Single Batch Evaporators

Material & Energy Balance

1
Single Effect Evaporator
Consider that the evaporator is fed with mf kg/h of weak solution
containing w1 % solute and thick liquor is withdrawn at m’ kg/h containing
w2 % solids by weight. Let mv be the kg/h of water evaporated.

2
Single Effect Evaporator
Overall material balance:
mf = mv + m’

Material balance of solute:

Solute in feed = Solute in thick liquor
(w1 * mf) / 100 = (w2 * m’) / 100
(w1 * mf) = (w2 * m’)

Knowing three out of five quantities, we can find the values of other two
with the help of above two equations

3
Single Effect Evaporator
Let Tf, T and Ts be the temperatures, of feed entering the evaporator,
solutions in the evaporators and condensing steam respectively.

Let ‘λs’ be the latent heat of condensation of steam at saturation

temperatures and assume that only latent heat of condensation is
used. Then, rate of heat transfer through heating surface from steam is:
Qs = ms λs

Where ms is mass flow rate of steam to the evaporator in kg/h.

Assuming heat losses to be negligible, the enthalpy balance over

evaporator is:

4
Single Effect Evaporator
Assuming heat losses to be negligible, the enthalpy balance over
evaporator is:

Heat associated with feed + Latent heat associated with steam = Heat
associated with vapor leaving + Heat associated with thick liquor
mf Hf + ms λs = mv Hv + m’ H’

mf Hf + ms λs = (mf – m’) Hv + m’ H’

where Hv, Hf and H’ are enthalpy of vapor, feed solution and thick
liquor respectively.

Rearranging, we get:
ms λs = (mf – m’) Hv + m’ H’ – mf Hf

5
Single Effect Evaporator
Heat transfer rate on steam side = Heat transfer rate on liquor side.
Enthalpy balance can be written in terms of specific heats and
temperatures of solutions, in case of solutions having negligible heats
of dilution

Heat transferred to solution in evaporator by condensing steam (in

absence of heat losses) utilized to heat the feed solution from Tf to T
and for vaporization of water from solution.
Qs = Q

= mf CPf (T – Tf) + (mf –m’) λv

ms λs= mf CPf ( T – Tf) + (mf –m’) λv  (1)

Where CPf = specific heat of feed solution

λv = latent heat of evaporation from thick liquor

6
Single Effect Evaporator
For negligible boiling point rise λv = λ

Where λ = latent heat of vaporization of water at pressure in the vapor

space and can be read from steam tables.
Above equation (1) becomes:
ms λs = mf CPf ( T – Tf) + (mf –m’) λ

ms λs = mf CPf ( T – Tf) + mv λ

Boiling point of solution (T) at pressure in the vapor space can be

obtained by knowing boiling point elevation and boiling point of pure
water at that pressure, e.g. if T’ is the boiling point of water at certain
pressure of operation and P is the boiling point elevation, then:
T = T’ + P

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Single Effect Evaporator
Area of heat transfer of an evaporator is calculated with the help of
following equation:
Q = U A ∆T
Q = ms λs = U A ∆T

Where U = overall heat transfer coefficient

A = area of heat transfer
And ∆T = the temperature difference
∆T = Ts – T

∆T = Condensing steam temperature – boiling point of a solution

λs = Specific enthalpy of saturated steam – Specific enthalpy of
saturated water (i.e. of condensate)