A system of generating steam from an emulsion stream produced from a reservoir via thermal recovery has a heat exchanger for adjusting the emulsion to a first temperature; at least one separation device for separating water from the emulsion at the first temperature to obtain produced water; an optional produced water preheater, and a high pressure evaporator for receiving the produced water and generating steam using the produced water. The evaporator has a vapor drum; a heating element receiving the water stream, and in fluid communication with the vapor drum via a pressure letdown device; a heating source for imparting sensible heat to the water stream for generating steam. The evaporator also includes a recirculation pump for circulation of blowdown concentrate, and a bubble generator for generating bubbles and injecting generated bubbles into the heating element to enable self-removal of scales and other solid deposits in the evaporator.

A firetube scraper device comprising: at least one carriage assembly mounted on the firetube; a drive line and drive means for displacing the carriage assembly longitudinally along the firetube; wherein said carriage assembly surrounding the entire circumference of the firetube and comprising at least one row of scraper fins, each of said scraper fins having an inner surface adapted to frictionally engage an outer firetube surface defined by at least an upper portion of the surface of the firetube exposed to contaminants deposited onto a firetube surface.

A system for deriving 100% quality steam for steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) injection or other applications features a once through steam generator (OTSG), a steam-water separator connected downstream of the OTSG's radiant tubes to separate steam and water from a two-phase flow received therefrom, superheater tubes installed in the convection section and connected to a steam outlet of the steam-water separator in downstream relation thereto to receive and heat dried steam therefrom to a superheated state, and a desuperheater connected downstream of the superheater tubes to receive the superheated steam therefrom and use same to vaporize blowdown water from the steam-water separator, whereby the vaporized blowdown water and the superheated steam collectively form a superheated steam output for the intended application, typically after additional separation of solid particles therefrom for optimal steam quality.

A sludge lance for a tube and shell steam generator that has a central divider plate that extends substantially the length of a central tube lane substantially bisecting a hand hole through which the tube lane can be accessed. The sludge lance has a nozzle with a spring biased, reciprocally movable plunger that extends against the divider plate and is locked in position by a stream of high pressure cleaning fluid that traverses the nozzle and exits through jets to clean sludge from between the tubes. An alignment tool with a swing arm indexes the jets to assure they are properly aligned with the tube rows and spaced from the divider plate.

The method includes: (A) directing a feed water in the liquid phase of an instant expansion tank; (B) in the instant expansion tank, heating the feed water by mixing with the recycled stream from step (E); (C) compressing again at a high pressure the liquid fraction in the instant expansion tank and sending the liquid fraction to the inlet of a heat exchanger or group of heat exchangers connected in series; (D) heating the non-expanded fraction in the heat exchanger(s) while maintaining the non-expanded fraction in the liquid state; (E) recycling the stream from step (D) in the instant expansion tank; (F) in the instant expansion tank, expanding the fraction from step (E) and generating by instant expansion a stream of the searched steam containing the mineral materials of the feed water remaining in solution; and (G) separating the solid particles formed as a blowdown containing water and the particles.

A moveable sludge lance said moveable sludge lance having duel lance heads passed through handholes in the side of a nuclear steam generator and into a central tube lane having a central stay rod which cleans with high pressure fluid through the row 1 tubes in the tube lane, where the distance between the dual lance heads is wide enough to allow the dual lance heads to extend beyond the central stay rod.

A method for mitigating fouling in a once-through steam generator train is described. The method involves obtaining foulant samples from the once-through steam generator train. Obtaining water samples from one or more locations along the once-through steam generator train. Recovering filtered solids from the water samples from the one or more locations. Characterizing at least one physical property of the foulant samples and the filtered solids. Determining locations along the once-through steam generator train that include foulant precursor based on a matching of the at least one physical property between the foulant samples and the filtered solids. Installing an absorbent at locations that include the foulant precursor.

A moveable sludge lance (76) said moveable sludge lance having duel lance heads (77, 79) passed through handholes (62) in the side of a nuclear steam generator and into a central tube lane (60) having a central stay rod (61) which cleans with high pressure fluid through the row 1 tubes (85) in the tube lane, where the distance (200) between the dual lance heads (77, 79) is wide enough to allow the dual lance heads to extend beyond the central stay rod (61).

A sludge lance for a tube and shell steam generator that has a central divider plate that extends substantially the length of a central tube lane substantially bisecting a hand hole through which the tube lane can be accessed. The sludge lance has a nozzle with a spring biased, reciprocally movable plunger that extends against the divider plate and is locked in position by a stream of high pressure cleaning fluid that traverses the nozzle and exits through jets to clean sludge from between the tubes. An alignment tool with a swing arm indexes the jets to assure they are properly aligned with the tube rows and spaced from the divider plate.

A method for processing a liquid medium, wherein the medium to be processed is conducted through a liquid circuit and the medium to be processed is heated up in the liquid circuit with the aid of a heat exchanger. A liquid-vapor separation process is carried out in a separating device, and a liquid obtained in the liquid-vapor separation process is conducted into the heat exchanger as a heating medium.