Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics in Our Environment—HEFAT2012.

This editorial provides an overview of a special issue dedicated to the 9th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics—HEFAT2012—hosted on Malta. All papers for this conference were peer reviewed and 270 papers were accepted. Of these, 10 of the best papers were selected for this issue and peer reviewed for a second time according to journal standards. The 10 papers focus on the characteristics of oxyfuel and air-fuel combustion in an industrial water tube boiler, numerical and optical analysis of a weather-adaptable solar reactor, the mitigation of crystallization fouling using projectiles in tubular heat exchangers, the mitigation of crystallization fouling in a single heated tube using projectiles of different sizes and hardness, a framework for the analysis of thermal losses in reciprocating compressors and expanders, an annular impinging jet controlled by radial synthetic jets, multi-effect plants and ionic liquids for improved absorption chillers, the effect of climatic parameters on the heat transfer mechanisms in a solar distillation still, empirical correlations for slightly decaying grid turbulence, and pool boiling on modified surfaces using R-123. The current issue of Heat Transfer Engineering is the ninth special journal issue dedicated to selected papers from the HEFAT conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]