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 e3

T1 T2 T3

Ts

ws
T T T

wf
ws e1 e2
Tf
xf
w1 x1 w2 x2 wp xp

Above, variables:
w mass flow rate of liquid, kg/s
e mass flow rate of vapor, kg/s
T temperature, °C
x mass fraction NaOH
and subscripts:
s steam
f feed
p product
1,2,3 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 wf 6 kg/s
Temperature Tf 75 °C
Composition xf 0.14 mass fraction NaOH

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 Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

Steam
Temperature Ts 150 °C

Final Vapor Condensation Temperature T3 39 °C [7 kPa pressure]

Required Product Concentration xp 0.47 mass fraction NaOH

Heat Transfer Coefficients

Effect U W/(m2 •K)

1 3000
2 2000
3 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 Dühring plot for boiling point elevation of NaOH-H2O mixtures yields the following data:

Composition Boiling Pt. Elev.

(mass fraction) (ºF)
0.00 0
0.10 4
0.20 14
0.30 25
0.35 35
0.40 47
0.45 65
0.50 75
0.55 88
0.60 100
0.65 120
0.70 138

The calculation scheme is now developed.

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 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 ºF to ºC by
dividing by 1.8.

5. Overall Temperature Drops

Total Available ∆T ∆Ttot = Ts - T3

Sum of Boiling Point Elevations ΣBP = BP1 + BP2 + BP3

Net Available ∆T ∆Tnet = ∆Ttot - ΣBP

6. Effect Temperature Drops

Estimate ∆T1 ∆T2

Compute ∆T3 = ∆Tnet - ∆T1 - ∆T2

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 Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

7. Effect Temperatures

Effect Actual Solution Temperature Steam Saturation Temperature

1 T1 = Ts - ∆T1 Ts1 = T1 - BP1

2 T2 = Ts1 - ∆T2 Ts2 = T2 - BP2

3 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
No
Stream Temp Sat Temp Comp Superheat Enthalpy Flow Rate

Steam Ts Ts Hs ws

Feed Tf xf Hf wf

Boilup T1 Ts1 Hs1 H1 e1

Condensate Ts hc ws

Effluent T1 x1 h1 w1

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

and, to account for superheat: H1 = Hs1 + R • BP1 [R: gas law constant]

Effect 2
No
Stream Temp Sat Temp Comp Superheat Enthalpy Flow Rate

Steam T1 Ts1 Hs1 H1 e1

[from Boilup, Effect 1]

Feed T1 x1 h1 w1
[from Effluent, Effect 1]

Boilup T2 Ts2 Hs2 H2 e2

Condensate Ts1 hc1 e1

[from Boilup, Effect 1, condensed]

Effluent T2 x2 h2 w2

To account for superheat: H2 = Hs2 + R • BP2

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 Triple-Effect Evaporator Design

Effect 3
No
Stream Temp Sat Temp Comp Superheat Enthalpy Flow Rate

Steam T2 Ts2 Hs2 H2 e2

[from Boilup, Effect 2]

Feed T2 x2 h2 w2
[from Effluent, Effect 2]

Boilup T3 Ts3 Hs3 H3 e3

Condensate Ts2 hc2 e2

[from Boilup, Effect 2, condensed]

Effluent T3 xp hp wp

To account for superheat: 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.

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 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 aren’t 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.