Electrically operated coffee machine, in particular espresso machine or fully automatic coffee machine, having a steam output device that can include a steam lance wherein the steam lance can include a milk inflow which is configured to supply milk into a steam output channel of the steam lance.

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 direct contact steam injection heater that allows shear to be adjusted by modifying a lateral position of a movable combining tube. The movable combining tube includes a rack on an outer surface of the combining tube that engages a movable lever arm of an adjustment mechanism. The pivoting movement of the lever arm moves the combining tube in a lateral direction to adjust the shear in the product being heated. The combining tube is supported in a housing by a pair of lateral bushing and a pair of end seals prevent product from entering the combining tube housing. The lever arm is coupled to a worm gear shaft such that rotation of the worm gear shaft creates pivoting movement of the lever arm and lateral movement of the combining tube.

The invention refers to a fluid foaming machine (100) for producing foam comprising a fluid container (30) where the fluid is arranged, and a foaming device (40) through which fluid flows and is heated and/or foamed, the machine (100) further comprising at least a cooling unit configured to maintain permanently refrigerated both the fluid container (30) and the foaming device (40) during fluid preparation and during stand-by of the machine (100).

The invention relates to apparatus and a process for mixing a gas/vapour with a process liquid comprising a material and a carrier liquid. The apparatus comprises a passage (10) having an inlet (14), an outlet (16) for a process liquid comprising the material, and an inlet (24) for introducing supersonic steam at a mixing zone (42). The profile of the mixing zone (42) can be varied to optimise mixing.

The invention relates to apparatus and a process for mixing a gas/vapour with a process liquid comprising a material and a carrier liquid. The apparatus comprises a passage (10) of polygonal cross section having an inlet (14), an outlet (16) for a process liquid comprising the material, and a nozzle (24) for introducing supersonic gas/vapour at a mixing zone (42) in a single plane.

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 device (1) for frothing a liquid comprises a settling chamber (10) providing space (11) in the device (1) for liquid froth to be formed during operation of the device (1); an inlet (20) for letting in liquid to be frothed to the device (1); an inlet (30) for letting in steam to the device (1) for realizing a pumping effect on the liquid to be frothed and thereby forming a steam/liquid flow to be supplied to the settling chamber (10); a combined inlet/outlet (40) for letting in frothing gas to the device (1) for frothing the liquid and letting out liquid froth from the settling chamber (10); and an obstacle (50) arranged in the device (1) for determining a position in the device (1) where frothing gas that is let in to the device (1) during operation of the device (1) encounters the steam/liquid flow.

The invention refers to a fluid foaming machine (100) for producing foam comprising a fluid container (30) where the fluid is arranged, and a foaming device (40) through which fluid flows and is heated and/or foamed, the machine (100) further comprising at least a cooling unit configured to maintain permanently refrigerated both the fluid container (30) and the foaming device (40) during fluid preparation and during stand-by of the machine (100).

The method and an apparatus for improving the steam dryness of a steam injection boiler includes injecting wet saturated steam and gas into an oil layer together in a sealed way, after the dryness of the wet saturated steam at an outlet of the steam injection boiler is improved by a dryness raiser. The dryness raiser includes a combined spray head, a steam heating chamber, a combustion chamber, and a mixing chamber. The gas generated by the combustion chamber enters into the mixing chamber and is fully mixed with the steam from the steam injection boiler. The dryness of the wet saturated steam at the outlet of the steam injection boiler can be improved to 95%-100%, and the effects of improving steam enthalpy, replenishing stratum energy and enlarging the steam wave and size are realized, so as to heat up the oil layer more effectively, and improve heavy oil development.