HEAT TRANSFER

Evaporation and Evaporators

Dr. Waheed
Miran
SCME, NUST
Evaporation

The objective of evaporation is to concentrate a non-volatile solute from a solvent,

usually water. This is done by boiling off the solvent.
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Evaporation (contd..)

• An evaporator consists of a heat exchanger for boiling the solution and a means
to separate the vapor from the boiling liquid.
• Different types are categorized by the length and alignment (horizontal or
vertical) of the evaporator tubes. The evaporation tubes may be located inside
or outside of the main vessel where the vapor is driven off.
• Because many materials cannot tolerate high temperatures, evaporators often
operate at reduced pressure so that the boiling point will also be reduced.
Evaporator Performance

There are three main measures of evaporator performance:

1 Capacity (kg vaporized/time)

2 Economy (kg vaporized/kg steam input)

3 Steam Consumption (kg/hr)

Note that the measures are related, since
Capacity
Steam Consumption =
Economy
Economy calculations are determined using enthalpy balances.
The key factor in determining the economy of an evaporator is the number of
effects. The economy of a single effect evaporator is always less than
1.0. Multiple effect evaporators have higher economy but lower capacity than
single effect.

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Boiling Point Elevation

Since evaporators dealing with boiling solutions, and in particular with

solutions with non-volatile solutes, any calculations must account for the
effect of boiling point elevation.
The vapor pressure of an aqueous solution is less than that of pure water at
the same temperature; so the boiling point of the solution will be higher
than that of the water. This is called Boiling Point Elevation or vapor
pressure lowering.
Note that the equilibrium vapor rising from a solution exhibiting boiling
point elevation will exist at a temperature and pressure such that it is
superheated with respect to pure vapor. The vapor rises at the solution
boiling point, elevated with respect to the pure component boiling point.
The vapor, however, is solute free, so it won’t condense until the extra heat
corresponding to the elevation is removed, thus it is superheated.

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Boiling Point Elevation
Horizontal / Vertical Tube Evaporators

Different types of evaporators: (a) horizontal-tube type, (b) vertical-tube type,

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 Vertical Long-Tube Evaporators

Different types of evaporators: (c) long-tube vertical type, (d)

forced-circulation type.
Standard Calandria Evaporator
Vapor

Feed Down-take

Tubes Steam

Calandria

Condensate

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 Standard Calandria Evaporator

• The calandria evaporator has a heat exchanger (with tubes usually less than six
feet long) integral with the vapor body. The level is maintained in the upper
portion of the tubes or above the top tubesheet, and the circulation pattern is up
through the tubes and down through a central pipe called a “downcomer”.
Circulation is created by the difference in specific gravity between the body
liquor and the heated liquor and vapor generated inside the tubes, plus a vapor
lift effect.

• The circulation rate through the downcomer/downtake is many times the feed
rate. The flow area of the downtake is normally approximately equal to the
total tubular flow area.
Multiple Effect Evaporation

In a multiple effect arrangement, the latent heat of the vapor product off of an
effect is used to heat the following effect. Effects are thus numbered beginning
with the one heated by steam. It will have the highest pressure.
Vapor from Effect I will be used to heat Effect II, which consequently will
operate at lower pressure. This continues through the train: pressure drops
through the sequence so that the hot vapor will travel from one effect to the
next.
Normally, all effects in an evaporator will be physically the same in terms
of size, construction, and heat transfer area. Unless thermal losses are
significant, they will all have the same capacity as well.
Evaporator trains may receive their feed in several different ways. The feed
order is NOT related to the numbering of effects. Effects are always
numbered according to decreasing pressure (steam flow).
Multiple Effect Evaporation
Forward Feed arrangements follow the pattern I, II, III. These require a single feed
pump (reduced fixed costs). They typically have reduced economy (higher
operating costs) since the cold feed must be raised to the highest operating
temperature. These also tend to have the most concentrated liquour, which tends to
be the most viscous, in the lowest temperature effects, so their may be difficulties
getting a good overall heat transfer coefficient.
Backward Feed arrangements go III, II, I. These need multiple pumps to work against the
pressure drop of the system; however, since the feed is gradually heated they usually
have better economies. This arrangement also reduces the viscosity differences
through the system and so is better for viscous solutions.
Mixed Feed arrangements offer a compromise, with the feed entering in the middle of
the system (i.e. II, III, I). The final evaporation is done at the highest temperature so
economies are still better than forward feed, but fewer pumps are required than in a
backward feed arrangement.
Parallel Feed systems split the feed stream and feed a portion to each effect. This is
most common in crystallizing evaporators where the product is likely to be a
slurry.
Mass and Heat Balances for a Evaporator

HC
Material Balance:

F = L+V
F xF = L xL

Energy Balance:

FHF + SHS = LHL + VHV + SHC

FHF + S(HS − HC ) = LHL + VHV
FHF + SλS = LHL + VHV
By taking reference temperature as that of boiling point of solution, we get
FCP(TF − T1) + SλS = L × 0 + V λ V
SλS = V λ V − FCP(TF − T1)

where λ V is the latent heat of vaporization of water vapor at T1.

If feed is at T1 (i.e., at the boiling point of solution), then,

SλS = V λ V
Solved Problems

Example 1: Evaporator
A solution containing 10% of solids is to be concentrated to a level of 50% solids.
Steam is available at a pressure of 0.2 MPa (saturation temperature of 393 K).
Feed rate to the evaporator is 30000 kg/hr. The evaporator is operating at a reduced
pressure such that the boiling point is 323 K. The overall heat transfer coefficient
is 2.9 kW/m2.K. Estimate (i) The steam economy, and (ii) The heat transfer
surface for (1) Feed introduced at 293 K, (2) Feed introduced at 308 K.

Data:
Specific heat of feed = 3.98 kJ/kg.K
Latent heat of condensation of steam at 0.2 MPa = 2202 kJ/kg Latent
heat of vaporization of water at 323 K = 2383 kJ/kg
Solved Problems (contd..)

Solution:
V

F
30,000 kg solution S
10% solids
T1

L 50% solids
 Solved Problems (contd..)
Mass balance:

Overall balance
F = L+V
30000 = L + V (1)
Solute balance
FxF = LxL
30000 × 0.1 = L × 0.5
L = 6000 kg/hr
Using the above in Eqn.(1), we get
V = 30000 − 6000 = 24000 kg/hr
Solved Problems (contd..)

Feed temperature = 293 K

Energy balance: By choosing the reference temperature as boiling point of
solution (T1), we get
SλS = V λV + FCP (T1 − TF )
S × 2202 = 24000 × 2383 + 30000 × 3.98 × (323 − 293)
S = 27, 708.4 kg/hr
V 24000
Economy = = = 0.87
S 27708.4
Q
Heat transfer area(A) =
U ∆T m
SλS (27708.4/3600) × 2202
= =
U (TS − T1) 2.9 × (393 − 323)
= 83.5 m2
Solved Problems (contd..)

Feed temperature = 308 K

By similar calculations, we get S = 26,786.1 kg/hr, and,

Economy = 0.896 Heat transfer area = 80.7 m2

Because of the increase in feed temperature, steam economy increased, and

required area for heat transfer got reduced.
Solved Problem
Example 2: Evaporator
An aqueous solution of a solute is concentrated from 5% to 20% (mass
basis) in a single-effect short-tube evaporator. The feed enters the
evaporator at a rate of 10 kg/s and at a temperature of 300 K. Steam is
available at a saturation pressure of 1.3 bar. The pressure in the vapor
space of the evaporator is 0.13 bar and the corresponding saturation
temperature of steam is 320 K. If the overall heat transfer coefficient is
5000 W/(m2.K), calculate the
(a) steam economy
(b) heat transfer surface area.
Enthalpy Heat of vaporization
(kJ/kg) (kJ/kg)
Saturated steam (1.3 bar; 380 K) - 2000
Saturated steam (0.13 bar; 320 K) 2200 -
Feed (5% ; 300 K) 80 -
Concentrated liquor (20% ; 325 K) 400 -
Boiling point elevation is 5 K.
Solved Problems (contd..)
Solution:
Mass balance:
Let us denote flow rates of feed as F, vapor as V , concentrated product as

P ,steam as S and the mass fraction of solute as x.

Overall mass balance:
F =V +P
(1)
Balance on solute:
FxF = PxP
(2)
From Eqs.(1) and (2)

10 × 0.05
P= = 2.5 kg/s
0.2
And
V = F − P = 10 − 2.5 = 7.5 kg/s
Solved Problems (contd..)

Energy balance:
FHF + SλS = VHV + PHP (3)
Given:
HF = 80 kJ/kg; λS = 2000 kJ/kg
HV = 2200 kJ/kg; HP = 400 kJ/kg
Therefore,

10 × 80 + 2000 S = 7.5 × 2200 + 2.5 × 400

S = 8.35 kg/s
Solved Problems (contd..)

V 7.5
Steam Economy = = = 0.898 = 89.8%
S 8.35
Estimation of heat transfer area:

Rate of heat transfer Q = SλS = 8.35 × 2000 = 16700 kJ/s

Also
Q = UA∆T
Therefore,
16700 × 1000
A= = 60.73 m 2
5000 × (380 − 325)
THERMAL DESIGN CALCULATION
MULTIPLE EFFECT EVAPORTAOR
THERMAL DESIGN CALCULATION
MULTIPLE EFFECT EVAPORTAOR
∆ T in Each Effect of Multiple Effect Evaporators

Qi = Ui Ai ∆T i
It is desired to uniform equal heat transfer rates and areas, due to the
following reasons:
• 1 kg of condensing steam can generate nearly 1 kg of water
vapor. Hence from the point of consideration of steam it is
better to have equal heat transfer rates in every effect of the
multiple effect evaporation.
• With uniform heat transfer area, every effect will be of same
size, leading to reduction in initial investment due to economy of
scaling.
∆ T in Each Effect of Multiple Effect Evaporators
Since Qi , and Ai of every effect is the same, i.e.,
Qi Q1 Q2
= = = ···= constant
Ai A1 A2
we get
Ui ∆T i = U1∆T1 = U2∆T2 = ···= U n ∆T n = constant

The total temperature drop across the effects is given as

∆ T = Ts − Tn

where Ts and Tn are the temperatures of the steam to the first effect and
the vapor formed in the last effect, n. This temperature drop is also equal
to the sum of temperature drops in every effect, given as:

∆ T = ∆T 1 + ∆T 2 + ···+ ∆T n
∆ T in Each Effect of Multiple Effect Evaporators

∆ T = ∆T 1 + ∆T 2 + ∆T 3 + ···+ ∆T n

∆T1U1 ∆T1U1 ∆T1U1 ∆T1U1

= + + + ···+
U1 U2 U3 Un

∆T
=⇒ ∆T1 =
1
U1 Σ
i Ui
Example of Multiple Effect Evaporators
Example of Multiple Effect Evaporators
Example of Multiple Effect Evaporators
Example of Multiple Effect Evaporators