Summary

The experiment here on evaporator, is a part of study of evaporation system as an important

unit operation for many industries that needs concentrating feeds, products or other liquids.
Here, we operated a single effect evaporator and obtained characteristics of a single effect
evaporator and calculated the steam economy. We evaporated the working fluid water with
saturated steam of 10 psig, introduced to the steam chest of the evaporator. Feed (water) was
stored in the still and steam was passed through coil. The feed water turned to vapor by
absorbing heat from steam. The newly formed vapor was passed through entrainment
separator and then condensed in condenser and collected in a storage tank to find out the total
amount of vapor formed. The condensed steam was also measured to find out the total
amount of steam used and to calculate steam economy. To show the time required to reach
steady state a plot of condensation rate of the evaporated water vs. Time was drawn. Through
material and energy balance, heat loss was 88309.78088 KJ and steam economy was
0.242076.

Observed Data:
Weight of bucket 1
Weight of bucket 2

= 1.45 lb
= 2.95 lb (first one)
= 3.7 lb (second one)

Steam pressure
= 10 psig
Feed Temperature
= 78oF
Heat exchanger data,
Temperature of cooling water,

Inlet
= 78oF
Outlet
= 91oF
Cooling water flow data,
Using flow meter,
1st set = 10L/44.91sec
2ndset = 10L/43.87sec
Using outlet data,
1st set = 8.65lb/18.37sec
2ndset = 9.6lb/20.04sec
Weight of small bucket
= 0.65lb

Table 1: Observed data for a single effect evaporator.

Water
No of
evaporated
Vapor
Still
obs
Time
level in tank
Temp
Temp
(min)
downward
(oF)
(oF)
(cm)
3
76
102
83.7
1
6.5
80
131
83.7
2
9
88
148
83.7
3
12
94
164
83.7
4
15
106
178
83.7
5
18
118
182
83.7
6
21
130
187
83.7
7
24
144
195
83.7
8
27
186
204
83.7
9
30
212
206
83.7
10
33
212
206
83.7
11
36
212
206
83.56
12
39
212
206
83.4
13
42
212
206
83.2
14
45
212
206
83
15
48
212
206
82.7
16
51
212
206
82.4
17
54
212
206
82.1
18
57
212
206
81.8
19
60
212
206
81.4
20
63
212
206
81.1
21
66
212
206
80.7
22
69
212
206
80.2
23
72
212
206
80
24
75
212
206
79.7
25
78
212
206
79.4
26
81
212
206
79.1
27

Time
(min)

Weight of steam
condensed +
bucket (lb)

3
3.5
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

12.7
12.4
7
8.2
5.9
7
5.5
8
5.4
8.1
5.45
7.9
5.6
8.9
4.9
7.2
5.5
7.8
5.7
7.5
5.1
7.7
5.1
7.6
5.9
7.9
5.2

Calculated Data:
Table 2: Calculated data for different flow rates of a single effect evaporator.

No of
obs

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

Time (min)

Cumulative
Water
Level (m)

Mass of
Condensed
Vapor (kg)

Vapor
Condensate
(kg/sec)

Mass of
Steam
Condensed
(kg)

Steam
Condensate
Rate
(kg/sec)

3
6.5
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
33
36
39
42
45
48
51
54
57
60
63
66
69
72
75
78
81

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0014
0.0030
0.0050
0.0070
0.0100
0.0130
0.0160
0.0190
0.0230
0.0260
0.0300
0.0350
0.0370
0.0400
0.0430
0.0460

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.415142
0.889590
1.482650
2.075710
2.965300
3.854890
4.744480
5.634070
6.820190
7.709780
8.895900
10.37855
10.97161
11.86120
12.75079
13.64038

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.002306
0.002635
0.003294
0.003294
0.004942
0.004942
0.004942
0.004942
0.006589
0.004942
0.006589
0.008236
0.003294
0.004942
0.004942
0.004942

5.101875
9.387500
11.90440
14.28530
16.30330
17.79990
19.63660
21.58665
23.377975
25.373375
27.18737
29.092075
30.97410
33.33230
34.896875
36.484125
38.32080
40.18015
42.107525
43.830825
45.48610
47.30010
48.955375
50.724025
52.74210
54.64680
56.34740

0.028343
0.020407
0.016779
0.013227
0.011211
0.008314
0.010203
0.010833
0.009951
0.011085
0.010077
0.010581
0.010455
0.013101
0.008692
0.008818
0.010203
0.010329
0.010707
0.009573
0.009195
0.010077
0.009195
0.009825
0.011211
0.010581
0.009447

Table 3: Calculated data for steam economy and heat duty of a single effect evaporator.

1
2

Cumulative
mass of
vapor
condensate
(kg)
0
0

3
4
5

0
0
0

11.9044
14.2853
16.3033

0
0
0

26368838.84
31642650.91
36112621.4

0
0
0

26368838.84
31642650.91
36112621.4

6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

0
0
0
0
0
0
0.415142
0.88959
1.48265
2.07571
2.9653
3.85489
4.74448
5.63407
6.82019
7.70978
8.8959
10.37855
10.97161
11.8612
12.75079
13.64038

17.7999
19.6366
21.58665
23.377975
25.373375
27.18737
29.092075
30.9741
33.3323
34.896875
36.484125
38.3208
40.18015
42.107525
43.830825
45.4861
47.3001
48.955375
50.724025
52.7421
54.6468
56.3474

0
0
0
0
0
0
0.01427
0.02872
0.04448
0.05948
0.08128
0.10060
0.11808
0.13380
0.15560
0.16950
0.18807
0.21200
0.21630
0.22489
0.23333
0.24208

39427664.94
43496046.9
47815504.77
51783378.85
56203289.22
60221378.48
64440394.91
68609174.01
73832704.45
77298315.99
80814153.78
84882480.38
89001033.22
93270264.83
97087460.15
100753976.7
104772077
108438593.6
112356241.4
116826378.1
121045383.4
124812297.1

0
0
0
0
0
0
1110946.146
2380598.884
3967664.807
5554730.73
7935329.614
10315928.5
12696527.38
15077126.27
18251258.11
20631857
23805988.84
27773653.65
29360719.57
31741318.46
34121917.34
36502516.22

39427664.94
43496046.9
47815504.77
51783378.85
56203289.22
60221378.48
63329448.76
66228575.13
69865039.64
71743585.26
72878824.17
74566551.88
76304505.84
78193138.56
78836202.04
80122119.71
80966088.2
80664939.95
82995521.86
85085059.6
86923466.07
88309780.88

No of
obs

Cumulative
weight of
steam (kg)

Steam
economy

Heat
recovered by
steam (KJ)

Heat
absorbed by
water (KJ)

Heat loss
(KJ)

5.101875
9.3875

0
0

11300907.2
20793780

0
0

11300907.2
20793780

Sample Calculation:
For observation no. 25,
Steam condensate collected (with bucket 1)

= 5.9 lb

Steam condensate collected (without bucket 1)

= (5.9-1.45) lb
= 4.45 lb
= (4.45 0.4535) kg
= 2.018075 kg

Perimeter of storage tank = 76 inch

= 1.9304 m

Inner radius of storage tank, r

= 0.30723 m
Increase in height of condensate in drum, h

= (83.7-79.7) cm
= 0.03 m

Volume of vapor condensate, V

D2h

(0.30723) 2 0.03 0.0118612 m 3

From steam table,

Steam pressure = 10 psig

= 24.7 psia

At 24.7 psia,

Tsat = 115.203 oC

Enthalpy of evaporation,

Hv1 = 2215.0498 kJ / kg

Condenser pressure

= 14.7 Psia,

Tsat = 100

Enthalpy of evaporation,

Hv2 = 2676.063 kJ/ kg

Calculation of Steam Economy,

Water vapor condensed in the condenser = Water evaporated in the feed tank
From Franzini (Table: A-1)
Density of water, = 1000 kg /m3
For observation no 25,
Mass of water evaporated, m

= (0.0118612 1000) kg
= 11.8612 kg

Cumulative mass of water evaporate

= 11.8612 kg

Cumulative mass of steam condensate

= 52.7421 kg

Cumulate steam economy = (Cumulative mass of water evaporated / Cumulative mass of

steam)
= (11.8612 / 52.7421)
= 0.2245
Over all,
Total mass of steam condensate, m1 = 56.34740 kg
Total mass of water evaporated, m2 = 13.64038 kg
Overall steam economy = (Total mass of water evaporated / Total mass of steam consumed)
= (13.64038 / 56.34740)
= 0.24207

Calculation of Heat Duty,

Cumulative heat released from steam, Q1

= m25S Hv1
= (52.7421 x 2215.0498) KJ
= 116826.3781 KJ

Overall heat released from steam, Q1,ov

= mtotal Hv1
= (56.34740 2215.0498) KJ
= 124812.2971 KJ

Cumulative heat recovered by water, Q2

= m25W Hv2
= (11.8612 2676.063) KJ
= 31741.31846 KJ

Overall heat recovered by water, Q2,ov

= mtotal Hv2
= (13.64038 2676.063) KJ
= 36502.51622 KJ

Cumulative heat loss, H

= Q1 Q2
= (116826.3781 31741.31846) KJ
= 85085.0596 KJ

Overall heat loss, H

= Q1,ov Q2,ov
= (124812.2971 36502.51622) KJ
= 88309.78088 KJ

Result and Discussion:

a) Graphical presentation:
Plot of condensation rate of the evaporated water vs. Time.

Evaporation rate vs cumulative time

0.009

0.008

0.007

0.006

0.005

Evaporation
0.004
rate
(kg/sec)
0.003

0.002

0.001

0
0
-0.001

1000

2000

3000

4000

Time(sec)

Figure 3: Plot of condensation rate of the evaporated water vs. Time.

5000

6000

b) Overall performance data for the single effect evaporator:

Overall Steam
Economy

Overall Heat
Released From
Steam (KJ)

Overall Heat
Recovered By
Water(KJ)

Overall Heat Loss

(KJ)

0.242076

124812297.1

36502516.22

88309780.88

From the tabulated result and graphical data its clear that the obtained steam economy here
is very low. In general for a single effect evaporative system the steam economy is lower or
equal to unity. But we obtained quite a bit lower. It may be due to the fact that,

We actually converted a double effect evaporator to a single effect evaporator in this

experiment by closing some valves. The total unit of heat exchanger was too old to
perform and lost its actual insulation. Therefore, energy could be lost in the
surroundings.

The evaporator here was installed more than fifty years ago and is not serviced or
treated so the heat transfer system is not good.

Again, the entrainment separator used was not properly functioning and liquid water
was leaking.

The inlet steam was collided at the steam chest which was very old and may be some
steam condensed and lost its energy there.

The whole set up was not perfectly insulated so some energy must have lost to the
surrounds.

Since, the experiment is time consuming but need attention at different level like
steam controlling, so result could be varied due to the error reading and steam control.

From the graph, we get that after attaining the suitable boiling temperature the feed started to
boil and its around 2000 seconds or after 33 minutes. The evaporation rate raised up to 50
minutes and became steady a little the again changed or disrupted a bit and finally, became
steady after 75 minutes same level as 50 minutes. So, we can take its the steady evaporation
rate as 0.00494 kg/s.