In devices known in the art, "conventional firetube" and "waste heat
recovery" boilers each require many small tubes making successive passes
within the boiler. In one embodiment of the invention, however, an
enhanced conduit replaces numerous conventional small tubes. In some
embodiments, the enhanced conduit incorporates a plurality of fins, each
of which extends through a wall of the conduit. In other embodiments, the
enhanced conduit incorporates a plurality of tubes along its outer
surface, through which a heat transfer medium flows. Both designs enhance
the heat transfer relationship between the hot fluid and the heat
transfer medium by providing a continuous heat transfer relationship with
the heat transfer medium, increasing the surface area involved in the
heat transfer relationship and enhancing convection/conduction couples.
For some applications, all of the tube banks of other devices in the art
can be replaced by one continuous enhanced conduit.