor from information contained in a signal received from at least one other sensor in the plurality of sensors; compare the first thermodynamic quantity with the second thermodynamic quantity; and responsive to the comparison of the first thermodynamic quantity with the second thermodynamic quantity, output a control signal.

A header duct and method of forming a header duct includes an inlet portion having a planar inlet, an outlet portion have a plurality of planar outlets, and a transition portion extending continuously from the inlet portion to the outlet portion. The transition portion has a bend and internal topography defining a non-monotonic cross-sectional area distribution between the inlet and outlet portions. The transition portion can further include a bulbous region extending in a lateral direction of the duct and a protrusion located along an inside radius of the bend.

A heat exchanger having a chamber assembly defining a hollow space within, the chamber assembly having an input and a discharge means of a heat exchange medium. Disposed within the chamber assembly is a medium directing assembly. The medium directing assembly defined by a plurality of panel members arranged in a longitudinally extended manner positioned at an acute angle relative to the chamber assembly longitudinal axial characteristics, having an angled lateral edges whereby a first and a second longitudinal ends are provided with wider lateral width, while the medial section of the medium directing assembly is substantially narrower. The medium directed assembly providing a plurality of serially interconnected chambers within the chamber assembly to maximize chamber assembly and heat exchange medium interface, a structured flow path arrangement for the heat exchange medium, as well as means to energize the flow of the heat exchange medium for the desired results.

A heat exchanger including a shell having a longitudinal axis, a plurality of baffles, such as elliptical sector-shaped baffles, each mounted in the shell at a helix angle H.sub.B to guide a fluid flow into a helical pattern through the shell. Each of the plurality of baffles includes an outer circumferential edge, a proximal radial edge, a distal radial edge, a proximal side, a distal side, and a plurality of spaced apart holes that are traversed by a plurality of axially extending tubes. Each of the first plurality of seal strips is disposed from a proximal of the plurality of baffles to a distal of the plurality of baffles.