Department of Chemical Engineering, NITK

Tutorial-XXIII: Heat Transfer (CH250)

28-03-2024
1) An evaporator is operating at atmospheric pressure. It is desired to
concentrate the feed from 5% solute to 20% solute (by weight) at a rate of 5000
kg/h. Dry saturated steam at a pressure corresponding to saturation temperature
of 399 K is used. The feed is at 298 K and boiling point rise (elevation) i.e. B.P.E.
(B.P.R) is 5 K. The overall heat transfer coefficient is 2350 W/m2.K. Calculate the
economy of the evaporator and the area of heat transfer to be provided.

Data: Treating the solution as pure water and neglecting B.P.R., latent heat of
condensation of steam at 399 K = 2185 kJ/kg, Latent heat of vaporisation of
water at 101.325 kPa and 373 K = 2257 kJ/kg and specific heat of feed = 4.187
kJ/kg.K.

2) A solution containing 10% solids is to be concentrated to a level of 50% solids.

Steam is available at a pressure of 0.20 MPa [saturation temperature of 393 K].
Feed rate to the evaporator is 30000 kg/hr. The evaporator is operating at a
reduced pressure such that the boiling point is 323 K. The overall heat transfer
coefficient is 2.9 kW/m2.K. Estimate: (i) the steam economy and (ii) the heat
transfer surface for:

(a) Feed introduced at 293 K,

(b) Feed introduced at 308 K.

Data: Specific heat of feed = 3.98 kJ/kg.K

Latent heat of condensation of steam at 0.20 MPa = 2202 kJ/kg

Latent heat of vaporisation of water at 323 K (i.e., at the pressure in the vapour
space = 2383 kJ/kg).

3) A single-effect evaporator is to be fed with 5000 kg/hr solution containing

10% solute by weight. The feed at 313 K is to be concentrate to a solution
containing 40% by weight of the solute under an absolute pressure of 101.325
kPa. Steam is available at an absolute pressure of 303.975 kPa (saturation
temperature of 407 K.) The overall heat transfer coefficient is 1750 W/m2.K.

Calculate: (i) the heat transfer area and (ii) economy if the evaporator.
Data: Cp of feed = 4.187 kJ/kg.K. Treat solution as pure water for the purpose
of calculation of enthalpies.

Enthalpy, kJ/kg
Temperature, K
Vapour Liquid
313 K 170
373 K 2676 419
407 K 2725 563

4) A single-effect evaporator is fed with 5000 kg/hr of solution containing 1%

solute by weight. The feed temperature is 303 K. It is to be concentrated to a
solution containing 2% solute by weight. The evaporation is carried out at
atmospheric pressure and the area of the evaporator is 69 m2. Saturated steam
is supplied at 143.3 kPa as a heating medium. Calculate the steam economy and the
overall heat transfer coefficient.

Data: Enthalpy of feed at 303 K = 125.79 kJ/kg, Enthalpy of vapour at 101.325

kPa = 2676.1 kJ/kg, Enthalpy of saturated steam at 143.3 kPa = 2691.5 kJ/kg,
Saturation temperature of steam = 383 K, Boiling point of saturation = 373 K,
Enthalpy of product = 419.04 kJ/kg and Enthalpy of saturated water at 383 K =
461.30 kJ/kg.

5) A triple-effect evaporator is concentrating a solution that has no appreciable

boiling point elevation. The temperature of steam to the first effect is 381.3 K
and boiling point of the solution in the last effect is 324.7 K. The overall heat
transfer coefficient in the first, second and third effect are 2800, 2200, and
1100 W/m2.K respectively. At what temperature will the solution boil in the first
and second effects?

6) A double effect evaporator is employed to concentrate 10,000 kg/hr of caustic

soda solution from 9% to 47% by wt. For this purpose, backward feed
arrangement is used. The feed enters the evaporator at 309 K. Process steam at
686.616 kPa.g is available and in the second effect a vacuum of 86.66 kPa is
maintained. Design a suitable forced circulation system with equal heating surface
in both the effects. Calculate the steam consumption and evaporation in each
effect. Neglecting the boiling point rise effects. The overall heat transfer
coefficients in the first and second effects are 2326 and 1744.5 W/m2.K
respectively. Take a specific heat value of 3.77 kJ/kg.K for all caustic streams.

7) A lye containing 7% glycerine by weight is to be concentrated in a triple-effect

evaporator to obtain a crude containing 40% glycerine. The feed rate of lye is
10000 kg/hr. Based on the following data, calculate: (i) the steam economy and
(ii) the area of calendria heating surface for each evaporator assuming that all
the three effects have equal area and condenser water required.

Data: Feed temperature = 353 K, Steam pressure available = 313 kPa, last effect’s
pressure = 15.74 kPa, Overall heat transfer coefficients: First effect = 710
W/m2.K, second effect = 490 W/m2.K and third effect = 454 W/m2.K.

The elevation in the boiling point is 10 K in each effect. The average specific heat
of glycerol solution is 3.768 kJ/kg.K. Condenser water is available at 303 K.
Assume ∆T1 = 14.5 K, ∆T2 = 16 K and ∆T3 = 19.5 K. Feed forward arrangement is
to be used.

8) 14.4 tonnes per hour (4 kg/s) of a liquor containing 10% solids is fed at 294 K
to the first effect of a triple-effect unit. Thick liquor containing 50 % solids is
to be withdrawn from the third effect, which is at a pressure of 13.172 kPa. The
liquor will be assumed to have a specific heat of 4.18 kJ/kg.K and to have no B.P.R.
Dry saturated steam at pressure of 205 kN/m2 is fed to a heating element of the
first effect. Assume the overall heat transfer coefficients pf 3.10, 2.00 and 1.10
kW/m2.K for the first, second and third effects respectively. If the three units
are to have equal areas, find the heat transfer area of each effect, steam
consumption and steam economy.

Assume ∆T1 = 18 K, ∆T2 = 17 K and ∆T3 = 34 K. Feed forward arrangement is to

be used.