Experiment No.

7
Date and Time Started: ____________

Date and Time Finished:__________

Group No. 8

Instructor: Engr. Juvyneil Cartel

______________________________________________________________________________

Title of the Experiment:

RISING FILM EVAPORATION
I. Introduction
In the field of Chemical Engineering, the word evaporation has long been
identified as the reduction or removal of less valued component in a specific solution or
mixture in order to obtain the component with more value. The said solution or mixture
usually contains a non-volatile or less volatile solid or liquid together with a more volatile
liquid.e liquid.
There are two basic processes required in evaporation, these are the transfer of heat
and the transfer of mass. Heat must be supplied to the mixture to furnish the energy
necessary for the vaporization. The volatile liquid changes to vapor, and this vapor must
be removed.
The heat may be supplied by exposing the liquid directly to the source of heat, as for
example, in evaporation by the use of the suns rays. Heat may also be supplied by
transferring it through a suitable retaining medium. An example of this is evaporation
with steam as the heat source, where the steam flows through the inside tubes immersed
in the evaporating mixture.
Many different types of equipment are used for carrying out evaporation operations.
Open pans exposing a large liquid area to the suns rays are commonly used for obtaining
salt by the evaporation of seawater. Horizontal tube evaporators contain steam tubes
arranged horizontally on the inside of the evaporators body. The steam passes through
these tubes and the steam condensation supplies heat indirectly through the tube walls to
the evaporating mixture.
The concept of an overall heat transfer coefficient is employed in the treatment of
heat transfer in evaporators. The general equation is q = UAT, where q is the rate of
heat transfer, U is the overall heat transfer coefficient, A is the heat transfer area, and T
is the temperature difference.
The temperature difference driving force (T) represents the difference between the
temperature of the condensing steam in the steam chest and the temperature of the boiling
liquid in the evaporator body. The pressure of the condensing steam in the steam chest
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can be determined easily. From this pressure, by the use of steam tables, it is a simple
matter to determine the temperature of the saturated steam.
The temperature of the boiling liquid is not constant throughout the entire body of
the liquid because the effect of the liquid head. Therefore, the temperature of the boiling
liquid in an evaporator body is the temperature of the boiling solution at the pressure of
the vapor space. With the definition, the standard (or net) temperature difference (T)
becomes the difference between the temperature of the condensing steam in the steam
chest and the temperature of the boiling solution at the liquid-vapor interface in the
evaporator body.
II. Objectives
1) To conceive a method of approximating the heating area of the Rising Film
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

evaporator
To evaluate the evaporating capacity of the evaporator
To establish the effect of the steam flow in the evaporators capacity
To assess the importance of the condensers to an evaporator
To show the effectiveness of two types of condenser installed in an evaporation
To be able to design a large-scale evaporator based on the laboratory data
To estimate the operation cost of an evaporating solution

III. Methodology
3.1 Materials:
50L sugar solution (10% concentration)
- Used as the working feed of the experiment
Material
50 L sugar solution, 10 %
concentration

Uses
Used as the working feed of the
experiment

3.2 Equipment/Apparatus:

Rising Film Evaporator Unit

- The equipment to be used in the experiment
2 pcs. Thermometer
- Used to measure temperature
1 pc. Graduated Cylinder, 1000mL
- used to measure volume
2 pcs. Beaker, 1000mL
- Used to store liquids
1 pc. Timer
- Used to record time
1 pc. Meter stick
- Used to measure length

3.3 Procedure:
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Preparation of Evaporator
1. The valves were checked by closing them.
2. The cooling water was loaded to the condenser by turning on the valve for
the water supply.

Preparation of Evaporation Materials (10% Sugar Solution)

1. A 30 L, 10% by weight sugar solution was prepared.
2. The solution was well mixed to dissolve all particles.
3. The feed solution was placed into the feed tank.

Operation of Rising Film Evaporator

1. The feed solution was introduced in the evaporator tube by opening the
valve of the feed line. The falling level of the feed solution in the tank was
observed. The change in the liquid level was determined and this data was
used to approximate the volume of the feed solution loaded to the
evaporator.
2. After the level of the feed solution stopped falling down, the final level of
the solution was recorded.
3. The tank was filled to a new volume and the liquid level was noted. The
feed tank valve was maintained in an open position.
4. The steam was introduced to the evaporator. The steam valve from the
boiler pipeline to the evaporator was opened. The drain valve was opened
and steam and hot water were allowed to be drained for about 10 minutes
or until only steam is coming out.
5. The quality of steam available for the evaporator was measured by
determining the pressure and the steam temperature. The steam condensate
per unit time expressed in pounds per minute was also determined. The
steam condensate temperature was also recorded.
6. The drain valve was closed.
7. The valve to the evaporator was opened.
8. The water pump to the condenser was switched on.
9. Any change in the feed solution level was closely watched.
10. The time the first drop of condensate from the condenser was also noted
from the time the when the steam was first injected into the evaporator.
11. The condensation rate expressed in pound condensate per minute was
determined.
12. The operation of the evaporator was continued until all the feed solution
was evaporated and after all the experiments have been obtained.

Operation of Rising Film Evaporator

1. After the feed solution has been introduced to the heating tubes, the feed
tank was filled with water and this water was allowed to enter the heating
tubes.
2. The steam supply valve to the evaporator was closed and the steam drain
valve was opened.
3. The water pump to the condenser was switched off.
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4. The drain valve of the evaporator was closed to remove the sugar solution
in the evaporator.
5. The heating tubes were rinsed with additional water to remove traces of
the sugar solution.
IV. Results and Discussion
4.1 Data Gathered:
Run
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

T
(min)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50

Vc cum.
(L)
0
5.91
11.37
15.21
20.71
27.04
36.15
46.14
56.14
65.96
70.22

Vc (L)
0
5.91
5.46
3.84
5.50
6.33
9.11
9.99
10.00
9.82
4.26

Rate (L/min)

Tc (C)

Tcw (C)

0
1.18
1.14
1.01
1.04
1.08
1.21
1.32
1.40
1.47
1.40
Rave = 1.23
L/min

77.1
82.3
80.2
80
81.8
89.2
87.1
87.1
79.5
81.7
Tave =
82.6 C

30
44
58
43
49
53
54
52
53
60
Tave = 51.78

Vc (L) Vs. Rate (L/min)

1.6
f(x) = 0.01x + 0.74
1.18
R
= 1.14
0.5
1.08
1.011.04

1.4
1.2

1.21

1.32

1.4

1.47
1.4

1
Rate (L/min)

0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Vc cum. (L)

Based from the data above, the operation run 11 times with a total time of 50
minutes. As it can be observed, the temperature of the cooling water increases as
the operation continues. The rate of the condensate do not directly creates a
relationship with its volume as well as with its temperature.
4.2 Heating area of the rising film evaporator.
The heating area of the rising film is approximated as 4.31 ft2.
4.3 Rate of heat transfer from the steam to the solution.
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The rate of heat transfer Q has a value of 42.82 kJ/s.

4.4 Cooling duties of the condenser
The vapor from the last effect of an evaporator is usually removed by a
condenser through cooling. Each condensers have its own cooling duties. For
instance, surface condensers are employed when mixing of condensate with
condenser cooling water is not desired. They are for the most part shell-andtube condensers with vapor on the shell side and a multipass flow of cooling
water on the tube side. The countercurrent barometric condenser is the most
commonly type of direct-contact condenser, in which vapor is condensed by
rising against a rain of cooling water. The condenser is set high enough so that
water can discharge by gravity from the vacuum in the condenser.

4.5 Capacity of the evaporator.

The yield steam economy is greater than usual. Hence, it can be inferred
that the capacity of the evaporator has a lesser value.
4.6 Effect of steam on evaporator capacity
Steam has a direct relationship with the evaporator capacity. As the steam
consumption increases it also increases the capacity of the evaporator while
decreasing its economy (steam economy).
In addition, using higher-pressure saturated steam increases T, which
decreases the size and cost of the evaporator. However, high-pressure steam is
more costly as well as often being more valuable as source of power elsewhere.
4.7 Importance of condensers to an evaporator
The importance of the condenser to an evaporator is that it functions as a
heat exchanger that removes the latent heat from exhaust steam so that it
condenses and can be pumped back into the boiler. This condensing should be
achieved with the minimum of under-cooling, i.e. reduction of condensate
temperature below the steam temperature. A condenser is also arranged so that
gases and vapors from the condensing steam are removed.

V. Conclusion

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Based from the experiment conducted, it can be concluded that as the evaporation
continues, the temperature of the cooling water eventually increases. And the rate of
the condensate will only come to constant at a certain time.
Also, the heat transfer area of the evaporator is directly proportional to the rate of
heat transfer from steam to the solution. And that the function of the condenser to the
evaporator is that it condenses or removes the last vapor from the last effect of an
evaporator. Steam also plays a significant role in the operation. If the steam consume
is greater, the capacity of the evaporator is also greater.

VI. References
Green, D.W. and R.H. Perry, Perrys Chemical Engineers Handbook, 8 th Edition,
McGraw-Hill Companies, New York, Sec 11-119
Geankoplis, C.J., Principles of Transport and Processes and Separation Processes,
Low Price Edition, Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd., Jurong, Singapore, C-8,
pp 537
http://www.machineryspaces.com/feed-system-condenser.html

VII. Appendices
7.1 Experimental Data
A. Sugar Solution:
Sugar: 5000 g (5 kg)
Sugar Solution: 50 L
B. Steam Quality:
Steam Pressure: 26 psi (t=20.23 min)
Steam Temperature: 120 C
Steam Condensation Rate: 2.56x10-3 lb/min
Steam Condensation Temperature: 190 C
Steam Quality: x = 0.6603049221
C. Feed Solution:
Initial Temperature: 26.8 C
Initial Level: 0.293 m
Feeding Level: 0.218 m
Filling Level: 0.261 m
Final Level: 0.194 m
Height of Feed Level: 0.067 m
D. Dimensions of Feed Tank:
Length: 0.674 m
Width: 0.23 m
Height: 0.313 m
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E. Vapor Condensate:
Evaporation Time: 50 min
Condensation Rate: 1.23 L/min
Condensate Temperature: 82.6 C
Inlet Temperature of Cooling Water: 29.9 C
Outlet Temperature Cooling Water: 51.78 C
F. Condensed Steam from Evaporator:
Condensation Rate: 1.23 L/min
Condensate Temperature: 82.6 C

G. Additional Data:
Run
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

T
(min)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50

Vc (L)
0
5.91
5.46
3.84
5.50
6.33
9.11
9.99
10.00
9.82
4.26

Vc cum.
(L)
0
5.91
11.37
15.21
20.71
27.04
36.15
46.14
56.14
65.96
70.22

Rate
(L/min)
0
1.18
1.14
1.01
1.04
1.08
1.21
1.32
1.40
1.47
1.40

Tc
(C)

Tcw (C)

77.1
82.3
80.2
80
81.8
89.2
87.1
87.1
79.5
81.7

30
44
58
43
49
53
54
52
53
60

7.2 Sample Computations:

Outlet Temperature of Cooling Water:

Tave = (30+44+58+44+43+49+53+54+52+53+60)/11 = 51.78 C

Condensate Temperature:
Tave = (77.1+82.3+80.2+80+81.8+89.2+87.1+87.1+79.5+81.7)/10 = 82.6
C

Condensate Rate:
Rave = (1.18+1.14+1.01+1.04+1.08+1.21+1.32+1.4+1.47+1.40)/10 = 1.23
L/min

Steam Condensation Rate:

Fhf + S S = VHV + LhL
(996.51)(1.55x10-3)(399.01) + S(2210.78)(945.66) = 1.23x10-3(2771.52)
(893.45) + 0.32x10-3(0)
S = 1.1620376x10-3 kg/min
S = 2.56x10-3 lb/min

Steam Quality:
Steam Pressure = 26 psi = 0.179263682 MPa
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Steam Temperature = 120 C = 393.15 K

Steam Condensate Temperature = 190 C = 463.15 K
From the steam table @ 463.15 K,
SL = 2.235386345 kJ/kgK
SV = 6.506158757 kJ/kgK
From the steam table (single phase properties) @ 393.15 K and
0.179263682 MPa, finding for the Entropy (S):
T/P
300 K
400 K
T/P
393.15 K

0.1 MPa
0.3930613378 kJ/kgK
7.502636692 kJ/kgK

1 MPa
0.3928393006 kJ/kgK
1.600555093 kJ/kgK

0.1 MPa
7.01563078 kJ/kgK

1 MPa
1.517826561 kJ/kgK

T/P
393.15 K

0.179263682 MPa
S = 6.531434996 kJ/kgK

Solving for the steam quality (x):

x=

SS L
V
S

( 6.5314349962.235386345 )
x=
6.506158757

kJ
K
kg

kJ
K
kg

x = 0.6603049221

7.3 Attendance Sheet

DELACRUZ, Lyngil P.
HAYAHAY, Louise C.
FABROS, Jay-R T.
ENCINA, Cathrene Celeste C.

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