Chapter 9 Evaporation

CHAPTER
EVAPORATION
9
Evaporation
Objective: “To concentrate a dilute solution consisting of non
volatile solute and volatile solvent”
 In this operation, the solvent to be evaporated is generally

water and concentrated solution is a product.
 The vapour generated usually has no value, it is condensed
and discarded.
Properties of evaporating liquids that influence
the process of evaporation
1. Concentration
2. Temperature sensitivity
Pharmaceuticals products, fine chemicals and foods
are damaged when heated to moderate temperatures
for relatevely short times
3. Foaming and frothing
4. Scale: Solutions deposit scales on the heating
surface
5. Material of construction
Factors effecting evaporation:
Concentration in the liquid:
- Liquid feed to an evaporator is relatively dilute.
- So its viscosity is low, and heat-transfer coefficient high.
- As evaporation proceeds, the solution becomes concentrated.
- So viscosity increases and heat-transfer coefficient drops.
- Density and the boiling point of solution also increase.
As the concentration increases, the viscosity and density
increases thereby the boiling point of solution increases
Solubility:
- As solution is heated, concentration of the solute in the
solution increases.
- In case the solubility limit of the solute in solution is
exceeded, then crystals may form.
- Solubility of the solute therefore determines the maximum
concentration of the solute in the product stream.
- In most cases, the solubility of the solute increases with
temperature. This means when a hot concentrated solution
from an evaporator is cooled to room temperature,
crystallization may occur.
Temperature sensitivity of materials:
- Pharmaceuticals products, fine chemicals and foods are
damaged when heated to moderate temperatures for
relatively short times.
- So special techniques are employed to reduce temperature
of the liquid and time of heating during evaporation
Foaming and frothing:
- Solutions like organic compounds tend to foam and froth
during vaporization.
- The foam is carried away along with vapor leaving the
evaporator.
- Entrainment losses occur.
Pressure and temperature:
- The boiling point of the solution is related to the pressure
of the system.
- The higher the operating pressure of the evaporator, the
higher the temperature at boiling.
- Also, as the concentration of the dissolved material in
solution increases by evaporation, the temperature of
boiling may rise (a phenomenon known as boiling point
rise /elevation).
- To keep the temperatures low in heat-sensitive materials,
it is often necessary to operate under atmospheric pressure
(that is, under vacuum).
Scale deposition:
- Some solutions deposit solid materials (called scale)
on the heating surfaces.
- The result is that the overall heat-transfer coefficient
(U ) may drastically decrease, leading to shut down of
the evaporators for cleaning purposes.
Materials of construction:
- Evaporators are made of some kind of steel.
- However many solutions attack ferrous metals
and are contaminated by them.
- Copper, nickel, stainless steels can also be
used.
Effects on evaporation rate
Heat rate
Laten heat of water at certain condition
Maximum allowable temperature: higher is better
Operating pressure: lower is better
Solution properties: viscosity, foaming, frothy

Classification
Once through / Circulation
Natural / Forced / Agitated
Falling / Rising
Vertical / Horizontal
Single / Multiple
Internal heater / External heater

Classification
Once through is useful for heat sensitive materials and
adapted to multiple effect, agitated and falling film
Circulation is not for heat sensitive materials and

adapted to single effect, natural / forced and rising film
Classification
Natural circulation with low heat transfer coefficient
= 0.3 ÷ 1 ⁄ , relative cheap, poor circulation, for
nonviscous / non deposite scale liquids
Forced circulation with high heat transfer coefficient

= 2 ÷ 6 ⁄ , fouling reduction, high pumping cost
Agitated with high heat transfer coefficient, reduce

thermal resistance of liquid, high capital cost and low
capacity
Classification
Falling film is for highly heat sensitive materials which
requires short residence time
= 3 ÷ 10 ; = 50 ÷ 250
Rising film is for foaming and frothy liquid

= 3 ÷ 10 ; = 25 ÷ 50
Classification
Vertical tube is for foaming liquids
Horizontal tube is for low viscosity and non deposit scale

liquids
Classification
Single effect is simple, big temperature difference
between steam and solution, ineffective energy usage
1 ÷ 1.3 kg of steam⁄kg water evaporation
Multiple effect is more complex and effective energy

usage
Classification
Internal heater with short vertical tube =1÷2
External heater with long vertical tube = 3 ÷ 10

Classification
Vertical tube – Falling film
Natural circulation Vertical tube – climbing up
Horizontal tube
Evaporators
Vertical heating
Forced circulation
Horizontal heating
Agitated flim
Open kettle & pan evaporator
Pan
Steam
Boiler
Jacket
Condensate
Concentrate
Open kettle & pan evaporator
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGE
Used for both small scale & large scale Heat economy is less.
operation. Not suitable for heat sensitive materials.
Simple in construction and easy to Heat decreases on product concentration.
operate. Since, open type so vapor passes to
Low maintenance & installation cost. atmosphere.
Wide variety of materials.
Once through evaporator
Rising film
Falling film External heater
External heater
FEED
STEAM
CONDENSATE
Falling film Rising film

Internal heater Internal heater
CONCENTRATE
Natural circulation evaporator
Rising Rising
External heater Internal heater
Natural circulation evaporator
Horizontal tube Vertical tube

Internal heater Internal heater
Forced circulation evaporator
Falling
Internal heater Rising
Internal heater
Falling
External heater Rising
External heater
Horizontal tube – External heater

Agitated evaporator
Agitated evaporator
Natural circulation – Internal heater
• Increases the heating surface 10 ÷ 15 times than

steam jacketed kettle
Advantages • Vigorous circulation enhances rate of heat transfer
• More units can be joined
• Liquid to be maintained above calandria

• Complicated and increased installation cost
Disadvantages • Pressure has to maintain
• Cleaning and maintenance is difficult
Natural circulation – External heater
• Large area for heat transfer, enhanced heat transfer
• Short residence time, suitable for heat sensitive
Advantages liquids
• Rising film is for foaming and frothy liquids
• Falling film is for viscous and corrosive liquids
• Quite complicated, high capital cost

• Cleaning and maintenance is difficult
Disadvantages • Space required
• Rising is not for viscous, salting and scaling liquids
• Falling is not for suspension, salting and scaling liquid
Forced circulation
• High heat transfer coefficient

Advantages • Suitable for high viscous liquids
• High capital and operation cost

Disadvantages • Not possible for salting and scaling liquids
Rising film
Internal heater
Plate external heater
Rising film – External heater

Heat exchanger
Falling film
External heater Separation chamber
Falling Rising
External heater External heater
Rising – External heater



Horizontal tube – External heater

Single effect with recompression
Mechanical recompression
Thermal recomp. is better than mechanical
recomp. for vacuum operation
However, the efficiency of thermal recompression is lower

Thermal recompression
Methods of improving Evaporator economy
1. The vapors, which contain latent heat, are generally

discarded in an evaporator, thereby wasting energy.
2. But thermal energy in the vapor evolved from a boiling
solution can be utilized to vaporize more water.
The following techniques are used to utilize the

thermal energy that is available in the vapors coming
out from the evaporator.
1. Multiple effect evaporation

2. Vapor recompression
Multiple-effect evaporation
Salient features
 The vapors, which contain latent heat, are generally discarded in an
evaporator, thereby wasting energy.
 But it can be used as steam supply to another unit operating under

lower pressure and temperature.
 The vapor from the second unit can be further used as a steam supply
to a third unit operating at a still lower pressure and temperature.
 Each unit in such a series is called an effect and the method of re-using
the latent heat is called multiple-effect evaporation.
 In the case of multiple effect evaporators the economy increases at the

cost of capacity.
 Operating cost is same, but the capital cost, repair and maintenance
cost increases with increase in number of effects.
Multiple effect evaporator
• Suitable for large scale and continuous process

Advantages • Highly economical
Disadvantages • Monitoring of evaporators

Forward: feed flows naturally (without pump),
low boiling point for heat sensitive concentrate
Backward: pump required, for cold feed and

highly viscous concentrate
Parallel: for feed is almost saturated, solid crystal
Mixed (forward–backward): for very highly

viscous concentrate
Forward feed
Steam
Solution
Forward feed operation
This arrangement is simplest and no need of any pump to transfer liquid from
effect to effect as the liquid flows in the direction of decreasing pressure.


Backward feed
Steam
Solution
Backward feed operation
 This method requires a pump between each pair of effects since the flow is
from lower pressure to the higher pressure.
 If the liquid is very viscous then we have to adopt this arrangement for
better capacity.
Backward feed operation

Parallel feed
Steam
Solution
Parallel feed operation
 The fresh feed is fed to each effect simultaneously and the thick liquor is taken
out from the same effect separately.
 In this arrangement there is no transfer of liquid from one effect to another
effect.


Mixed feed
This arrangement is combination of forward and backward feed adopted for

best overall performance.
Mixed feed operation

2. Vapor recompression
In this method, the vapors from the evaporator are
compressed to a saturation pressure of steam to
upgrade the vapors to the conditioning of original steam
to permit the use as heating media.
These are two types.

(a)Mechanical recompression or
(b)Thermal recompression.
Mechanical Recompression:
In this method the vapor evolved from the
evaporator is compressed to some what higher
pressure by positive displacement (or) centrifugal
compressor and fed to a heater as a steam
Thermal Recompression:
In this method vapor is compressed by means of
steam jet ejector. Here the high pressure steam is
used to draw and compress the major part of
vapors from the evaporator
Thermal recompression is better suited than
mechanical recompression to vacuum operation.
Jets are cheaper and easier to maintain than
compressors.
Disadvantages of thermal recompression include low
mechanical efficiency of jets
Performance evaluation
• Capacity of an evaporator is amount of water
Capacity vaporized in the evaporator per unit time
⁄ℎ
• Economy of an evaporator is the mass of water

Economy vaporized per unit mass of input steam
⁄
⁄ℎ =
For single effect, = 0.77 ÷ 1

Overall heat transfer coefficient
Type Overall coefficient ⁄ ℃
Vertical tube
Natrural circulation 1000 ÷ 2500
Forced circulation 2000 ÷ 5000
Agitated film
1 2000
1 1500
100 600
Raoult’s law
The partial pressure of each component of an ideal
mixture is equal to the vapor pressure of the pure
component multiplied by its mole fraction.
For nonvolatile solution, there is only solvent evaporized:
=
At given pressure: = =
> >
Boiling point rising / elevation
∆ = − (due to concentration)
Boiling Point Elevation
• The Boiling point elevation, Δtbp, is directly
proportional to the molality of the solute
Δtbp= Kbpmsolute
Kbp is called the molal boiling point elevation constant
by solvent and is (oC/m)
msolute = molal solute concentration
Ex: How many grams of ethylene glycol, HOCH2CH2OH,

do you have to add to 125 g of water to increase the
bp by 1oC? (The KbpWater = +0.5121 oC/m)
Boiling-Point Elevation
• van’t Hoff Factor, i: This factor equals the number of ions
produced from each molecule of a compound upon dissolving.
For compounds that dissociate on dissolving, use:
∆Tb = i×Kbp m
– i = 1 for CH3OH i = 3 for CaCl2
– i = 2 for NaCl i = 5 for Ca3(PO4)2
Raoult’s law
∆Tb = i×Kbp m
: number of ions produced by each molecule of solute
: called the molal boiling point elevation constant by solvent
⁄ : solute concentration
Solvent Boiling point ℃ at 1 ℃⁄

Water 100 0.512
Ethanol 78.5 1.22
Acetic acid 117.9 3.07
Benzene 80.1 2.53
Diethyl ether 34.5 2.02
Carbon disulfide 46.2 2.34
Carbon tetrachloride 76.5 5.03
Chloroform 61.7 3.63
Problem: We add 475g of sucrose (sugar) to 600g of water. What will
be the Boiling points of the solution?
Plan: Find the molality of the sucrose solution, and apply the equations
for BP elevation using the constants from above table
Solution:
Sucrose (C12H22O11) has molar mass = 342.30 g/mol
Example 1
How many grams of ethylene glycol do you have to add
to 125 of water to increase the boiling point by 1℃?
Example 2
Problem: We add 475g of sucrose (sugar) to 600g of water. What will
be the Boiling points of the solution?
Plan: Find the molality of the sucrose solution, and apply the equations
for BP elevation using the constants from above table
Solution:
Sucrose (C12H22O11) has molar mass = 342.30 g/mol
Duhring’s rule
A linear relationship exists between the temperatures at
which two solutions exert the same vapor pressure. The
rule is often used to compare a pure liquid and a
solution at a given concentration.
= , at given pressure
Duhring’s rule
Boiling point of solution ℉
Boiling point of water ℉

Sodium hydroxide – Water at atmospheric pressure
Duhring’s rule
Boiling point of water ℉
Boiling point of solution ℃

Boiling point of solution
Boiling point of solution ℉
Boiling point of water Boiling point of water ℃

Salt (sodium chloride) – Water at atmospheric pressure
Nomograph for boiling point of aqueous solutions
Example 1
An aqueous, NaOH solution is being evaporated at 6 .
If the solution is 35% NaOH, determine:
a) The boiling temperature of the solution
b) The boiling point elevation
a) The boiling point of the solution from the plot is

207℉
b) The boiling point elevation: ∆ = 207 − 170 = 37℉
Temperature difference
Vapor
= =
− (due to pressure drop)
,
Feed
Steam
Condensate
Concentrate
Vapor
= +∆ = ,
− (pressure drop, concentration)
,
Feed
Steam
Condensate
Concentrate
Vapor
= +∆ = ,
= +∆ = ,
− (pressure drop, concentration,
hydrostatic head & friction loss)
,
Feed
Steam
Condensate
Concentrate
Calculation for
single effect evaporator
Calculation methods for single-effect evaporators
Vapour, V
Feed:
yV, T1, HV F – mass flow rate
xF – mass fraction of solute in feed
TF – temperature of feed
P
Feed, F hF – enthalpy of feed
xF, TF, hF
Vapour leaving the evaporator:
T1
Steam, S V – mass flow rate
Condensate, S yV – mass fraction of solute in vapour
PS, TS, HS
PS, TS, hS T1 – temperature of vapour
HV – enthalpy of vapour
Concentrate, L Concentrate leaving the evaporator:

L – mass flow rate
xL, T1, hL
xL – mass fraction of solute in concentrate
Steam: T1 – temperature of concentrate
S – mass flow rate hL – enthalpy of concentrate
PS – steam pressure
TS – steam temperature P – pressure in the evaporator
HS – enthalpy of steam T1 – temperature in the evaporator
hS – enthalpy of condensate
Vapour, V
yV, T1, HV Overall material balance:
F=L+V
P Solute balance:
Feed, F
xF, TF, hF F xF = L xL + V yV
T1 If the vapour is free of solute:

Steam, S
Condensate, S F xF = L xL
PS, TS, HS
PS, TS, hS
Heat balance:
Concentrate, L
F hF + S HS = L hL + V HV + S hS
xL, T1, hL Rewriting:
F hF + S (HS - hS) = L hL + V HV
F hF + S λ = L hL + V HV
where λ = HS - hS
Vapour, V
yV, T1, HV
Energy lost by the steam
q = S λ = S (HS – hS)
P
Feed, F
xF, TF, hF In case of no energy loss to the
environment, q amount of energy
T1
Steam, S gets transferred from steam to
Condensate, S the solution through the tube wall
PS, TS, HS
PS, TS, hS of area A and overall heat
transfer coefficient U.
Concentrate, L
xL, T1, hL Therefore,
q = U A ΔT = U A (TS – T1)
Example 1:
A continuous single-effect evaporator concentrates 9072 kg/h of a

1.0 wt % salt solution entering at 38ºC to a final concentration of
1.5 wt %.
The vapor space of the evaporator is at 101.325 kPa (1.0 atm abs)
and the steam supplied is saturated at 150 kPa. The overall
coefficient U = 1704 W/m2.K.
Calculate the amounts of vapor and liquid products and the heat-
transfer area required. Assumed that, since it its dilute, the solution
has the same boiling point as water.
Vapour, V
yV, T1, HV Data provided:
F = 9072 kg/h
P xF = 1 wt % = 0.01 kg solute / kg feed
Feed, F
xF, TF, hF TF = 38ºC
xL = 1.5 wt %
T1
Steam, S
Condensate, S = 0.015 kg solute / kg liquid product
PS, TS, HS
PS, TS, hS P = 101.325 kPa (1.0 atm abs)
PS = 150 kPa
Concentrate, L U = 1704 W/m2.K

xL, T1, hL
T1 = saturated temperature at P (= 101.325 kPa) = 100ºC
TS = saturated temperature at 150 kPa = 111.4ºC

Data provided: Available equations:
F = 9072 kg/h Overall material balance:
xF = 0.01 kg solute / kg feed F=L+V
TF = 38ºC Solute balance:
xL = 0.015 kg solute / kg liquid product F xF = L xL (no solute in the vapour)
P = 101.325 kPa; T1 = 100ºC Heat balance:

PS = 150 kPa; TS = 111.4ºC F hF + S λ = L hL + V HV
where λ = HS – hS
U = 1704 W/m2.K
q = S λ = U A ΔT = U A (TS – T1)
Amounts of vapor and liquid products = ?

F, xF and xL are known, and therefore
L = 6048 kg/h and V = 3024 kg/h
Data known: Available equations:
F = 9072 kg/h; L = 6048 kg/h, V = 3024 kg/h Heat balance:
TF = 38ºC F hF + S λ = L hL + V HV
P = 101.325 kPa; T1 = 100ºC where λ = HS – hS
PS = 150 kPa; TS = 111.4ºC q = S λ = U A ΔT = U A (TS – T1)
U = 1704 W/m2.K
Heat transfer area A = S λ / U (TS – T1) = ?
S λ = L hL + V HV – F hF
= (F – V) hL + V HV – F hF
= F (hL – hF) + V (HV – hL )
= F Cp (T1 - TF) + V (Latent heat of vapourization at 101.325 kPa )
Data known:
F = 9072 kg/h; L = 6048 kg/h, V = 3024 kg/h
TF = 38ºC
P = 101.325 kPa; T1 = 100ºC
PS = 150 kPa; TS = 111.4ºC
U = 1704 W/m2.K

S λ = F Cp (T1 - TF) + V (Latent heat of vapourization at 101.325 kPa)
F, T1 , TF and V are already known.
Cp = 4.14 kJ/kg.K (assumed)
Latent heat of vapourization at 101.325 kPa = 2256.7 kJ/kg
Therefore,
S λ = (9072) (4.14) (100 – 38) +(3024) (2256.7) kJ/h
= 9152862 kJ/h
Data known:
F = 9072 kg/h; L = 6048 kg/h, V = 3024 kg/h
TF = 38ºC
P = 101.325 kPa; T1 = 100ºC
PS = 150 kPa; TS = 111.4ºC
U = 1704 W/m2.K

S λ = 9152862 kJ/h = 9152862 * 1000 / 3600 W
T1 and TS are known
U = 1704 W/m2.K
Therefore,
A = S λ / U (TS – T1)
= [9152862 * 1000 / 3600] / [1704 * (111.4 – 100)]
= 130. 9 m2
Boiling point rise of solutions:
- In example 1, the solution is assumed to be dilute enough to be

considered to have the same thermal properties as water. It is not
true always.
- For concentrated solutions, heat capacity and boiling point are
quire different from that of water.
- Duhring’s rule is an empirical law that relates the boiling point of a
solution to the boiling point of the solvent at different pressures for a
solution of given concentration.
Boiling point rise of solutions
Vapour, V
F = 4536 kg/h
Feed, F
xL = 50 wt %
T1
Steam, S
PS, TS, HS
PS, TS, hS P = 12 kPa = 0.12 bar
PS = 170 kPa = 1.7 bar

xL, T1, hL
T1 ≠ saturated temperature at P (= 0.12 bar) = 49.4oC
TS = saturated steam temperature at 1.7 bar = 115.2oC

F, xF and xL are known, and therefore L = 1814 kg/h and V = 2722 kg/h
Steam used = ?
S λ = L hL + V HV - F hF
hF = enthalpy of 20% solution at 60oC = 214 kJ/kg

(using the enthalpy–concentration chart)
hL = enthalpy of 50% solution at T1 = ?
(using the enthalpy–concentration and boiling-point rise charts)
Saturated temperature at P (= 0.12 bar) = 49.4oC

Using the boiling-point rise chart, we get 89.5oC ( read against 49.4oC and 50 wt%) as the
boiling point of the solution. That is T1 = 89.5oC
hL = enthalpy of 50% solution at 89.5oC = 505 kJ/kg

(using the enthalpy–concentration chart)
HV = enthalpy of superheated steam at 89.5oC and 0.12 bar = 2667 kJ/kg
(using the superheated steam table)
Steam used = S = ?
S λ = 1814 x 505 + 2722 x 2667 – 4536 x 214 = 7204940 kJ/h
λ = latent heat of vapourization of water at 1.7 bar and 115.2oC

= 2216 kJ/kg (using the steam table)
Therefore S = 7204940 / 2216 kg/h = 3251 kg/h

Steam economy = kg vapourized / kg steam used = V / S = ?
Steam economy = 2722 / 3251 = 0.837
A = S λ / U (TS – T1) = [7204940 * 1000 / 3600] / [1560 * (115.2 – 89.5)]

= 49. 9 m2
Example 3 (Repeat Example 2 assuming that the thermal properties of the
liquid in the evaporator can be approximated by those of water):
An evaporator is used to concentrate 4536 kg/h of a 20% NaOH

solution entering at 60ºC to a product of 50% solids. The pressure
of the saturated steam used is 170 kPa and the vapor space
pressure of the evaporator is at 12 kPa. The overall coefficient U is
1560 W/m2.K.
Calculate the steam used, the steam economy (in kg vapourized /

kg steam used) and the heating surface area.
Vapour, V
F = 4536 kg/h
Feed, F
xL = 50 wt %
T1
Steam, S
PS, TS, HS
PS, TS, hS P = 12 kPa = 0.12 bar
PS = 170 kPa = 1.7 bar

xL, T1, hL
T1 = saturated temperature at P (= 0.12 bar) = 49.4oC
TS = saturated steam temperature at 1.7 bar = 115.2oC

Steam used = ?
S λ = L hL + V HV - F hF = (F – V) hL + V HV – F hF = F (hL – hF) + V (HV – hL )
= F Cp (T1 - TF) + V (Latent heat of vapourization at 0.12 bar)
= (4536) (4.14) (49.4 – 60) +(2722) (2383) kJ/h (Cp = 4.14 kJ/kg.K is assumed)
= 6301078 kJ/h
λ = latent heat of vapourization of water at 1.7 bar = 2216 kJ/kg
Therefore S = 6301078 / 2216 kg/h = 2843.5 kg/h
Steam economy = kg vapourized / kg steam used = V / S = ?

Steam economy = 2722 / 2843.5 = 0.957
A = S λ / U (TS – T1) = [6301078 * 1000 / 3600] / [1560 * (115.2 – 49.4)]

= 17 m2
Compare the solutions of Examples 2 and 3 and discuss the

importance of considering the boiling point rise and enthalpy
change of concentrated solution.
Effects of processing variables on evaporator operation:
Effect of feed temperature:

- The inlet temperature of the feed has a large effect on the
evaporator operation.
- When feed is not at its boiling point, steam is needed first to heat
the feed to its boiling post and then to evaporate it.
- Preheating the feed can reduce the size of evaporator heat-
transfer area.
Effect of pressure:
- Pressure in the evaporator sets the boiling point of the solution (T1).
- Steam pressure determines the steam temperature (Ts)
- Since q = U A (TS – T1), larger values of (TS – T1) will help reduce the
heat-transfer area needed and hence the cost of evaporator.
- Vacuum can be maintained in the solution side using a vacuum
pump.
- For example, if the pressure in Example 1 is reduced to 41.4 kPa,
boiling point of water reduces to 349.9 K and that would increase the
(TS – T1) from 10 K to 33.3 K. A large decrease in heat-transfer area
would be obtained.
Effect of steam pressure:

- High pressure provides high Ts values, and hence TS – T1 will
increase.
- High pressure steam is however more costly.
- Therefore, overall economic balances must be considered to
determine the optimum steam pressure.
Calculation for
multiple effect evaporator
Process variables
; ; ;
,
Feed
Steam
; ; ;
Concentrate
Condensate Condensate Condensate

Duhring’s rule
; ; ;
1 2 3
(concentration…)
(concentration…)
(concentration…)
= +∆
= +∆
= +∆
Feed
Steam
; ; ;
Concentrate
Concentration…
Concentration…
Concentration…
= − = − = −
= − = − = −
Pressure drop Pressure drop Pressure drop
Duhring’s rule
; ; ;
1 2 3
(concentration…)
(concentration…)
(concentration…)
= +∆
= +∆
= +∆
Feed
Steam
; ; ;
Concentrate
= − = − = −
= + + = ∆ + ∆ + ∆ ≅ ∆ = −

Process variables
; ; ;
,
Feed
Steam
; ; ;
Concentrate
Concentration, hydrostatic head & friction loss are negligible: = ∆
= − = − = −

Process variables
; ; ;
Concentrate
If = and no heat loss = = =⋯=

and = = =⋯= Then ∆ =

Process variables
;
Concentrate

and = = =⋯= Then ∆ =

Process variables
+ +
+ +
= ∆
= + =
+ ∆ = ∆ = ∆
;
Concentrate

and = = =⋯= Then ∆ =
If = = =⋯= Then ∆ = ∆ = ∆ = ⋯ = ∆
Process variables
+ +
+ +
= ∆
= + =
+ ∆ = ∆ = ∆
;
Concentrate
If = and no heat loss = = =⋯= = = ∆

and = = =⋯= Then ∆ = = ∆
If = = =⋯= Then ∆ = ∆ = ∆ = ⋯ = ∆ =
Comments
Single effect Multiple effect
Capital cost: Capital cost:

Operation cost: Operation cost:
Example 5
Estimate the requirements of steam and heat transfer
surface, and the evaporating temperatures in each effect,
for a triple effect evaporator evaporating 500 ⁄ℎ of a
10% solution up to a 30% solution. Steam is available at
200 gauge and the pressure in the evaporation space
in the final effect is 60 absolute. Assume that the
overall heat transfer coefficients are 2270, 2000 and
1420 ⁄ ℃ in the first, second and third effects
respectively. Neglect sensible heat effects and assume no
boiling point elevation, and assume equal heat transfer
and surface area in each effect.
Example 5
; ; ;
,
Feed
Steam
; ; ; ;
Concentrate
= 500 ⁄ℎ = 60 = 2270 ⁄ ℃
= 0.1 ⁄ = 200 = 2000 ⁄ ℃
= 0.3 ⁄ = 1420 ⁄ ℃
Example 5
= + + +
Mass balances: =
= 167 ⁄ℎ
= 333 ⁄ℎ
Example 5
= 86℃
= 60
∆ = 2294 ⁄
= 134℃
= 200
∆ = 2164 ⁄
Equal heat transfer in each effect: = = =

Then ∆ =
Negligible boiling point elevation and sensible heat effects:
Then ∆ +∆ +∆ = − = 48℃
Assume that = = = Then ∆ =
Example 5
∆ = ∆ = ∆
∆ + ∆ + ∆ = 48 ∆ = 12.9℃
= 2270 ∆ = 14.6℃
= 2000 ∆ = 20.6℃
= 1420
= 121.1℃ ∆ = 2200 ⁄
= 106.5℃ Steam table ∆ = 2240 ⁄
= 86℃ ∆ = 2294 ⁄
Example 5
= ∆
= ∆ = = 249085 ⁄ℎ
= ∆ = 115.1 ⁄ℎ
= ∆ = 113.2 ⁄ℎ
= = = = 111.2 ⁄ℎ
+ + = 333 ⁄ℎ = 108.6 ⁄ℎ
115.1
= = 0.346 ⁄
333
Heat transfer rate = − = 2.4
= 7.2
Example 6
Estimate the requirements of steam and heat transfer
surface, and the evaporating temperatures in each effect,
for a triple effect evaporator evaporating 1000 ⁄ℎ of
a 5% solution up to a 40% solution. Steam is available at
200 gauge and the pressure in the evaporation space
in the final effect is 60 absolute. Assume that the
overall heat transfer coefficients are 2270, 2000 and
1420 ⁄ ℃ in the first, second and third effects
respectively. Neglect sensible heat effects and assume no
boiling point elevation, and assume equal heat transfer
and surface area in each effect.
Example 6
1000 kg h-1
5% solution 60 kPa (abs)
200 kPa (g)
40% solution
Overall mass balance:
Data: A triple effect evaporator is evaporating 1000 kg/h of a 5% solution up to a

40% solution.
Solids Solvent (water) Solution (total)
Feed 5% of total 1000 kg/h – 50kg/h 1000kg/h

= 50kg/h = 950kg/h
Concentrated 50kg/h 125kg/h – 50 kg/h (50/40)*100

product = 75kg/h = 125kg/h
Vapour from 0 875 kg/h 1000kg/h –125kg/h

all effects = 875kg/h
Steam properties:
Data: Steam is available at 200 kPa gauge and the pressure in the evaporation
space in the final effect is 60 kPa absolute. (Neglect sensible heat effects and
assume no boiling-point elevation)
Steam Saturation Latent heat of

pressure temperature vapourization
200 kPa (g) 133.5oC 2164 kJ/kg
= 2 bar (g)
= 3 bar (abs)
60 kPa (abs) 86.0oC 2293 kJ/kg
= 0.6 bar (abs)
Evaporator layout:
Data: Steam is available at 200 kPa gauge and the pressure in the evaporation
space in the final effect is 60 kPa absolute. (Neglect sensible heat effects and
assume no boiling-point elevation)
First effect Second effect Third effect

Steam 133.5oC T1oC T2oC
temperature
Solution T1oC T2oC 86.0oC
temperature
Temperature ΔT1 = 133.5 – T1 ΔT2 = T1 – T2 ΔT3 = T2 – 86.0
driving force
Heat balance:
Data: Assume that the overall heat transfer coefficients are 2270, 2000 and
1420 J m-2 s-1 °C-1 in the first, second and third effects respectively. Assume
equal heat transfer in each effect.
q1 = q2 = q3 which gives U1 A1 ΔT1 = U2 A2 ΔT2 = U3 A3 ΔT3
U1, U2 and U3 are given.
A1, A2 and A3 can be found if ΔT1, ΔT2 and ΔT3 are known.
Let us assume that the evaporators are so constructed that A1 = A2 = A3, then we
have
U1 ΔT1 = U2 ΔT2 = U3 ΔT3
That is,
2270 (133.5 – T1 ) = 2000 (T1 – T2) = 1420 (T2 – 86.0 )
There are two equations and two unknowns in the above expression. The
equations can be solved to give the following:
T1 = 120.8oC and T2 = 106.3oC
Properties in all effects:
First effect Second effect Third effect

Steam temperature 133.5oC T1 = 120.8oC T2 = 106.3oC
Solution T1 = 120.8oC T2 = 106.3oC 86.0oC

temperature
Temperature driving ΔT1 = 12.7oC ΔT2 = 14.4oC ΔT3 = 20.3oC
force
Heat transfer U1 = 2270 J m-2 U2 = 2000 J m-2 U3 = 1420 J m-2
coefficient s-1 °C-1 s-1 °C-1 s-1 °C-1
Latent heat of λ1 = 2164 kJ/kg λ2 = 2200 kJ/kg λ3 = 2240 kJ/kg
vapourization of
steam
Latent heat of 2200 kJ/kg 2240 kJ/kg 2293 kJ/kg
vapourization of
solution
Consider the first effect:
First effect Steam used = ?

Steam 133.5oC Assuming feed enters at the boiling point,
temperature
Solution T1 = 120.8oC S1 (λ1)
temperature = V1 (Latent heat of vapourization of solution)
Temperature ΔT1 = 12.7oC
driving force
where
Heat transfer U1 = 2270 J m-2
S1 is the flow rate of steam used in the first
coefficient s-1 °C-1
effect and
Latent heat of λ1 = 2164 kJ/kg
V1 is the flow rate of vapour leaving the first
vapourization
effect.
of steam
Latent heat of 2200 kJ/kg
vapourization Therefore,
of solution S1 (2164) = V1 (2200)
Consider the second effect:
Second effect Steam used = ?

Steam T1 = 120.8oC - Feed enters at the boiling point
temperature - steam used in the second effect is the
Solution T2 = 106.3oC vapour leaving the first effect
temperature
Temperature ΔT2 = 14.4oC Therefore,
driving force V1 (λ2)
Heat transfer U2 = 2000 J m-2 = V2 (Latent heat of vapourization of solution)
Latent heat of λ2 = 2200 kJ/kg where
vapourization V2 is the flow rate of vapour leaving the
of steam second effect.
vapourization
Therefore,
of solution
V1 (2200) = V2 (2240)
Consider the third effect:
Third effect Steam used = ?

- Feed enters at the boiling point
Steam T2 = 106.3oC
temperature - steam used in the third effect is the vapour
leaving the second effect
Solution 86.0oC
temperature
Therefore,
V2 (λ3)
driving force
= V3 (Latent heat of vapourization of solution)
Heat transfer U3 = 1420 J m-2
Latent heat of λ3 = 2240 kJ/kg where
vapourization V3 is the flow rate of vapour leaving the third
of steam effect.
vapourization Therefore,
of solution
V2 (2240) = V3 (2293)
Steam economy:
S1 (2164) = V1 (2200) = V2 (2240) = V3 (2293)
Vapour leaving the system = V1 + V2 + V3 = 875kg/h (from the mass balance)
Therefore,
S1 (2164/2200) + S1 (2164/2240) + S1 (2164/2293) = 875 kg/h
2164 S1 (1/2200 + 1/2240 + 1/2293) = 875 kg/h
2164 S1 (1/2200 + 1/2240 + 1/2293) = 875 kg/h
S1 = 302.94kg/h
We could calculate the vapour flow rate as

V1 = 298 kg/h; V2 = 293 kg/h; V3 = 285 kg/h
Steam economy
= kg vapourized / kg steam used = 875/ 302.94 = 2.9
Heat transfer area:
First effect A1 = S1 λ1 / U1 ΔT1
Steam 133.5oC
temperature = (302.94kg/h) (2164 kJ/kg)
/ [2270 J m-2 s-1 °C-1 x (12.7)°C]
Solution T1 = 120.8oC
temperature
= (302.94 x 2164 x 1000 /3600 J/s)
/ [2270 x 12.7 J m-2 s-1]
driving force
Heat transfer U1 = 2270 J m-2 = 6.3 m2
Latent heat of λ1 = 2164 kJ/kg
vapourization Overall heat transfer area required
of steam
Latent heat of 2200 kJ/kg = A1 + A2 + A 3 = 3 * A1
vapourization
of solution = 18.9 m2

Chapter 9 Evaporation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 9 Evaporation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 9 Evaporation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CHAPTER

 In this operation, the solvent to be evaporated is generally

Laten heat of water at certain condition

Maximum allowable temperature: higher is better

Operating pressure: lower is better

Solution properties: viscosity, foaming, frothy

Natural / Forced / Agitated

Internal heater / External heater

Circulation is not for heat sensitive materials and

Forced circulation with high heat transfer coefficient

Agitated with high heat transfer coefficient, reduce

Rising film is for foaming and frothy liquid

Horizontal tube is for low viscosity and non deposit scale

Multiple effect is more complex and effective energy

External heater with long vertical tube = 3 ÷ 10

Vertical tube – Falling film

Natural circulation Vertical tube – climbing up

Falling film Rising film

Horizontal tube Vertical tube

Horizontal tube – External heater

• Increases the heating surface 10 ÷ 15 times than

• Liquid to be maintained above calandria

• Quite complicated, high capital cost

• High heat transfer coefficient

• High capital and operation cost

Rising film – External heater

Rising – External heater

Rising – External heater

Rising – External heater

Horizontal tube – External heater

However, the efficiency of thermal recompression is lower

1. The vapors, which contain latent heat, are generally

The following techniques are used to utilize the

1. Multiple effect evaporation

 But it can be used as steam supply to another unit operating under

 In the case of multiple effect evaporators the economy increases at the

• Suitable for large scale and continuous process

Disadvantages • Monitoring of evaporators

Backward: pump required, for cold feed and

Parallel: for feed is almost saturated, solid crystal

Mixed (forward–backward): for very highly

Forward feed operation

Forward feed operation

Forward feed operation

Backward feed operation

Backward feed operation

Parallel feed operation

Parallel feed operation

Parallel feed operation

This arrangement is combination of forward and backward feed adopted for

Mixed feed operation

These are two types.

• Economy of an evaporator is the mass of water

For single effect, = 0.77 ÷ 1

Ex: How many grams of ethylene glycol, HOCH2CH2OH,

Solvent Boiling point ℃ at 1 ℃⁄

Boiling point of water ℉

Boiling point of solution ℃

Boiling point of solution ℉

Boiling point of water Boiling point of water ℃