A shortcut for designing evaporators
- Inst. Mexicano del Petroleo, Mexico City (Mexico)
Multiple-effect evaporation is commonly used in chemical process plants to minimize energy consumption and cooling water. In this system, several evaporators are connected by piping so that vapor passes from one effect to the next in series. Thus, the heat supplied to the first evaporator is used to vaporize water in the first effect; this vapor, in turn, passes to the next effect, until, finally, the heat in the vapor supplied to the last effect passes on to the condenser. The net result of this arrangement is the multiple reuse of heat, and a marked increase in the economic of the evaporation system. In addition to savings in steam use, there is also a saving in condenser cooling water as the number of effects increases. On the other hand, an increase in the number of effects represents an increase in capital costs since more heat transfer area is required in the evaporator system. Thus, the choice of the proper--that is, optimum--number of effects is dictated by an economic balance between the savings in steam and cooling water versus that of the additional investment costs. The paper describes the basic equations and an economic analysis of evaporator systems, and illustrates the method with an example.
- OSTI ID:
- 178353
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Engineering, Vol. 103, Issue 1; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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