Transforming evaporators from

‘Robert’ to falling film plate by
Retrofit

A. van Belzen
M. Roukema
ISSCT Aug 2014
 Contens

 Cosun ‐ Suiker Unie

 Principle Robert / Retrofit

 Retrofit in practice

 Attention points
 Royal Cosun
SVZ
Sensus 9%
4%

• Agro industrial company
• Cooperative of 9.300 sugarbeetgrowers Suiker Unie 
46%
• Approx. 3500 FTE
• Turnover € 2,2 billion (2013)
Aviko
41%

Suiker Unie Aviko Sensus SVZ Duynie

Suiker products Potato products Inuline products Fruit products Cattlefeed

 Groningen
‐ Sugar factory
‐ Green Gas Plant
‐ Sugar terminal
Anklam
‐ Sugar factory
Verein Deutscher Zuckertechniker ‐ Bio‐ethanol
‐ Green Gas Plant

Puttershoek, 
Roosendaal
‐ Sugar specialities

Erfahrungen mit TPM in

Dinteloord
‐ Sugar factory
der Spezialitätenfabrik
‐ Green Gas Plant
‐ Central Office Puttershoek
Ing. Peter A. Wijnbeek, 28-5-2014
 Main facts
• 3 sugar beet factories
• Campaign 135 days (September/January) 
Thick juice processing 30 days (March/May)
• Slicing capacity  White sugar
NL: 2 x        22.000 t/d    4.000 t/d
GE: 1 x        12.000 t/d 1.200 t/d
• Total sugar beet: 7,5 million ton/yr
White sugar:  1,2 million ton/yr
Raw cane sugar refining:     200.000 ton/yr   
Ethanol: 70.000 m3/yr Energy reduction Suiker Unie in %
compared to 1990
Green gas (digesters):       30 million m3/yr 100

Energy use in %
100
Percentage of maximum %

Suiker Unie is in top 10 80

80 of most energy efficient 60
sugar factories of Europe 40
60 20
0
40

1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
20

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Factory number
 Classic ‘Robert’
Emergency
Vapour water Vapour

Droplet
catcher

Juice circulation Juice 

(= juice in * 1,2) distributor

Steam

Condensate
Flow
measuring
Steam

Filter
Juice in
Juice in
Next body

Next body
 Plate evaporator

Emergency
water Vapour Internal vapour duct

Droplet
catcher Juice
Steam distribution

Juice circulation Juice 

(= juice in * 1,2) distributor

Juice in
Steam

Condensate
Flow
measuring

Filter Steam

Juice in
Next body Juice &
vapour out

Condensate
 Principe
Lichaam 4&5
Lichaam 6&7
Noodwater
Retrofit experiences
Factory Groningen: 
Retrofits 1999, 2000, 2003.

Factory Vierverlaten 
2013 Retrofit bodies 4&5
2008 Retrofit bodies 6&7

Factory Dinteloord
2015 Retrofit bodies 1
2016 Retrofit bodies 2A‐2B

Factory Vierverlaten
2018 Retrofit bodies 3A‐3B, and
split into 8‐Effect evaporation
Retrofit stepwise
Step 1; empty out old body

3. Remove 
old droplet 
catcher

2. Remove 
old calendria

Principe
1. Open bottom
Lichaam 4&5
Lichaam 6&7
Noodwater
 Retrofit stepwise
Step 2; Prepare Body

Support for 
droplet catcher

Bring in all plates 
separating Steam –
Vapour compartment
(Some ‘loose’)

Install new top& 
bottom constructive 
carrying plates.
Principe
Repair/ strengthen body wall were needed Lichaam 4&5
Lichaam 6&7
Noodwater
 Principe
Lichaam 4&5
Lichaam 6&7
Noodwater
Retrofit stepwise
Step 0 (Supplier): prepare retrofit  in predefined stacks

on top  (possible) droplet 
catcher and juice  distributor

Principe
Lichaam 4&5
Lichaam 6&7
Noodwater
Crane
Retrofit stepwise
Step3: stepwise hoist of stacks

Connect stacks in between
Principe
Lichaam 4&5
Lichaam 6&7
Noodwater
Retrofit stepwise
Step4: Finishing

Position droplet 
catcher
Weld in place plates 
separating Steam –
Vapour compartment

Finalise constructive 
supports for plate package

If needed; anti‐
corrosion measures
Juice catching ‘bowl’

New bottom with 
volume for level  Principe
control Lichaam 4&5
Lichaam 6&7
Noodwater
Finish piping
 Critical points operating
plate evaporators Operate evaporation only when
Emergency  emergency water is available. 
water 
Emergency water minimum 
temperature 80 °C to prevent 
thermoshock
Frequent flushing of 
droplet‐catcher

Circulation flow essential!  Too little or no flow = 

Pumps on separated E‐rails Emergency shutdown
Main points of plate falling film Retrofit:
Benefits:
• Large increase surface area + higher K value
‐> energy efficiency
‐> less color formation
‐> Less invert
‐> Lower pressure drop 
• fits within existing structure

Attention points: e.g. FAILSAFE DESIGN
• Availability emergency water when power failure
Warm emergency water delta T < 40 °C
Operate evaporation only when emergency water is available !
• Importance of guaranteed circulation flow 
• After campaign clean‐out with soda
• Welding  existing carbon‐ and stainlessteel (difficult, gas formation)
• Strength vessel in relation of large steam inlet‐outlet and pressure test. Principe
Lichaam 4&5
• Brix control above 50 Bx
Lichaam 6&7
• Dual self flushing filters in the juice circulation flow Noodwater
 Advantage Robert ‐> plate package:
Heating surface:  6000‐> 11260 m2  ‐> ∆P: 0,6 ‐> 0,3 bar
Sat. Steam 2013 2012

Saturated steam pressure / temp

5 Return vapour

4
Pressure[ bara ]

1st Vapor

3 2nd Vapor
3rd Vapor

2
5th Vapor
6th Vapor 4th Vapor
1 7th Vapor

0 Temperature [ °C ]
60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
 Conclusions:
 When a fail‐safe design (Hazops) is implemented, a 
failure free operation is possible (with no plate 
package blockage)
 Using a retrofit can be a cost effective way to improve
your evaporation station (e.g. higher throughput or 
lower energy consumption)
 Energy reduction in our sugar industry is an essential 
part for sustainable operation for the long run. High 
energy efficiency/yield in evaporation is a key building 
block.
Thank you for your attention!