Patent ID: 8857736

Claim:
A system for heating and pressurizing fluid to an outlet temperature and an outlet pressure, the system defining a primary fluid flow path, the system comprising: a fluid inlet defining an inlet into the primary fluid flow path for receiving fluid at an initial fluid temperature; a fluid outlet defining an outlet from the primary fluid flow path; a fluid pump in fluid communication with the primary fluid flow path and configured to raise the pressure of the fluid moving along the fluid path; a flow diverter valve in communication with the primary fluid flow path and configured to divert fluid flow from the primary fluid flow path to a secondary fluid flow path when pressure of the fluid on the primary fluid flow path reaches a first threshold pressure; a fluid heating device in communication with the primary fluid flow path and configured to heat fluid passing through the fluid heating device, the fluid heating device being incapable of heating the fluid in the primary fluid flow path from a first inlet temperature range to the outlet temperature in an outlet temperature range, the fluid heating device being capable of heating the fluid in the primary fluid flow path from a second inlet temperature range to the outlet temperature in the outlet temperature range; and a primary pressure relief valve in communication with the primary fluid flow path and being responsive to pressure of the fluid in the primary fluid path to direct fluid flow to a tertiary fluid flow path when pressure of the fluid in the primary fluid flow path reaches approximately a second threshold pressure; wherein the primary pressure relief valve is configured to direct a portion of fluid flow from a diversion point on the primary fluid flow path downstream from the fluid pump to a point upstream of the fluid pump when pressure of the fluid flow reaches the second threshold pressure, the diversion point being upstream of the fluid heating device in the fluid flow path.