Vacuum systems Thermal efficiency

Figure 6-34. Rough estimates of thermal efficiency of various vacuum producing systems. By permission, Ryans, J. L. and Croll, S., Chem. Eng., V. 88, No. 25,1981, p. 72 [22].

Pressure/vacuum, 435, 466 Vacuum systems, 343 Absolute pressure conversions, 363 Air inleakage, 366 Calculations, 366-375 Dissolved gases release, 368 Estimated air inleakage, table, 366 Evacuation time, 371 Maximum air leakage, chart, 367 Specific air inleakage rates, 368 Temperature approach, 375 Classifications, 343 Diagrams, 380 Pressure drop, 353 Pressure levels, 343, 352 Pressure terminology, 348 Pump down example, 381 Pump down time, 380 Thermal efficiency, 384 Valve codes, 26... 

Two models can explain the events that take place as the droplets dry. One was proposed by Dole and coworkers and elaborated by Rollgen and coworkers [7] and it is described as the charge residue mechanism (CRM). According to this theory, the ions detected in the MS are the charged species that remain after the complete evaporation of the solvent from the droplet. The ion evaporation model affirms that, as the droplet radius gets lower than approximately 10 nm, the emission of the solvated ions in the gas phase occurs directly from the droplet [8,9]. Neither of the two is fully accepted by the scientific community. It is likely that both mechanisms contribute to the generation of ions in the gas phase. They both take place at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, and this avoids thermal decomposition of the analytes and allows a more efficient desolvation of the droplets, compared to that under vacuum systems. In Figure 8.1, a schematic of the ionization process is described. 

Figure 23-10 Rough estimates of thermal efficiency of various vacuum-producing systems.

Since steam jets can handle large volumes of low-density vapor, thermal recompression is better suited than mechanical recompression to vacuum evaporation. Jets are cheaper and easier to maintain than blowers and compressors. The chief disadvantages of thermal recompression are the low efficiency of the jets and lack of flexibility in the system toward changed operating conditions. 

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