14.7.3. 14.7.3. Natural circulation evaporators
Whilst each of the previous types of evaporator is of considerable importance in a given
industry, it is the steam-heated evaporator that is the most widely used unit in the process
industries and this is now considered in detail. In Chapter 9 of Volume 1, it is shown that
the movement of the liquid over the heating surface has a marked influence on the rate
of heat transfer, and it is thus convenient to classify evaporators according to the method
of agitation or the nature of the circulation of the liquor over the heating surface. On this
basis evaporators may be divided into three main types:
(a) Natural circulation units.
(b) Forced circulation units.
(c) Film-type units.
The developments that have taken place have, in the main, originated from the sugar
and salt industries where the cost of evaporation represents a major factor in the process
economics. In recent years, particular attention has been given to obtaining the most
efficient use of the heating medium, and the main techniques that have been developed
are the use of the multiple-effect unit, and of various forms of vapour compression units.
With natural-circulation evaporators, circulation of the liquor is achieved by convection
currents arising from the heating surface. This group of evaporators may be subdivided
according to whether the tubes are horizontal with the steam inside, or vertical with the
steam outside.
Rillieux is usually credited with first using horizontal tubes, and a unit of this type is
shown in Figure 14.17. The horizontal tubes extend between two tube plates to which they
are fastened either by packing plates or, more usually, by expansion. Above the heating
section is a cylindrical portion in which separation of the vapour from the liquid takes
place. The vapour leaves through some form of de-entraining device to prevent the carryover
of liquid droplets with the vapour stream. The steam enters one steam chest, passes
through the tubes and out into the opposite chest, and the condensate leaves through a
steam trap. Horizontal evaporators are relatively cheap, require low head room, are easy
to install, and are suitable for handling liquors that do not crystallise. They can be used
either as batch or as continuous units, and the shell is generally 1–3.5 m diameter and
2.5–4 m high. The liquor circulation is poor, and for this reason such units are unsuitable
for viscous liquors.
The use of vertical tubes is associated with Robert, and this type is sometimes known
as the Robert or Standard Evaporator. A typical form of vertical evaporator is illustrated
in Figure 14.18, in which a vertical cylindrical body is used, with the tubes held between
two horizontal tube plates which extend right across the body. The lower portion of the
evaporator is frequently spoken of as the calandria section shown in Figure 14.19. Tubes
are 1–2 m in length and 37–75 mm diameter, giving ratio of length to inside diameter
of the tubes of 20–40. In the basket type shown in Figure 14.20 vertical tubes are used
with the steam outside, though the heating element is suspended in the body so as to give
an annular downtake. The advantages claimed for this design are that the heating unit is
easily removed for repairs, and that crystals formed in the downcomer do not break up.
As the circulation of the liquor in the tubes is better, the vertical tube evaporator is used
widely in the sugar and salt industries where throughputs are very large.