EXPERIMENT :-08

Name of the experiment :-

Study of triple effect evaporator

Apparatus Required :-
Condenser pump vapour space heat exchanger

Theory :-
Three long tube natural circulation evaporates connected together to form a
Tripple effect system connections are made so that the vapour from one effect
serves as the heating medium for the next. A condenser and air ejector establish a
vaccum in third effect in the services and withdraw steam is fed and in which
pressure in the vapour space is highest in the last the last effect is that in which
the vapour space is minimum. In this manner the pressure difference between
the steam and the condenser is spread across two or more effects in the triple
effect is lower than that in the triple effect system. The pressure in each effect is
lower than that in effect to which it supplies vapour.
In steady state operation the rates and evaporation rates are such
that neither solvent nor solute accumulate or depletes, in any of the effects, the
temperature, concentration and flow rates are such that they are fixed and the
pressure in steam inlet and condenser established and all liquor level in the
separate effect maintained.
The heating surface in the first effect will transmit per hour an
amount of heat is Q1=A1U1dT1
It appears as latent heat in the vapour that leave the first effect. Similarly the heat
transmitted in the second effect is

Q2=A2 U2 dT2
And the third effect
Q3=A3 U3 dT3
The heating areas in all, effects of triple effects evaporator are equal to
Q1= Q2 = Q3
A1 U1 dT1= A2 U2dT2 = A3 U3 dT3

It follows that the temperature drops in a triple evaporator are approximately

inversely proportional to the heat transfer coefficient.

Diagram:-

Procedure:-
Feed the liquid by pump in the first effect and sent it in turn through the other
effect, this is called forward feed. The concentration of the liquid increased from
the first effect to the last effect. Feed the dilute liquid into the first effect at the
atmospheric pressure and removed the thick liquor from the last effect. We have
measured that the pressure was decreased in the direction of flow. These
pressure drop and temperature difference were measured and also the amount
of steam consumed was calculated, we repeated the process for backward feed.

Calculation Methods for Multiple-effect Evaporators :-

Objective to calculate:-
Temperature drops and the heat capacity of evaporator.
-the area of heating surface and amount of vapour leaving the last effect.

Assumption made in operation :

-no boiling point rise.
-no heat of solution.
-neglecting the sensible heat necessary to heatthe feed to the boiling point.

Heat balances for multiple/triple-effect evaporator.

-the amount of heat transferred in the first effect is approximately same with
amount of heat in the second effect,
Q = U1A1,∆T1= U2A2,∆T2= U3A3∆T3

-usually in commercial practice the areas in all effects are equal,

q/A = U1∆T1= U2∆T2=U3∆T3
-to calculate the temperature drops in evaporator,
Σ ∆T = ∆T1 + ∆T2 + ∆T3 = TS–T3

-hence we know that Σ∆Tare approximately inversely proportional to the values

of U

∆T1= Σ∆T 1/U1

1/U1+1/U2+1/U3

-similar eq. Can be written for∆T2 & ∆T3

-if we assumed that the value of U is the same in each effect the capacity
equation,
Q = U A ( ∆T1 + ∆T2 + ∆T3 ) = UAΣ ∆T

Applications of triple effect evaporators :-

1. Evaporators are integral part of a number of process industries namely Pulp

and
Paper , Chloro – alkali ,Sugar ,Pharmaceuticals , Desalination , Dairy and Food
processing.

2. Evaporation is used in pharmaceutical industry as to get a concentrated

product and to improve the stability of the product.
 3. Evaporation is also used in the concentration of sodium salts that are
obtained as a by- product from the production of p- cresol.

4. Evaporation is used in the recovery of sodium hydroxide in Kraft pulping

and is also used to recover expensive solvents such as hexane which would
otherwise be wasted.

Steam Economy of Multiple Effect Evaporator :-

In addition to the economy increase in multiple-effect evaporation, a capacity
variation would be expected. Note, however, that the temperature difference
from initial steam to the final condenser which was available for a single-effect
evaporator will be unchanged by inserting any additional effects between the
steam supply and the condenser. For the simplest case, where each effect has
area and coefficient equal to that of every other effect and where there are no
boiling point rises qt = q1 + q2+ q3 + …………..where qt is the total heat-transfer
rate in all effects and q1, q2, q3 are the heat transfer rates in each of the
individual effects.

Qt = U1 A1 ∆t1 + U2 A2 ∆ t2 + U3 A 3 ∆ t3 + ………

Since the areas and heat transfer coefficients are equal,

Qt = U1 A1 (∆ t1 + ∆ t2 + ∆ t 3 …….) = U1 A1 ( ∆ t) total

This rate of heat transfer is the same as that obtained with a single effect
operating between the same ultimate temperature levels. Thus, multiple-effect
evaporation using n effects increases the steam economy but decreases the heat
flux per effect by a factor of about 1/n relative to single-effect operation under
the same terminal conditions. Therefore, no increase in capacity is obtained and
in fact, the additional complexity of equipment usually results in increased heat
losses to the surroundings and a reduction in capacity. The increased steam
economy must then, be balanced against the increased equipment cost. The
result is that the evaporation using more than five or seven effects is rarely
economical.

When the solution being evaporated has a significant boiling-point rise, the
capacity obtained is very much reduced, for the boiling-point rise reduces the ∆t
in each effect.

Engineering Utility :-
It is used in sugar , common salt industries.

Numerical:-
A triple effect forward – feed evaporator is being used to evaporate a milk
containing 10 % solids to a condensed milk of 50% T.S. The boiling point rise of
the milk (independent of pressure) can be estimated from BPR°C = 1.78x + 6.22x2,
where x is weight fraction of T.S. in milk (K1). Saturated steam at 205.5 kPa
(121.1°C saturation temperature) is being used. The pressure in the vapor space
of the third effect is 13.4 kPa. The feed rate is 22680 kg / h at 26.7 oC. The heat
capacity of the milk is (K1) Cp = 4.19 – 2.35x kJ/kg.K. The heat of milk is
considered to be negligible. The coefficients of heat transfer have been estimated
as U1 = 3123, U2 = 1987, and U3 = 1136 W / m2 . K. If each effect has the same
surface area, calculate the area, the steam rate used, and the steam economy.

Solution :-
Step 1. For 13.4 kPa, the saturation temperature is 51.67oC from the steam
tables. Using the equation for BPR for evaporator number 3 with x = 0.5,
BPR3 = 1.78x+6.22x2 = 1.78(0.5)+6.22(0.5)2 = 2.45 oC, so T3 = 51.67+2.45 = 54.12
oC

Step 2. Making an overall and a solids balance to calculate the total amount
vaporized (V1+V2+V3) and L3,

F = 22680= L3 + (V1+V2+V3)
FxF = 22680(0.1) = L3 (0.5) + (V1+V2+V3) (0)

L3 = 4536 Kg/h

total vapour = (V1+V2+V3) = 18 144 kg/h

Assuming equal amount vaporized in each effect, V1 = V2 = V3 =6048 kg/h.

Making a total material balance on effects 1, 2, and 3 and solving.
(1) F = 22 680 = V1 + L1 = 6048 + L1, L1 = 16 632 kg/h
(2) L1= 16 632 = V2 + L2 = 6048 + L2, L2 = 10 584 kg/h
(3) L2= 10 584 = V3 + L3 = 6048 + L3, L3 = 4536 kg/h
Making a solids balance on effects 1, 2 and 3 and solving for x,

(1) 22 680(0.1) = L1x1 = 16 632 (x1), x1 = 0.136

(2) 16 632(0.136) = L2x2 = 10 584 (x2), x2 = 0.214
(3) 10 584(0.214) = L3x3 = 4536 (x3), x3 = 0.50

Step 3. The BPR in each effect is calculated as follows:

(1) BPR1 = 1.78 x1 + 6.22(x1)2 = 6.22(0.136)2 = 0.36oC

(2) BPR2 = 1.78(0.214) + 6.22(0.214)2 = 0.65oC
(3) BPR3 = 1.78(0.5) + 6.22(0.5)2 = 2.45oC
Σ ΔT available = Ts1 – T3 (saturation) – (BPR1 + BPR 2 + BPR 3)

= 121.1 - 51.67 – (0.36 + 0.65 + 2.45)

= 65.97oC

Now
ΔT1 = 12.40 oC similarly ΔT2 = 19.50oC and ΔT3 = 34.07oC

However, since a cold feed enters at effect number 1, this effect requires more
heat.
Increasing ΔT1 and lowering ΔT2 and ΔT3 proportionately as a first estimate,

ΔT1 = 15.56oC , ΔT2 = 18.34oC , ΔT3 = 32.07oC

To calculate the actual boiling point of the milk in each effect,

(1) T1 = Ts1 - ΔT1
= 121.1 – 15.56 = 105.54oC

Ts1= 121.1oC (Condensing temperature of saturated steam to effect 1)

(2) T2 = T1 –BPR1 - ΔT2

= 105.54 – 0.36 – 18.34 = 86.84oC

Ts2= T1 –BPR1 = 105.54 – 0.36

= 105.18oC (Condensing temperature of steam to effect2)

(3) T3 = T2 –BPR2 - ΔT3

= 86.84 – 0.65 – 32.07 = 54.12oC

= 86.19oC (Condensing Ts3= T2 –BPR2 = 86.84 – 0.65

temperature of steam to effect3)