A substrate processing apparatus includes one or more substrate processing units 11 to 18 each processing a substrate 3 with a processing fluid; processing fluid supply units 19 and 20 supplying the heated processing fluid to the substrate processing units 11 to 18; and a controller 21 controlling the processing fluid supply units 19 and 20. The processing fluid supply units 19 and 20 include a storage tank 35 storing the processing fluid; a heating heat exchanger 51 heating the processing fluid; and a supply path 52 supplying the processing fluid to the substrate processing units 11 to 18. The supply path 52 includes a bypass path 71 bypassing the heating heat exchanger 51 at an upstream of the substrate processing units 11 to 18. The processing fluid heated by the heating heat exchanger 51 and the processing fluid supplied from the bypass path 71 are mixed to be supplied.

The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for the electroless metallization of a target surface of at least one workpiece (5), having a vessel (10) to accommodate a metallization solution having an inlet (15) and an outlet (16) for the metallization solution, and a holder (20) for accommodating the at least one workpiece (5) and can be arranged within the vessel (10), wherein at least one diffuser plate (30) is provided between the at least one inlet (15) and the holder (20) and has a multitude of diffuser openings (35) spaced apart in a plane of a plate (E), and wherein a movement device (40) is provided, which can move the diffuser plate (30) in at least one spatial direction in the vessel (10). The present invention further relates to a method for the electroless metallization of the target surface of the at least one workpiece (5).

The present invention relates to a coating apparatus for a fluidifiable composition, preferably a fluidifiable confectionary composition, the coating apparatus having a central cavity having a maximum transverse distance D and a maximum height L, wherein the ratio of D:L is at least 1:2.5, to as much as 1:15. In particularly preferred embodiments the coating apparatus is used to apply a fluidified confectionary composition onto an edible substrate. Also disclosed is a removeable vessel and/or reducing insert useful with the coating apparatus, constructed of thermally transmissive material and having a wall thickness such that the vessel or reducing insert wall conducts heat from the base heater to maintain a roughly uniform wall temperature from the base to the top, as well as methods of use of the foregoing.