Evaporation- an introduction

• Evaporation is the vaporization of a liquid,

with the purpose to concentrate a solution
consisting of a non-volatile solute and a
volatile solvent.
• It occurs on the surface of the liquid as the
liquid changes into gas phase
 It differs from other unit operations:
• Drying – The product is solid (dehydrated)
Evaporation – The product is thick liquor

• Distillation- The purpose is separation of two or

more liquids by condensing the vapor formed
Evaporation- Normally single vapor is formed
(The purpose is not separation of vapor
components)

• Crystallization- The product is crystals which are

formed
Evaporation – Crystals are not formed
• Normally, in evaporation the thick liquor is the
valuable product, the vapor is condensed and
discarded
• In one specific case, the reverse is true.
• Mineral bearing water is evaporated to give a
solid-free product for boiler feed , for special
process requirements, or foe human
consumption. This technique is often called
water distillation. Technically, it is evaporation.
 Normally Evaporation used in concentration of fruit
juice, sugar solution, sodium hydroxide solution,
sodium chloride and for milk.
 Purpose of evaporation-
• mass & volume reduction to reduce package &
transportation cost
• preservation by lowering the water activity as the
enzyme activity can be reduced
• preparation to subsequent treatment such as
crystallization; concentrated solution will help in
crystallization and less energy will be involved in the
crystallization step.
• sugar crystallization , precipitation like pectin and other
gums, coagulation like cheese, yogurt, dehydration of
milk before spray dryer etc.
• Evaporation occurs when surrounding gas
is not saturated with the evaporating liquid.
When the molecules of the liquid collide,
they transfer energy to each other based
upon their collision.
• When a molecule near the surface
absorbs enough energy to overcome the
vapor pressure, it escapes and enter the
surrounding air as a gas
• The energy used to vaporize the liquid
reduces the temperature of the liquid,
resulting in evaporative cooling
 Important properties of the solution
• Concentration: Initially, the solution may
be quite dilute and the properties of the
solution may be taken as the properties of
solvent.
• As the concentration increases, the
solution becomes viscous and heat
transfer resistance increases. The crystal
may grow on the heating coil or on the
heating surface.
 Important properties of the solution
• The boiling points of the solution also rise
considerably.
• Solid or solute contact increases and the
boiling temperature of the concentrated
solution became higher than that of the
solvent as the same pressure (i.e.
elevation in boiling point).
 Important properties of the solution
• Foaming: Many of the materials like
organic substance may foam during
vaporization.
• If the foam is stable, it may come out
along the vapor known as entrainment.
• Heat transfer coefficient changes abruptly
for such systems.
 Important properties of the solution
• Degradation due to high temperature

• The products like many chemicals, food,

pharmaceutical industries etc. are very
temperature sensitive and they may get
damaged during evaporation. Thus special
case or technique is required for
concentrating such solution.
 Important properties of the solution
• Scaling
Many solution have tendency to deposit
the scale on the heating surface, which
may increase the heat transfer resistance.
• These scales produce extra thermal
resistance of significant value. Therefore,
scaling in the equipment should not be
ignored thus de-scaling becomes an
important and routine matter.
 EquipmentMaterial
The material of the equipment must be
chosen considering the solution properties
so that the solution should neither be
contaminated nor react with the equipment
material.
• Equipment, in which evaporation is
performed, is known as evaporator.
• The evaporators used in chemical process
industries are heated by steam and have
tubular surface.
• The solution is circulated in the tube and
the tubes are heated by steam.
Evaporators
Components of evaporator

Main components:
 Heat exchanger

 Vacuum

 Vapor separator

 Condenser
 Classification of Evaporators
Natural circulation evaporators
1. Calandria type or short tube evaporator
2. Long tube vertical evaporator
• Long tube vertical falling film evaporator
• Long tube vertical climbing up evaporator

Forced circulation evaporators

• Forced circulation evaporator with horizontal hea
ting element
• Forced circulation evaporator with vertical
heating element

Agitated film evaporator

 Natural Circulation Evaporator

• Normally used where low air

velocity desired or risk of
product damage on dehydration
• Greater temperature difference
will produce higher heat transfer
rates as density difference
between warm and cold air
increases
• Since cold air is denser than
warm air, normally the
evaporators are mounted on
height
 Forced Circulation Evaporators
• Higher air velocity increases the
heat transfer
• Forced draught reduces the
weight and size of the evaporator
thus reducing the cost
• Forced draught gives
Rapid cooling
Even temperatures
Good humidity control
 Once through and circulation
evaporators
1. In once through operation , the feed liquor passes through
the tubes only once , releases the vapor and leaves the
unit as thick liquor.

2. Evaporation is done in a single pass.

3. The ratio of evaporation to feed is limited in single pass.

4. These evaporators are well adapted to multiple effect

operation.

5. Agitated ,falling film evaporators are operated once through.

6. These are useful for heat sensitive materials

 Once through and Circulation
evaporators
• In circulation evaporators a pool of liquid is held with in the equipment.

incoming feed mixes with the liquid in the pool , and the mixture passes

through the tubes. Un evaporated liquid discharged from the

tubes returns to the pool , so that only part of evaporation occurs in one

pass.

• All forced circulation evaporators , rising film evaporators are operated

in this manner.

• These are adapted to single effect evaporation.

• These are not suited for heat sensitive materials.

 Calandria
The Calandria type or short-tube evaporators have
short tubes as compared to the long tube
evaporators. The short-tube evaporation uses
circulation and solution flows many times in the
evaporators. However, in case of the long tube
evaporator the flow is once through.
The feed is introduced above the upper tube sheet
and steam is introduced to the shell or steam chest
of the calandria. The solution is heated and partly
vaporized in the tubes. The central tube in a
calandria is of longer diameter. Typically it’s
downcomer area is taken as 40 to 70% of the total
cross sectional area of tubes. 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.
 Long tube vertical climbing-up
evaporator
It has 3 parts
• Tubular HE
• Separator/ Vapor space to
remove entrained liquid from
vapor.).
• Return leg to operate it as
circulation unit.

Dia of tubes 25-50mm

Length 3 –10 m

Used for concentrating the

liquids that tend to foam.
 Falling film evaporators
• Used for concentrating
highly heat-sensitive
materials such as
orange juice/ food materials
etc. which require short
residence times.
Operated once through
• Tubes are large D= 50 to
250mm
• L = 3 to 10m

The main problem in falling film evaporator is the distribution of the

liquid uniformly as a thin film inside the tube.