Patent ID: 6896986

Claim:
A system comprising: a vaporizer having an inlet receiving a fluid stream comprising a liquid which is vaporized to form a vaporized outlet stream, said vaporizer comprising at least two heat exchange sections serially arranged in a direction of flow of said fluid stream through said vaporizer for vaporizing liquid in said fluid stream in stages, said heat exchange sections each comprising at least one first channel through which said fluid stream flows and at least one second channel comprising heating means, said first and second channels being separate from one another and arranged in heat transfer relationship with one another; a liquid supply means for adding liquid to a downstream heat exchange section of said at least two heat exchange sections, said added liquid mixing with said fluid stream exiting an upstream heat exchange section of said at least two heat exchange sections, for vaporization within said downstream heat exchange section; and a subsystem in fluid communication with an outlet of said vaporizer, said subsystem receiving said vaporized outlet stream; wherein said first channels are defined by grooves in a first planar surface of respective said heat exchange sections and said second channels are defined by fins in a second planar surface of respective said heat exchange sections.