A reforming furnace for producing hydrogen is provided. The reforming furnace includes a plurality of reforming tubes that allow a flow of hydrocarbons and at least one fluid inside the tubes, from top to bottom, and have, on at least part of the upper half of the outer surface at least one fin that has a thickness of between 1 and 30 mm, a width of between 3 and 100 mm, and a length of between 1 m and an length equivalent to the height of the furnace.

A reforming furnace for producing hydrogen is provided. The reforming furnace includes a plurality of reforming tubes that allow a flow of hydrocarbons and at least one fluid inside the tubes, from top to bottom, and have, on at least part of the upper half of the outer surface at least one fin that has a thickness of between 1 and 30 mm, a width of between 3 and 100 mm, and a length of between 1 m and an length equivalent to the height of the furnace.

A heat exchanger, for example a charge-air cooler, may include at least two bases respectively having a passage for receiving a plurality of fluid-conducting tubes on a longitudinal end side. The heat exchanger may include at least one collecting chamber arranged on at least one of the at least two bases, and at least one lateral part received via a longitudinal end area at least partially in an end-side passage of an associated base of the at least two bases. The longitudinal end area of the at least one lateral part may have a beam shape and at least one recess. The longitudinal end area of the at least one lateral part may further have a cross-sectional surface that is smaller than a cross-sectional surface of the end-side passage of the associated base.

A heat exchanger, for example a charge-air cooler, may include at least two bases respectively having a passage for receiving a plurality of fluid-conducting tubes on a longitudinal end side. The heat exchanger may include at least one collecting chamber arranged on at least one of the at least two bases, and at least one lateral part received via a longitudinal end area at least partially in an end-side passage of an associated base of the at least two bases. The longitudinal end area of the at least one lateral part may have a beam shape and at least one recess. The longitudinal end area of the at least one lateral part may further have a cross-sectional surface that is smaller than a cross-sectional surface of the end-side passage of the associated base.

Vapor flow-diverting devices that re-direct upwardly flowing vapor, for example, in a downward direction across condenser tubes disposed in the upper or top section of a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus, are described. These devices are particularly beneficial in tubular condensers within distillation columns and may be used in combination with other associated equipment (e.g., a deflector plate and divider plate) as well as in combination with the tube surface enhancements to improve the heat transfer coefficient.

Vapor flow-diverting devices that re-direct upwardly flowing vapor, for example, in a downward direction across condenser tubes disposed in the upper or top section of a vapor-liquid contacting apparatus, are described. These devices are particularly beneficial in tubular condensers within distillation columns and may be used in combination with other associated equipment (e.g., a deflector plate and divider plate) as well as in combination with the tube surface enhancements to improve the heat transfer coefficient.

A heat exchanger includes a stack of plates which form ducts. Each of the plates can have at least two openings which, in the plate stack, form at least one collecting duct and one distributor duct which connect the ducts in terms of flow. A base plate can be arranged on the plate stack and can have a seal for sealing off the heat exchanger and a flow deflector for manipulating flow through the heat exchanger. The seal and the flow deflector can form a common component.

An external combustion engine including a burner element, a heater head, a piston cylinder containing a piston, a cooler and a crankcase. The crankcase includes a crankshaft, a piston rod connected to the piston, a drive mechanism for converting the linear motion of the piston rod to rotary motion of the crankshaft and a linear cross-head bearing that is connected rigidly to the piston rod at one end and to the drive mechanism at the other end. Also the external combustion engine includes a piston clearance seal and a piston rod seal unit that has floating rod seals. The piston includes a inner dome to reduce axial heat transfer via radiation and convection.

An external combustion engine including a burner element, a heater head, a piston cylinder containing a piston, a cooler and a crankcase. The crankcase includes a crankshaft, a piston rod connected to the piston, a drive mechanism for converting the linear motion of the piston rod to rotary motion of the crankshaft and a linear cross-head bearing that is connected rigidly to the piston rod at one end and to the drive mechanism at the other end. Also the external combustion engine includes a piston clearance seal and a piston rod seal unit that has floating rod seals. The piston includes a inner dome to reduce axial heat transfer via radiation and convection.

In various embodiments, multi-conduit assemblies 100 comprise pluralities of individual or distinct conduits 101 joined by various forms of webs 110, sleeves 176, wraps 222, 212, and/or retainers 181. Assemblies 100 are useful for fluid, electrical, communications, and other applications.