Evaporator rises to meet the compact challenge
12 Jun 2000
The thermal division of Alfa Laval has launched a rising film evaporator which achieves high levels of evaporation within a very compact shape. Believed to be the largest of its type in the world, the new evaporator is aimed primarily for duties within the sugar industry but with the potential for applications in distilleries and large scale chemical processes.
The evaporator has a total heat transfer surface in excess of 2000m2 and a product outlet size of 700mm. The evaporator, named the EC700, will be the first plate evaporator to offer two plate pattern options. The standard, high-theta pattern plate is aimed specifically at the beet sugar market while the L-theta plate, with its low fouling properties, is suitable for cane sugar evaporation duties. The evaporator consists of a plate pack with welded cassettes alternating with traditional gasketted plates. Evaporation takes place in the gasketted channels while the welded channels are reserved for the steam or other heating vapour. An internal system of corrugations promotes high levels of turbulence which help to increase the rate of heat transfer while protecting the plates from differential pressures. Unlike conventional evaporators which use falling film technology, the EC700 employs rising film techniques. This eliminates wetting problems and allows for greater variations in flow. The evaporator is designed to work with lower retention times, smaller hold-up volumes and higher heat transfer coefficients.
Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd and licensors
