Evaporators Recirculated

Fig. 38. Caustic purification system a, 50% caustic feed tank b, 50% caustic feed pumps c, caustic feed preheater d, amonia feed pumps e, ammonia feed preheater f, extractor g, trim heater h, ammonia subcooler i, stripper condenser j, anhydrous ammonia storage tank k, primary flash tank 1, evaporator reboiler m, evaporator n, caustic product transfer pumps o, purified caustic product cooler p, purified caustic storage tank q, ammonia stripper r, purified caustic transfer pumps t, overheads condenser u, evaporator v, evaporator vacuum pump w, aqueous storage ammonia tank x, ammonia scmbber y, scmbber condenser 2, ammonia recirculating pump aa, ammonia recycle pump. CW stands for chilled water.

Vacuum flash processes, which operate under the atmospheric boiling point of the solution, include the Uhde—LG. Farbenindustrie process and the closely related Kestner process (22). In these, ammonia, nitric acid, and recirculated ammonium nitrate solution are fed into the neutralizer. Hot solution overflows to an intermediate tank and then to a flash evaporator kept at 18—20 kPa (0.18—0.2 atm) absolute pressure. Partial evaporation of water at this point cools and concentrates the solution, part of which is routed to evaporation. The rest is circulated to the neutralizer. 

When the dryer is seen as a heat exchanger, the obvious perspective is to cut down on the enthalpy of the air purged with the evaporated water. Minimum enthalpy is achieved by using the minimum amount of air and cooling as low as possible. A simple heat balance shows that for a given heat input, minimum air means a high inlet temperature. However, this often presents problems with heat-sensitive material and sometimes with materials of constmction, heat source, or other process needs. AH can be countered somewhat by exhaust-air recirculation. 

Some use is being made of lower grade heat sources, such as moist air from driers, and the constmction of auxiHaries, such as condensers, integral with the evaporator body. A further step is elimination of the conventional condenser—cooling tower—vacuum pump circuit by recirculating last-effect Hquor over the equivalent of a cooling tower built as an integral part of the evaporator body. 

The system shown in Fig. 11-75 is direct expansion where diy or slightly superheated vapor leaves the evaporator. Such systems are predominantly used in small applications because of their simplicity and light weight. For the systems where efficiency is crucial (large industrial systems), recirculating systems (Fig. 11-77) are more appropriate. 

Direct-expansions are more appropriate for smaller systems which should be compact, and where there are just one or few evaporators. Overfeed (recirculation) systems should be considered for aU applications where first cost for additional equipment (surge drums, low-pressure receivers, refrigerant pumps, and accessories) is lower than the savings for the evaporator surface. 

FIG. 11-122 Evaporator types, a) Forced circulation, (h) Siibmerged-tiihe forced circulation, (c) Oslo-type crystallizer, (d) Short-tube vertical, (e) Propeller calandria. (f) Long-tube vertical, (g) Recirculating long-tube vertical, (h) Falling film, (ij) Horizontal-tube evaporators. G = condensate F = feed G = vent P = product S = steam V = vapor ENT T = separated entrainment outlet. 

FIG. 11-125 Flow sheets for seawater evaporators, a) Multiple effect (falling film), (h) Multistage flash (once-through). (c) Multistage flash (recirculating). 

Example 4 Evaporative Cooling Air at 95 F dry-bulb temperature and 70 F wet-bulb temperature contacts a water spray, where its relative humidity is increased to 90 percent. The spray water is recirculated makeup water enters at 70 F. Determine exit dry-bulb temperature, wet-bulb temperature, change in enthalpy of the air, and quantity of moisture added per pound of dry air. 

Blowdown discards a portion of the concentrated circulating water due to the evaporation process in order to lower the system solids concentration. The amount of blowdown can be calculated according to the number of cycles of concentration required to limit scale formation. Cycles of concentration are the ratio of dissolved sohds in the recirculating water to dissolved solids in the makeup water. Since chlorides remain soluble on concentration, cycles of concentration are best expressed as the ratio of the chloride content of the circulating and makeup waters. Thus, the blowdown quantities required are determined from... 

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