Steps in the Design Calculation of a Triple Effect Evaporator

1. The temperature or pressure of the steam and the operating temperature/pressure

in the last effect should be given
2. Find the properties at these given conditions
3. Make an overall material balance and solute balance
4. Assume equal evaporation, then compute the values of P1, P2, x1 and x2.
5. Assume the temperature at TV1sat and TV2sat, it should be in between the
temperatures of steam (TS) and the boiling point temperature of water in the last
effect.
6. For NaOH-H2O system: at TV1sat, TV2sat, x1 and x2 read the value of TP1 and TP2
from the Duhring plot.
For other systems, estimate BPR and determine the value of TP1 and TP2
7. Sum up the BPR from each effect
8. Calculate the ΔToverall = Tsteam – Tboiling pt. of water in last effect
9. Calculate the ΔTeffective = ΔToverall – ΣBPR
10. Determine ΔT1, ΔT2, and ΔT3 using the equations:
 1 U1 
T1  Teffective  
1 U1  1 U 2  1 U 3 
 1 U2 
T2  Teffective  
 1 U1  1 U 2  1 U 3 
 1 U3 
T3  Teffective  
1 U1  1 U 2  1 U 3 
11. Calculate the true value of TV1 and TV2,
start from ΔT3 = TV2-TP3; ΔT2 = TV1 - TP2; ΔT1 = TS - TP1
12. Determine the properties of the vapor such as HV1 and HV2, and the properties of
the solution such as hP1, hP2
13. Compute the values of V1, V2, V3 and S using the material and energy balances
------------------------------------------- iteration starts here ------------------------------------
14. Calculate the areas using the following equations:

S ( H S  hC1 ) V (H  h ) V (H  h )
A1  A2  1 V 1 C 2 A3  2 V 2 C 3
U1T1 U 2 T2 U 3T3
15. If the areas are equal or almost equal, these can now be considered as the final
design values, no longer proceeding to the next step. If the areas are not equal,
repeat the procedure by getting the mean area and proceed to the next step

A1T1  A2 T2  A3T3

AM 
T1  T2  T3

16. Calculate the new values of the ΔT where

 T1,new  T1  A1  T2,new  T2  A2  T3,new  T3  3 
A
 AM   AM   AM 
17. Determine the new values of TV1, TV2, TP1, and TP2 where the concentrations and
BPR values are fixed
18. Determine the new values of HV1, HV2, hP1, and hP2
19. Determine the new values of V1, V2, V3 and S using material and energy balances.
20. [Return to step 14]

Another solution:

1. Assume equal heating areas

q1  q2  q3

1 1T1  A2U 2 T2  A3U 3 T3

AU

U1T1  U 2 T2  U 3 T3

U1 U1
T2  T1 T3  T1
U2 U3

2. Calculate ΣΔT = ΔToverall = Tsteam – Tb.p. of solution in last effect

T  T1  T2  T3  Toverall

T1  TS  TP1
T1  TV 1  TP 2
T1  TV 2  TP3