Simulation of a multiple-effect evaporator

Instructions
1. a. On the Tools menu, click Options, then click the Calculation tab and tick on the Iteration

2. For a forward feed 2-effect evaporator

In the spreadsheet "2-Effect"
a. Insert parameter values in the yellow cells
b. Turn the "SWITCH" ON (set the value in the cell B9 (red cell) equal to 1)
c. Iterate (by pressing F9) until "FINISH" or "ALARM" signal is shown in the control panel
d. If a signal to "REDUCE Ts or mwin" is shown in the control panel, turn the SWITCH OFF, reduce the
in cells B28 or B29 respectively and start again from 2b
e. If a signal to "INCREASE Ts or mwin" is shown in the control panel, turn the SWITCH OFF, increase
in cells B28 or B29 respectively and start again from 2b
f. When "FINISH" is shown in the control panel, read the results in the green cells (B34-B38)
g. If a solution can not be reached under any combination of T s and mwin values, change the heat tran
and repeat steps 2a to 2f
h. To recalculate for different parameter values turn the "SWITCH" OFF (set the value in the cell B9 e

3. For a forward-feed 4-effect evaporator

In the spreadsheet "4-Effect Forward"
a. Insert parameter values in the yellow cells
b. Turn the "SWITCH" ON (set the value in the cell B9 (red cell) equal to 1)
c. Iterate (by pressing F9) until "FINISH" or "ALARM" signal is shown in the control panel
d. If a signal to "REDUCE Ts or mwin" is shown in the control panel, turn the SWITCH OFF, reduce the
in the cells B28 or B29 respectively and start again from 2b
e. If a signal to "INCREASE Ts or mwin" is shown in the control panel, turn the SWITCH OFF, increase
in the cells B28 or B29 respectively and start again from 2b
f. When "FINISH" is shown in the control panel, read the results in the green cells (B33-B37)
g. If a solution can not be reached under any combination of T s and mwin values, change the heat tran
and/or Q19 and repeat steps 2a to 2f
h. To recalculate for different parameter values turn the "SWITCH" OFF (set the value in the cell B9 e

4. For a backward-feed 4-effect evaporator

In the spreadsheet "4-Effect Backward"
a. Insert parameter values in the yellow cells
b. Turn the "SWITCH" ON (set the value in the cell B9 (red cell) equal to 1)
c. Iterate (by pressing F9) until "FINISH" or "ALARM" signal is shown in the control panel
d. If a signal to "REDUCE Ts or mwin" is shown in the control panel, turn the SWITCH OFF, reduce the
in the cells B28 or B29 respectively and start again from 2b
e. If a signal to "INCREASE Ts or mwin" is shown in the control panel, turn the SWITCH OFF, increase
in the cells B28 or B29 respectively and start again from 2b
f. When "FINISH" is shown in the control panel, read the results in the green cells (B33-B37)
g. If a solution can not be reached under any combination of T s and mwin values, change the heat tran
and/or Q19 and repeat steps 2a to 2f
h. To recalculate for different parameter values turn the "SWITCH" OFF (set the value in the cell B9 e
 the Iteration box. On Maximum iterations box write 1000

TCH OFF, reduce the value of either T s or mwin

WITCH OFF, increase the value of either T s or mwin

ls (B34-B38)
change the heat transfer area in the cells H19 and/or J19 and/or M19

value in the cell B9 equal to 0) and repeat steps 2a to 2f

TCH OFF, reduce the value of either T s or mwin

WITCH OFF, increase the value of either T s or mwin

ls (B33-B37)
change the heat transfer area in the cells H19 and/or J19 and/or L19 and/or N19

value in the cell B9 equal to 0) and repeat steps 2a to 2f

TCH OFF, reduce the value of either T s or mwin

WITCH OFF, increase the value of either T s or mwin

ls (B33-B37)
change the heat transfer area in the cells H19 and/or J19 and/or L19 and/or N19

value in the cell B9 equal to 0) and repeat steps 2a to 2f

The following assumptions are used

1) The pressure drop in the vapour lines is neglected

2) The effect of superheating on the vapour enthalpy due to the BPE is neglected
3) The heat losses to the environment are taken into account. If cells B23 or B24 for Ulos and Ao
4) The condensate from each effect exits at the condensation temperature
5) The condenser is assumed to be a surface condenser

The following empirical relationships are used in the calculations

a) Heat capacity of liquid foods (equation of Dickerson), J/kg oC

c p =1672+2508 x w
where xw is the mass fraction of water content

b) Boiling Point Elevation, oC

2 3
BPE =2 .7 x s 8 . 8 x s +21 . 2 x s
where xs is the mass fraction of solids content

c) Heat capacity of liquid water, J/kgoC

2
c p =42111 . 34 T +0 . 015T
where T is temperature in oC

d) Enthalpy of saturated steam and vapour, kJ/kg

H v =2501+1 . 919T 0 . 0017T 2

where T is temperature in oC

e) Latent heat of vaporization of water, kJ/kg

2
=25012. 265 T 0 . 0018 T
where T is temperature in oC

f) Vapour pressure of liquid water, atm (Ref. 15)

( 8. 29692
log p w =10 .79586 ( 1 )+5 .02808 log +1 . 50474 x 104 110
[( ) ])+ 0. 42873 x 10
1

1
3
(
273 .16
=
T
 273 .16
where = with T in Kelvin
T
Ulos and Ao L are set equal to 0, the heat losses are neglected

1
)1 ])

+ 0. 42873 x 103 ( 104 . 76955 ( 1 )1 )2 . 2195983
Forward-Feed 2-Effect Evaporator

Control panel
SWITCH= 1

FINISHED

0.000

Input data
Feed flow rate, mf = 10000 kg/h
Feed solids content, xf = 10%
Desired product solids content, Xspec = 30%
Feed temperature, Tf = 70 oC
Temperature of the environment, Te = 20 oC
Overall Heat transfer coeffic. for heat losses, Ulos= 0 W/m2oC
Outside Area of each effect of the evaporator, AoL= 50 m2
Cooling water temper. at the inlet of the cond., Twin= 25 oC

Control variables
Steam temperature, Ts = 122 oC
Mass flow rate of cooling water in the conden.,mWin = 38300 kg/h

Results
Concentrated product flow rate, m p= 3332 kg/h
Solids content at the outlet, x p= 30.0%
Steam consumption, m s= 3937 kg/h
Steam economy 1.7 kg/kg
Cooling water flow rate, m Win= 38300 kg/h
Parameters 1st EFFECT 2nd EFFECT CONDENSER
Heat transfer area (m2), A 80 80 Heat transf. area
Overall heat transfer coef. (W/m2oC), U 1800 1000 Overal heat transf. coef.
Liquid flow rate at the inlet (kg/s), mi 2.778 1.878 Cooling water flow rate in
Solids content at the inlet, xi 0.1 0.148 Cooling water temper. in
Liquid temperature at the inlet ( C),
o
Ti 70 105.3 Water vapour temper. in
Boiling temperature (oC), Tb 105.3 79.8 Cooling water temp. out
Saturation temperature ( C),
o
Tv 105.0 79.2 Condensation temperat.
Saturation pressure (atm), P 1.194 0.453 Water vapour pressure
Temperature drop (oC), 16.7 25.2
Boiling Point Elevation (oC), BPE 0.3 0.6
Heat capacity of liquid at inlet (J/kg C), cpi
o
3929 3809
Heat capacity of liquid at outlet(J/kgoC), cpo 3809 3427
Heat losses (W), qL 0 0
Evaporation rate (kg/s), mv 0.899 0.953
Liquid flow rate at the outlet (kg/s), mo 1.878 0.925
Solids content at the outlet, xo 0.148 0.300
Heating steam/vapour flow rate (kg /s), m s 1.094 0.899
Heating steam/vapour temperature ( C), Ts o
122 105.0
CONDENSER
50 m2
2500 W/m2oC
10.639 kg/s
25 oC
79.2 oC
74.5 oC
79.1 oC
0.452 atm
Forward-Feed 4-Effect Evaporator

Control panel
SWITCH= 1

FINISHED

0.0000

Input data
Feed flow rate, mf = 20000 kg/h
Feed solids content, xf = 9%
Desired product solids content, Xspec = 48%
Feed temperature, Tf = 60 oC
Temperature of the environment, Te = 20 oC
Overall Heat transfer coeffic. for heat losses, Ulos= 0 W/m2oC
Outside Area of each effect of the evaporator, AoL= 50 m2
Cooling water temper. at the inlet of the cond., Twin= 25 oC

Control variables
Steam temperature, Ts = 75 oC
Mass flow rate of cooling water in the conden.,mWin = 530000 kg/h

Results
Concentrated product flow rate, m p= 3756 kg/h
Solids content at the outlet, x p= 47.9%
Steam consumption, m s= 4244 kg/h
Steam economy 3.8 kg/kg
Cooling water flow rate, m Win= 530000 kg/h
 1st EFFECT 2nd EFFECT 3rd EFFECT 4th EFFECT
Heat transfer area (m2), A 270 270 270 270
Overall heat transfer coef. (W/m C), 2o
U 2200 1800 1300 506
Liquid flow rate at the inlet (kg/s), mi 5.556 4.481 3.372 2.230
Solids content at the inlet, xi 0.09 0.112 0.148 0.224
Liquid temperature at the inlet ( C),
o
Ti 60 70.4 65.0 57.3
Boiling temperature (oC), Tb 70.4 65.0 57.3 37.1
Saturation temperature ( C),
o
Tv 70.2 64.7 56.9 35.7
Saturation pressure (atm), P 0.310 0.244 0.170 0.058
Temperature drop (oC), 4.6 5.2 7.4 19.8
Boiling Point Elevation (oC), BPE 0.2 0.3 0.4 1.6
Heat capacity of liquid at inlet (J/kg C), cpi
o
3954 3900 3808 3618
Heat capacity of liquid at outlet(J/kgoC), cpo 3900 3808 3618 2979
Heat losses (W), qL 0 0 0 0
Evaporation rate (kg/s), mv 1.075 1.109 1.142 1.188
Liquid flow rate at the outlet (kg/s), mo 4.481 3.372 2.230 1.042
Solids content at the outlet, xo 0.112 0.148 0.224 0.479
Heating steam/vapour flow rate (kg /s), m s 1.179 1.075 1.109 1.142
Heating steam/vapour temperature ( C), Ts o
75 70.2 64.7 56.9
 CONDENSER
Heat transf. area 150 m2
Overal heat transf. coef. 2500 W/m2oC
Cooling water flow rate in 147.2 kg/s
Cooling water temper. in 25 oC
Water vapour temper. in 35.7 oC
Cooling water temp. out 29.7 oC
Condensation temperat. 35.7 oC
Water vapour pressure 0.058 atm
Backward-Feed 4-Effect Evaporator

Control panel
SWITCH= 1

FINISHED

0.000

Input data
Feed flow rate, mf = 20000 kg/h
Feed solids content, xf = 9%
Desired product solids content, Xspec = 48%
Feed temperature, Tf = 60 oC
Temperature of the environment, Te = 20 oC
Overall Heat transfer coeffic. for heat losses, Ulos= 0 W/m2oC
Outside Area of each effect of the evaporator, AoL= 50 m2
Cooling water temper. at the inlet of the cond., Twin= 25 oC

Control variables
Steam temperature, Ts = 75 oC
Mass flow rate of cooling water in the conden.,mWin = 220000 kg/h

Results
Concentrated product flow rate, m p= 3745 kg/h
Solids content at the outlet, x p= 48.1%
Steam consumption, m s= 4327 kg/h
Steam economy 3.8 kg/kg
Cooling water flow rate, m Win= 220000 kg/h
 1st EFFECT 2nd EFFECT 3rd EFFECT 4th EFFECT
Heat transfer area (m2), A 270 270 270 270
Overall heat transfer coef. (W/m C), 2o
U 1214 1400 1270 1044
Liquid flow rate at the inlet (kg/s), mi 2.202 3.312 4.350 5.556
Solids content at the inlet, xi 0.227 0.151 0.115 0.090
Liquid temperature at the inlet ( C),
o
Ti 57.7 49.6 40.5 60.0
Boiling temperature (oC), Tb 66.5 57.7 49.6 40.5
Saturation temperature ( C),
o
Tv 64.9 57.2 49.3 40.3
Saturation pressure (atm), P 0.246 0.173 0.118 0.074
Temperature drop (oC), 8.5 7.2 7.7 8.8
Boiling Point Elevation (oC), BPE 1.6 0.4 0.3 0.2
Heat capacity of liquid at inlet (J/kg C), cpi
o
3611 3801 3892 3954
Heat capacity of liquid at outlet(J/kgoC), cpo 2974 3611 3801 3892
Heat losses (W), qL 0 0 0 0
Evaporation rate (kg/s), mv 1.162 1.110 1.037 1.206
Liquid flow rate at the outlet (kg/s), mo 1.040 2.202 3.312 4.350
Solids content at the outlet, xo 0.481 0.227 0.151 0.115
Heating steam/vapour flow rate (kg /s), m s 1.202 1.162 1.110 1.037
Heating steam/vapour temperature ( C), Ts o
75 64.9 57.2 49.3
 CONDENSER
Heat transf. area 150 m2
Overal heat transf. coef. 2500 W/m2oC
Cooling water flow rate in 61.1 kg/s
Cooling water temper. in 25 oC
Water vapour temper. in 40.3 oC
Cooling water temp. out 36.4 oC
Condensation temperat. 40.2 oC
Water vapour pressure 0.074 atm