Evaporation and vaporization are fundamental techniques in thermal separation processes. They are used to concentrate and separate solutions. The solution consists of a solvent (e.g. water) and a non-volatile dissolved substance (e.g. salt). If we are interested in creating a concentrated solution, then we call it evaporating. On the other hand, if we are interested in the solvent, then we call it vaporizing.
Technical applications
Evaporation systems are used in a variety of applications. The most important areas of application are:
- Collecting drinking water via seawater
- Concentrated fruit juices
- Production of evaporated and dried milk
- Concentration of alkalis
- Thickening of molasses, gelatine and glue
- Crystallization of salt and sugar
Technical Data
Material separation with a two-stage evaporation system:
Steam generator:
- Power: 22 kWel
- Steam quantity: 0-28 kg/h
Pumps:
- Feeding pump: 0-30 l/h
- Condensate pump: 0-30 l/h
- Vacuum pump: 16 m3/h
Measurement points:
- 16 temperature
- 4 pressure
- 6 flow rate
- 3 conductivity
- 2 filling level
Two natural circulation evaporators (A = 1.5 m2)
Material of the column:
Process control system:
The evaporation system that is used at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture makes it possible to study thermal material separation, apparatus and equipment construction, process control engineering, systems engineering and safety techniques in more depth.