Evaporation
Evaporation is achieved by adding heat to the solution to vaporize the solvent. The
heat is supplied principally to provide the latent heat of vaporization. In evaporation,
the vapor from a boiling liquid solution is removed and a more concentrated solution
remains.
Evaporation, a widely used method for the concentration of aqueous solutions. In
these cases, the concentrated solution is the desired product and the evaporated
water is normally discarded.
Typical examples of evaporation are concentration of aqueous solutions of sugar,
sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, glycerol, glue, milk, coffee and orange juice…
Evaporation
- As the concentration of the
dissolved material in solution
increases by evaporation, the
temperature of boiling may rise
- To keep the temperatures low in
heat-sensitive materials, it is often
necessary to operate under 1 atm
pressure, that is, under vacuum.
Boiling temperature of sodium hydroxide
Evaporation
- The solubility of the none volatile
compounds increases with
temperature.
- As solutions are heated and the
concentration of the solute
increases, the solubility limit of the
material in solution may be exceeded
and crystals may form.
Solubility curves for some typical salts in water
Evaporation
- As evaporation proceeds, the solution may become very concentrated and quite
viscous, causing the heat-transfer coefficient to drop markedly.
- Many products, especially food and other biological materials, may be temperature
sensitive and degrade at higher temperatures or after prolonged heating. The
amount of degradation is a function of the temperature and the length of time.
- In some cases, materials composed of caustic solutions, food solutions such as skim
milk, and some fatty-acid solutions form a foam or froth during boiling. This foam
accompanies the vapor coming out of the evaporator and entrainment losses occur.
- 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.
- Some solutions deposit solid materials called scale on the heating surfaces The
result is that the overall heat-transfer coefficient decreases and the evaporator must
eventually be cleaned.
Batch evaporator
Batch evaporator
The principal advantages:
• Simple design
• Cheap
• Suitable for batch operation
Disadvantages
• The residence time is usually long
• Not well-suited for temperature-sensitive
products.
• The static head of the liquid increases the
boiling point of the product at the bottom
of the tank
• Heat-transfer coefficients are usually low
• Heat transfer area is low
Natural circulation evaporator
Natural circulation evaporator with
horizontal tubes
The principal advantages:
• Relatively small headroom
• Relative cheap
• Able to operate continuously
Disadvantages
• The horizontal evaporator is least
satisfactory for fluids that form scale or
deposit salt
• Poor liquid circulation
• Unsuitable for viscous liquids
Natural circulation evaporator
Evaporator with vertical tubes and a central downspout
Natural circulation evaporator
Evaporator with vertical tubes and a central downspout
Advantages of the short-tube vertical evaporator and a central downspout:
•Low head-space required
•Relative hight liquid circulation
•Suitable for liquids that have a moderate tendency to scale, since the product
is on the tube side, which is accessible for cleaning
•Fairly high heat-transfer coefficients can be obtained with relative viscous
liquids (up to 5–10 cP)
Disadvantages of the short-tube vertical evaporator and a central
downspout:
•Relatively inexpensive to manufacture
•Not for use with temperature-sensitive materials
•Unsuitable for crystalline products
Natural circulation evaporator
Basket type of evaporator
The advantages claimed for this
design are that the heating unit is
easily removed for repairs,
The circulation of the liquor in the
tubes is better than that with central
downspout
Disadvantages of the basket type
•Relatively inexpensive to manufacture
• Hight floor space requirements
•Not for use with temperature-
sensitive materials
•Unsuitable for crystalline products
Natural circulation evaporator
Long-tube vertical type
Natural circulation evaporator
Long-tube vertical type
Advantages of the long-tube vertical
evaporator are:
•Reduced floor space requirements
•Relatively high heat-transfer coefficients due
to partial two-phase flow
•Ability to handle foamy liquids
Disadvantages are:
•High head-room requirements
•Higher pressure drop through the tubes than
in a falling-film evaporator
•Hydrostatic head at the bottom of the tubes
may increase product temperature and cause
temperature-sensitivity problems
Forced Circulation Evaporator
Forced circulation evaporation operation
Forced Circulation Evaporator
The advantages of using a forced-
circulation evaporator are:
•High heat-transfer coefficients
•Positive circulation
•Reduced fouling or scaling
The primary disadvantages of forced
circulation are:
•Possibly higher cost
•Power consumption for the circulating
pump
•A longer holdup of the product within the
heating zone
Film evaporator
Single-effect falling-film evaporator
The primary advantages of falling-film
evaporators are:
•Relatively low cost
•Large heating surface in one body
•Low product hold-up
•Small floor space requirements
•Good heat-transfer coefficients at
reasonable temperature differences
The primary disadvantages are:
•High headroom requirements
•Generally not suited for salting or
scaling materials
•Recirculation is usually required
Film evaporator
Single-effect rising-film evaporator
The primary advantages of rising-film
evaporators are:
•Relatively low cost Deflector
•Great heating surface in one body
•Low product hold-up
•Small floor space requirements
•Good heat-transfer coefficients at high
temperature differences
The primary disadvantages are:
•High headroom requirements
•Generally not suited for salting or scaling
materials
Film evaporator
Thin-film or wiped-film evaporator
Advantages of an agitated thin-film evaporator are:
• Short residence time in the heated zone, measured in
seconds to minutes
• High heat-transfer coefficients due to the turbulence
imparted by the rotor
• Ability to handle high solids concentrations and
viscous materials
• Less product decomposition, resulting in higher
yields
Disadvantages of an agitated thin-film evaporator
are:
• Its higher cost compared to standard
evaporation equipment.
• Staging or vapor recompression for energy
recovery are not practical.
Single effect evaporator
Single effect evaporator
rate of mass in = rate of mass out
Mass
balance
Single effect evaporator
Heat
balance
Multiple effect evaporator
Forward-feed arrangement for a triple-effect evaporator
Multiple effect evaporator
Forward-feed arrangement for a triple-effect evaporator
The primary advantages:
- Feed move from high pressure to low pressure, so pumping of feed is not
required
- Product is obtained at lowest temperature
- This method is suitable for scale forming liquids because concentrated
product is subjected to lowest temperature
The primary disadvantages
- The higher effect order the lower boiling temperature but the more
viscosity, therefore, the lower heat transfer coefficients.
- It is not suitable for cold feed, because the steam input in effet-1 raises
the temperature of feed, and a small amount of heat is supplied as latent
heat of vaporization. Therefore the amount of vapor produced will be
less than the amount of steam supplied, sequently, lower amount of
vapor in subsequent effect. Hence, overall economy is lower.
Multiple effect evaporator
Backward-feed arrangement for a triple-effect evaporator
Multiple effect evaporator
Backward-feed arrangement for a triple-effect evaporator
The primary advantages:
- Its is suitable for cold feed. It will give more economy.
- This method is suitable for viscous products, because highly concentrated
product is at highest temperature, hence lower viscosity.
- The high temperatures in the early effects reduce the viscosity and give
reasonable heat-transfer coefficients
The primary disadvantages
- As liquid moves from low pressure side to high pressure side, so pumping is
required.
Multiple effect evaporator
Parallel-feed arrangement for a triple-effect evaporator
This method of operation is mainly used when the feed is almost saturated and
solid crystals are the product
Multiple effect evaporator
rate of mass in = rate of mass out
Mass
balance
Multiple effect evaporator
Rate of mass in = Rate of mass out
Mass
balance
𝑭𝟏 𝒙𝟏 𝑭𝟏 𝒙𝟏
F1=L1 + V1 𝒙𝑳𝟏 = =
𝑳𝟏 𝑭𝟏 − 𝑽𝟏
F1xF1 = L1xL1
F2=L2 + V2 𝑭𝟏 𝒙𝟏
𝒙𝑳𝟐 =
F2xF2 = L1xL1 = L2xL2 𝑭𝟏 − 𝑽𝟏 − 𝑽𝟐
F3=L3 + V3 𝑭𝟏 𝒙𝟏
F3xF3 = L2xL2 = L3xL3 𝒙𝑳𝟑 =
𝑭𝟏 − 𝑽𝟏 − 𝑽𝟐 − 𝑽𝟑
Multiple effect evaporator
Assums 1 kg fed steam evaporates 1 kg of water
Mass
V1 = S1
balance V2 = S1 - E1
V3 = S1 - E1 -E2 = S2 - E2
Vn = S1 - E1 - E2 -…- En-1
Multiple effect evaporator
Heat
balance
FhF + SHs=L3hL3+V3HV3+ E1HE1 + E2HE2 +S1hS1+ S2hS2+ S3hS3
Class Problem
A forward-feed triple effect evaporator system is used to concentrate sugarcane juice. The
feed flow rate is 5000 kg/day. The thin liquid concentration and thick liquid concentration
are 13% and 55% respectively.
Determine
- The evaporated vapor flow rate at each evaporator?
- The required steam flow rate?
- The excess evaporated vapor that did not use as heating medium at the first and the
second effects?
Assumptions:
- 1 kg of steam will evaporate almost 1 kg of water
- The evaporation ratio between the second and the first effects as well as that of third
and the second effects are 1/1.2.
𝑭𝟏 𝒙𝟏
𝒙𝑳𝟑 =
𝑭 𝟏 − 𝑽𝟏 − 𝑽𝟐 − 𝑽 𝟑
Class Problem
1. Minimum reflux ratio in a distillation column result in
a. Minimum number of trays
b. Maximum number of trays
c. Maximum condenser size
d. Optimum number of trays
•Find the relative volatility, if x, y are the concentrations in mole fraction.
A. 6.92
B. 0.14
C. 1.88
D. None of the mentioned
1. Dew point temperature is the temperature
A. Cooling limit of humid air with constant moisture content
B. Cooling limit of humid air with increased moisture content
C. Cooling limit of humid air with less moisture content
D. None of the options are correct
1. Which is suitable source for heating the evaporators
A. Steam
B. Direct heating
C. Electric resistance
D. Heater
1. Are these statements about the falling film evaporator true?
i. Minimize the chances of fouling on tube surfaces
ii. Fast operation and short contact time for working fluid
A. True, False
B. False, True
C. True, True
D. False, False
