Compact Evaporator Design

Compact Evaporator Design Has Multiple Advantages

GEA Process Engineering Inc.'s multi-purpose compact evaporators have numerous advantages that make them excellent choices for dairy, beverage, specialty food, and industrial fluid applications.

• Ideal for heat-sensitive products, up to 20,000 lbs/hr (~9,000kg/h) water removal and boiling temperatures as low as 115°F (46°C).
• Flexible, simple-to-operate process with full automation allows handling of a variety of products.
• Low maintenance costs, with stainless steel components and minimum moving parts.
• Tubular design with few gaskets minimizes the possibility of vacuum leaks.
• 3A approved in compliance with dairy processing requirements.
• Complete incorporation of CIP provisions if necessary.
• Modular design with low headroom and small footprint fits easily into existing buildings.
• Fully skid-mounted, pre-assembled unit allows easy site installation without extensive foundation work.

Compact Evaporator

The compact evaporator operates by the simple falling film principle, in which fluid is pumped into the top of each calandria through a liquid distributor and flows down the inside of each tube as a thin liquid film. Hot vapors condense on the outside tube walls, releasing heat that is transferred to the fluid. Vigorous boiling takes place as the fluid is falling vertically at turbulent conditions. Concentrate plus product vapors exit the tube bottoms, to be separated in the calandria bottom and integral separator. Fluid may be concentrated in one or more effects in series, flowing parallel to or counterflow with the vapor flow. All condensed vapors are removed from the calandria shells as liquid condensate. Waste heat is absorbed in a surface condenser.

Heating of the evaporator is typically by live steam or by thermal vapor recompression (TVR), with some vapors recycled for improved efficiency. More information on energy efficiency is available in the Energy Management / Energy Optimization section.

This evaporator design is functionally identical to the time-tested and broadly accepted long-tube falling film evaporators that are so extensively used for food, pharmaceutical, and many industrial applications.