GEA meVap® Evaporation

GEA’s meVap® evaporation system is an industrial heat pump solution based on proven Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) technology. 

By reusing vapor as a heating medium, the system can help reduce the requirement for live steam and associated operating costs, depending on the specific plant configuration and energy mix.

Thermal separation processes, such as evaporation, are energy-intensive. In the course of its development, the aim to efficiently use this energy and reduce costs first led to single-effect plants heated by live steam, then to multiple-effect plants, then to thermal vapor recompression, and finally to the use of mechanical vapor recompression systems. 

In conventional evaporation plants, the energy content of the vapor stream produced is either lost or only partially reused. In comparison, mechanical vapor recompression allows the continuous recycling of this energy stream by recompressing the vapor to a higher pressure and, therefore, a higher temperature.

The compressed vapor can be used to heat the shell side of the evaporator. Instead of live steam, electric energy is used indirectly to heat the plant.

 

Supporting electrification and heat reuse in evaporation processes

GEA meVap® Evaporation can be integrated into diverse process configurations, supporting customers in: 

• Optimizing their energy consumption with process-design options focused on energy use, heat integration and utility requirements.
• Reusing process heat for internal steam demands.
• Increasing plant efficiency through heat integration.

By supporting electrified steam generation and process heat reuse, GEA meVap® Evaporation can contribute to lower direct fossil fuel use in suitable applications. The actual environmental impact depends on operating conditions, the energy source used and the overall plant concept.

How does the meVap® Evaporation work?

An electrically driven compressor draws in the steam and increases its pressure and temperature in a single or multi-stage configuration. This raises the steam to a higher energy level, enabling it to be used directly as a heating medium.

The process vapor is recompressed to the pressure of the corresponding heating steam temperature of the evaporator, using a small amount of electrical energy compared to the enthalpy recovered in the vapor. The energy of the vapor condensate is frequently utilized for the preheating of the product feed. 

Depending on the operating conditions of the plant, a small quantity of additional steam or the condensation of a small quantity of excess vapor may be required to maintain the overall evaporator heat balance and to ensure stable operating conditions, especially during start-up.

Due to their simplicity and maintenance-friendly design, single stage centrifugal fans (supplied as high-pressure fans) are used in evaporation plants. They operate at high flow velocities and are therefore suited for large flow rates at vapor compression ratios of 1:1.2 to 1:2. Rotational speeds typically ranges from 3,000 up to 12,000 rpm. For high pressure increases, multiple fans can be used.