1- Design of Evaporators

1-1 Typical design requirements

◉ Design calculations for evaporators typically involves the determination of
1. The heat transfer area required.
2. The amount of steam required.
3. The steam economy.
◉ Design may involve single or multiple effect evaporators.
1-2 Design equations
◉ Design equations for any equipment include one or more of the balance
equations namely
1. The material balance
2. The energy balance
3. The momentum balance
◉ Along with the balance equations, governing equations for one or more of
the followings are involved.
1. Mass transfer
2. Heat transfer
3. Thermodynamic relations
◉ For evaporators, momentum balance is not important.
◉ Mass transfer is simplified as only the solvent evaporates.
◉ Thermodynamic considerations include
◦ Boiling point elevation
◦ Effect of feed temperature, evaporator pressure and steam pressure.
1-3 EVAPORATOR DESIGN

Three principal elements are of concern in evaporator design: heat transfer, vapor-
liquid separation, and efficient energy consumption. The units in which heat
transfer takes place are called heating units or Calandra’s. The vapor-liquid
separators are called bodies, vapor heads, or flash chambers. The term body is also
employed to label the basic building module of an evaporator, comprising one
heating element and one flash chamber. The system selected is a quadruple effect
evaporator system used for concentration of saline water. Falling film evaporator is
used for this system with forward flow sequence. Operating parameters for this
system are mentioned below in the Table 1:
 Table1: Operating Parameter for quadruple system:
Sr.No Parameter Value
1 Total no of effects 3
2 Feed Flow rate 2.82 Kg/S
3 Solid inlet concentration 0.1
4 Solid outlet concentration 0.7
5 Steam Temperature 116◦C
6 Feed Temperature 40◦C

In this section we present our design calculations in three subsections; design steps,
design model and calculations.

A- Design Steps
- First calculate of overall mass balance
- Calculate of temperature in each effect by
Q=u1A1ΔT1=u2A2ΔT2= u3A3ΔT3
Assuming A1=A2=A3

Table 2: Mass Balance

Solid kg/s Liquor kg/s Total kg/s
Feed 0.28 2.52 2.8
Product 0.28 0.28 0.56
Evaporation 2.42 2.42

∑ΔT=ΔT1+ΔT2+ΔT3
u1A1ΔT1=u2A2ΔT2= u3A3ΔT3 divided on u1A1 we got:

u1 u1
∑ΔT=ΔT1+ u2 ΔT 1+ u3 ΔT 1

- Calculate of energy balance by solve these equations to obtained of steam in

each effect by;
D1+D2+D3= 2.42

DO*λ0 = mf*Cf (T1-Tf)+D1* λ1

D2*λ2=(mf-D1)*cp1(T1-T2)+ D1* λ1
D3*λ3=(mf-D1-D2)*cp2(T2-T3)+D2*λ2

- Concentration per effect is calculated by this equation from figure

1 ;component balance:
 mf=D1+mp1…………………….(1)
mf*xf=D1*xD1+mp1*xp1…………(2)
xD1=0……………………………(3)
mF*xF=mp1*xp1……………….…(4)
From e.g(1):
mp1=mF-D1
mF*xf=(mf-D1)*xp1
m f ∗xF
xp 1= ……………….….(5)
( m f −D 1)
Similarly for effect 2 and 3:
m f∗xF
xp2¿ (m f −D1−D 2) ………………...(6)
m f∗xF
xp3¿ (m f −D1−D 2−D 3) … … … … … .(7)
 Calculate of mass balance around each effect to obtained of water
condensation for each effect
mE
 Calculate amount of steam economy by: SE= mS
DO∗λ 0
 Then after area of each effect is calculate by: A= (U∗ΔT )
A
 No of tubes are found by: Nt= (л∗D∗L)
 Where:
CF = specific heat of Feed, kcal/kg ◦C
CP1, CP2, CP3, = specific heat of Product in effects 1 to 3, kcal/kg ◦C
CC1, CC2, CC3, = specific heat of Condensate in effects 1 to 3, kcal/kg .◦C
λ0 = Latent heat of Steam (to 1st effect), kcal/kg
λ1, λ2, λ3 = Latent heat of water evaporated, Kcal/kg
TF = Temperature of Feed, ◦C
T0 = saturation temperature of feed to first effect, 0C
T1, T2, T3 = Temperature at which evaporation takes place in effects 1 to 3, kJ/kg
◦C
U1,U2,U3=Over all heat transfer coefficient KW/m2.K.
TP1, TP2, TP3, = Product outlet temperature in effects 1 to 3, kJ/kg ◦C
mF = Mass flow rate of feed, kg/S
xf = Initial Total Dissolved Solids
xp1,xp2,xp3 Dissolved Solids in effects 1 to 3
mP = Mass flow rate Product should be, kg/S
mE = Total water evaporated, kg/S
SE = Steam Economy
D0= Mass flow rate of steam, kg/S
D1, D2, D3 = water removed in effects 1 to 3, kg/S
mP1, mP2, mP3, mP4 = Mass flow rate of Product obtained in effects 1 to 3,kg/S
mC1, mC2, mC3, = Mass flow rate of condensate obtained in effects 1to 3,Kg/S
O.D= out side of diameter
Nt=No of tubes

B- Model Diagram
A triple Effect Evaporators is an evaporator system in which the vapor from
one effect is used as the heating medium for a subsequent effect boiling at a
lower pressure.

Figure 1: triple Effect Evaporators

 C- Calculations
In this section we calculate temperature in each effect as in the following Equion’s;

U1= 2.5 KW/m2.K,U2=2KW/m2.K; U3=1.6 KW/m2.K

∑ΔT= ΔT1+ ΔT2+ ΔT3= (Ts-T3) =(116-55) = 61 0C
u1 u1
∑ΔT= ΔT1+ u2 ΔT 1+ u3 ΔT 1
61
ΔT 1=
2.5 2.5 =19.0 0C
1+ +
2 1.6

U1
ΔT 2= ΔT 1
U2

2.5
ΔT2= 2 ∗19.0=23.75 0C
T1=T0- ΔT1
T1=116-19.0=97.0 0C
T2=86.40C
U1 2.5
ΔT 3= ΔT 1 = ∗19.0=29.7 0C
U3 1.6

T1=Ts- ΔT 1=116-19= 97 0C
T2= 97- 23.75=73.25 0C
T3= 73.25- 29.7= 45 0C
 From steam table:

Table 3: Steam Table Parameters

T℃ λ kcal/kg
Ts= 116 λ0= 2699.16
T1=97.0 λ1= 2657.67
T2=73.25 λ2= 2552.31
T3=45.0 λ3= 2179.98

 D1+D2+D3= 2.42………………. (8)

 DO*λ0 = mf*Cf (T1-Tf) +D1* λ1

DO*2699.16= 2.82*4.17005(99.5-30)+D1* 2657.67…………(9)

 D2*λ2=(mf-D1)*cp1(T1-T2)+ D1* λ1
D2*2552.31=(2.82-D1)*3.92(97.0-73.25)+D1* 2657.67………….…….(10)

 D3*λ3=(mf-D1-D2)*cp2(T2-T3)+D2*λ2
D3*2333.938=(2.82-D1-D2)*3.92 (73.25-43.55)+D2*2552.31………(11)

 By s olving above equations (8) and (9) and (10) and (11) we get:
DO = 1.1736 Kg/S

DO∗λ 0 1.1736∗2699
A1=A2=A3= ( U∗ΔT ) = 2.5∗18
=70

A= 42 m2

 To calculate no of tubes:
A=л*no of tubes*O. D of tube *length of tube

 Take O.D of tube =50.8mm and length of tube=6m

A
Nt= ( л∗D∗L)
70 70
Nt= ( л∗6∗0.0508) = 0.957 =7 3. 55 ≅ 7 4 tubes
 For the first effect; we calculate concentrate of solid
From eq ( 5):
2.82∗0.1
xp 1= =0.1 41
( 2.82−0.82)
 For 2nd effect we calculate concentrate of solid
From e.g ( 6):
2.82∗0.1
xp 2= =0.235
(2.82−0.82−0.8)
 For 3rd effect we calculate concentrate of solid
From e.g ( 6):

2.82∗0.1
xp 3= =0.70 5
(2.82−0.82−0.8−0.8)

 The Mass Balance for all the effects can be given as:
For 1st effect:
 2.42
SE= =2.06
1.1736

Q=Q1+Q2+Q3

U1A1ΔT1+ U2A2 ΔT2+U3A3 ΔT3

Q=Uav(ΔT1+ ΔT2+ ΔT3)A

Assume that D1=D2=D3=2.42

4.18(2.82-0.82)(388-379)=1197 kW 668.8 kW

Latent heat of evaporation in third effect

4.18(2.82-(2*0.8))(379-333)= 4.18*1.22*46= 234.6 kW

Q1-GfCp(T1-Tf)=Q2=(Q3-668.8)=(Qc-668.8-234.6)

Q1-2.82*4.18(388-ΔT1-333)=Q2=(Q3-75.24)=(Qc-234.6)

Total evaporation =(Q2+Q3+Qc)/2696=2.42kg/s

Q2+(Q2+668.8)+(Q2+234.6)=6531.96 kW

Q2= 6222.12 kW

Q3=6890.92 kW
Control of evaporation processes
Evaporation is a separation process of a solid substance dissolved in a liquid
solvent. The procedure is to heat the initial solution till the solvent is evaporated to
the desired degree. This process is a very old one, and it is being used to obtain salt
or fresh water from sea water. Usually, it is employed to concentrate the
solution where the solid product is more valuable than the solvent. The
evaporation takes place in evaporators with simple (single)or multiple eva-
poration stages (effects) (Fig..1). The evaporators usually contain a fascicule of
tubes through which the solution to be concentrated is circulated through
natural or forced convection. These are surrounded by a steam chest. In the
multiple effect evaporator, the temperature, pressure, and heat transfer
coefficients vary with each consequent effect, decreasing with each effect. Fig.
12.1: Evaporator plant with two effects. F, Fi(1,2) are the mass flows to or from the
effects; Vi(0,1,2)are the steam and vapor mass flows; pi(1,2) are the vapor
pressures inside the evaporators; xi(F,1,2)are the solid mass fractions in the feed
and evaporator's solution; lvi(0,1,2) is the latent heat of vaporization in each
evaporator, either steam or solvent (the vapor flow is not always water, the solution
may contain another solvent).V1,Iv1F2,x2F1,x1V2,Iv2F,xFV0p1p2To save
energy, vapors that result from the evaporation of the solution in each effect are
used as heating agent for the following ones.

To establish the control solution, one has to describe the process through a
steady-state mathematical model that links the output variable x2, that is the
final solid product mass fraction, to the input variables, by using the following
hypotheses:–

1- the evaporators are always at the boiling temperature of the solution by

manipulation of pressures p1 and p2;
2- the feed concentration is kept at the steady-state value of the concentration
in the first effect;
3- the vapors do not entrain solid particles; this is not entirely true if we are
looking at the deposit of solid on the vapor outlet piping;
4- the steam used for heating always condenses completely at the condensing
point by transferring only the latent heat of vaporization