Evaporation Technology

Multi-Flash Evaporators

Robust, simple and easy maintenance. Multi-Flash Evaporators with shell-and-tube heat exchangers.

multi-flash-evaporator

The Multi-flash Evaporators, thanks to a combination of multiple effect pre-heater systems for heat recovery, followed by multi-stage flash evaporation; result advantageous for applications that involve large throughputs with a relatively low concentration factor -as in the Alumina industry.

For applications with low boiling point elevation, the Multi-flash Evaporators turn out to be quite cost-saving, both from an investment and operational point of view.

Particular features:

  • Robust and simple technology
  • Minimal scaling (no evaporation in a heat exchanger)
  • Easy bypass of a flash stage for cleaning
  • Easy maintenance
  • Few product pumps thanks to gravity transfer between stages 
  • Limited power consumption
  • High number of stages possible to maximize heat recovery
  • Medium heat transfer coefficient compared to falling film. 
  • A 13-stages Multi-flash Evaporator corresponds to a 6-effect Falling Film Evaporator
  • Larger floor space
  • Short turn-down ratio (no recirculation)

Working Principle

Working Principle of Multi-Flash Evaporators
multi-flash-evaporator-workflow

The liquid to be concentrated is heated in a series of heat exchangers and then routed into a cascade of flash vessels with a pressure gradient. 

Upon entering a vessel, part of the liquid flashes into vapor while the remaining liquid is cooled down. 

The produced vapor is used to heat the feed and/or discharge flow, depending on how the flash vessels and heat exchangers are arranged. The required heat input is provided by live steam from the first heat exchanger. 

The liquid is fed to the vessel at the highest pressure and then flows to the next flash vessel by gravity.

evaporation-type-01

Heating options for thermal separation plants

Traditionally, an evaporator or crystallizer is heated by live steam, but waste heat can be used as energy source as well, as long as the amount of energy required for the thermal separation process is given.

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