Multiple-Effect Evaporator Design

The design calculations required for a multiple-effect evaporator are complex enough to provide a real
challenge for implementation using a spreadsheet program. The elements of the spreadsheet integrate
much of what we have introduced in the course. To create a spreadsheet of this or greater complexity, it is
necessary to understand and plan out the calculation scheme. This we do first here before considering the
spreadsheet solution.
The example chosen is a triple-effect evaporator used to concentrate a caustic soda solution. The process
is depicted in the figure below with key variables shown.

e1

e2

T1

T2

e3

T3

Ts
ws
wf
Tf

ws

e1

e2

xf
w1 x1

Above, variables:
w
e
T
x
and subscripts:
s
f
p
1,2,3

w2 x2

wp

xp

mass flow rate of liquid, kg/s

mass flow rate of vapor, kg/s
temperature, C
mass fraction NaOH
steam
feed
product
effects 1, 2, 3, respectively

Steam feed to the first effect on the left and the vapor boiled up in effects 1 and 2 is used to heat the
subsequent effect. The final vapor stream is condensed. To compute the energy balances for the units,
enthalpy information is required. Boiling point elevations are significant for aqueous solutions of NaOH; so,
these data are required too. Heat transfer coefficients or correlations are required for the three effects. The
pressure at which the third effect is operated, often at vacuum, must be known.

Consider the following basic data:

Feed
Flow rate
Temperature
Composition

wf
Tf
xf

6
75
0.14

kg/s
C
mass fraction NaOH
-1-

Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

Steam
Temperature

Ts

150

Final Vapor Condensation Temperature

T3

39

Required Product Concentration

xp

0.47

mass fraction NaOH

[7 kPa pressure]

Heat Transfer Coefficients

Effect

1
2
3

W/(m2 K)
3000
2000
1250

Data for enthalpy of NaOH-H2O liquid mixtures at different compositions and temperatures are presented in
Section 1. Data for enthalpy of water and steam at different temperatures are available readily from the
steam tables. A Dhring plot for boiling point elevation of NaOH-H2O mixtures yields the following data:
Composition
(mass fraction)

Boiling Pt. Elev.

(F)

0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70

0
4
14
25
35
47
65
75
88
100
120
138

The calculation scheme is now developed.

Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

1. Overall Material Balance
Total

NaOH

H2O

Feed

wf

xf wf

(1-xf)wf

Product

wp = xf wf / xp

xf wf

(1-xp)wp

Water Evaporated

etot = wf-wp

or

(1-xf)wf - (1-xp)wp

2. Boilup Rates
Estimate values for boilup rates in effects 1 and 2
e1

e2

e3 = etot - e1 - e2

3. Material Balances in the Effects

Effect 1

w1 = w f - e1

x1 = xf wf / w1

Effect 2

w2 = w 1 - e 2

x2 = xf wf / w2

Effect 3

w p = w 2 - e3

x3 = xp = xf wf / wp
[must equal basic data specification]

4. Boiling Point Elevations

Get values BP1, BP2, and BP3 from table for x1, x2, and x3 ( = xp ) respectively. Convert F to C by
dividing by 1.8.
5. Overall Temperature Drops
Total Available T

Ttot = Ts - T3

Sum of Boiling Point Elevations

Net Available T

BP = BP1 + BP2 + BP3

Tnet = Ttot - BP

6. Effect Temperature Drops

Estimate

T1

Compute

T3 = Tnet - T1 - T2

T2

Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

7. Effect Temperatures
Effect

Actual Solution Temperature

Steam Saturation Temperature

T1 = Ts - T1

Ts1 = T1 - BP1

T2 = Ts1 - T2

Ts2 = T2 - BP2

T3 = Ts2 - T3

Ts3 = T3 - BP3
[must confirm basic data specification]

8. Effect Enthalpy Balances

Note: enthalpy values from tables, except where noted.
Effect 1
Stream

Temp

Sat Temp

Steam

Ts

Ts

Feed

Tf

Boilup

T1

Condensate

Ts

Effluent

T1

Comp

No
Superheat

xf
Ts1

Hs1

x1

Enthalpy

Flow Rate

Hs

ws

Hf

wf

H1

e1

hc

ws

h1

w1

H 1 e1 + h 1 w1 h f w f
Hs h c
[from enthalpy balance on effect 1]
ws =

H1 = Hs1 + R BP1

and, to account for superheat:

[R: gas law constant]

Effect 2
Stream

Temp

Steam
T1
[from Boilup, Effect 1]

Sat Temp
Ts1

Feed
T1
[from Effluent, Effect 1]
Boilup

T2

Comp

T2

To account for superheat:

Enthalpy

Flow Rate

Hs1

H1

e1

h1

w1

H2

e2

hc1

e1

h2

w2

x1
Ts2

Hs2

Condensate
Ts1
[from Boilup, Effect 1, condensed]
Effluent

No
Superheat

x2
H2 = Hs2 + R BP2

Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

Effect 3
Stream

Temp

Steam
T2
[from Boilup, Effect 2]

Sat Temp
Ts2

Feed
T2
[from Effluent, Effect 2]
Boilup

T3

Comp

No
Superheat

Enthalpy

Flow Rate

Hs2

H2

e2

h2

w2

H3

e3

hc2

e2

hp

wp

x2
Ts3

Hs3

Condensate
Ts2
[from Boilup, Effect 2, condensed]
Effluent

T3

To account for superheat:

xp
H3 = Hs3 + R BP3

9. Compute Effect Heat Duties and Required Heat Transfer Areas

Effect 1:

q1 = (Hs - hc) ws

A1 = q1 / (U1 T1)

Effect 2:

q2 = (H1 - hc1) e1

A2 = q2 / (U2 T2)

Effect 3:

q3 = (H2 - hc2) e2

A3 = q3 / (U3 T3)

10. Convergence to Equal Areas

If areas are not equal, return to step 6, re-estimate T1 and T2 and recalculate through step 9 until
areas are equal, at least approximately.
11. Enthalpy Balances

H s w s + h f w f = h 1w1 + h s w s + H 1e1
H 1e1 + h 1w1 = h 2 w 2 + h c1e1 + H 2 e 2
H 2 e 2 + h 2 w 2 = h p w p + h c2 e 2 + H 3 e 3
Rearrange to form three simultaneous equations to determine ws, e1, and e2.

[H s h s ]w s + [ ( H 1 h 1 )]e1 + [ 0]e 2 = [ h 1 h f ]w f
[ 0]w s + [H 1 h 1 + h 2 h c1 ]e1 + [ ( H 2 h 2 )]e 2 = [ h 2 h 1 ]w f

[0]ws +[H3 h2]e1 +[H2 h2 +H3 hc2]e2 =[H3 h2]wf +[(H3 hp)]wp
Solve these equations for ws, e1, and e2.

Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

12. Convergence to Consistent Boilup Values
Check to see if the boilup values (e1 and e2) resulting from step 11 are equal to the starting estimates
from step 2. If they arent equal, substitute the values from step 11 into step 2 and repeat the calculation
through step 11. Repeat as necessary until consistent boilup values are obtained.
13. Energy, Economy, and Capacity Summary
Steam Requirement:

ws

Vapor Generated:

etot

Overall Economy:

etot/ws

Economy per Effect:

1:

e1/ws

2:

e2/e1

3:

e3/e2

Capacity:

Feed Processed / Steam Required:

wf/ws

Product Produced / Steam Required:

wp/ws

The spreadsheet in workbook file EVAP.XLS is created to implement this calculation scheme.