HYBRID DIRECT/INDIRECT WATER HEATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS

摘要

A hybrid direct/indirect liquid heater and a process for heating a liquid in which an unheated liquid is introduced into a direct contact chamber of a hybrid direct/indirect liquid heater where it is directly contacted with hot flue gases exhausted from a cyclonic combustor-heat exchanger. The unheated liquid in the direct contact chamber condenses any moisture in the hot flue gases, forming contaminated liquid droplets and the contaminated liquid droplets are introduced into an indirect heating chamber of the hybrid direct/indirect liquid heater where they are indirectly heated by contact with the exterior of the combustor-heat exchanger, forming heated contaminated liquid. Gaseous contaminants are separated from the heated contaminated liquid, forming decontaminated liquid which is accumulated in a hot liquid storage.