Tubular evaporator of the external film type

Claim 1

AN EVAPORATION SYSTEM COMPRISING: APPARATUS PRODUCING WASTE HEAT; A SOURCE OF HOT VAPOROUS FLUID, SAID SOURCE BEING CONSTRUCTED TO UTILIZE HEAT ENERGY OTHER THAN THE HEAT ENERGY OF SAID WASTE HEAT TO PROVIDE SAID HOT VAPOROUS FLUID; AN EVAPORATOR HAVING A HEAT EXCHANGE TUBE AND MEANS FOR SPRAYING LIQUID BE EVAPORATED ONTO THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE TUBE; INLET CONDUCTING MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE INLET SIDE OF SAID TUBE AND OUTLET CONDUCTING MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE OUTLET SIDE OF SAID TUBE; FIRST LIQUID FEED CONDUCTING MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A LIQUID FLUID FROM SAID OUTLET CONDUCTING MEANS TO SAID APPARATUS TO BE IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID APPARATUS TO TRANSFER WASTE HEAT TO SAID LIQUID FLUID; SECOND LIQUID FEED CONDUCTING MEANS FOR CONDUCTING THE HEATED LIQUID FLUID FROM SAID APPARATUS TO SAID INLET CONDUCTING MEANS AND TO SAID TUBE TO TRANSFER HEAWT FROM THE HEATED LIQUID FLUID TO THE LIQUID ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE TUBE; VAPOR FEED CONDUCTING MEANS FOR CONDUCTING SAID VAPOROUS FLUID FROM SAID SOURCE TO SAID INLET CONDUCTING MEANS AND TO SAID TUBE TO TRANSFER HEAT FROM THE VAPOROUS FLUID TO THE LIQUID ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE TUBE; CONDENSATE DISPOSAL CONDUCTING MEANS FOR CONDUCTING VAPOROUS CONDENSATE FROM SAID OUTLET CONDUCTING MEANS TO A DRAIN; AND MEANS CONTROLLING ALL SAID CONDUCTING MEANS FOR SELECTIVE CONDUCTION OF (A) SAID VAPOROUS FLUID ALONE THROUGH SAID VAPOR FEED CONDUCTING MEANS, SAID INLET CONDUCTING MEANS, SAID TUBE, SAID OUTLET CONDUCTING MEANS AND SAID CONDENSATE DISPOSAL CONDUCTING MEANS, (B) SAID HEATED LIQUID FLUID ALONG THROUGH SAID SECOND LIQUID FEED CONDUCTING MEANS, SAID INLET CONDUCTING MEANS, SAID TUBE, SAID OUTLET CONDUCTING MEANS AND SAID FIRST LIQUID FEED CONDUCTING MEANS, OR (C) SAID LIQUID FLUID THROUGH SAID SECOND LIQUID FEED CONDUCTING MEANS TO SAID INLET CONDUCTING MEANS TO SAID TUBE AND CONCURRENTLY SAID VAPOROUS FLUID THROUGH SAID VAPOR FEED CONDUITING MEANS TO SAID INLET CONDUCTING MEANS TO SAID TUBE TO FORM A MIXTURE WITH SAID LIQUID FLUID, AND SAID MIXTURE THROUGH SAID OUTLET CONDUCTING MEANS AND SAID FIRST LIQUID FEED CONDUCTING MEANS.