Segmented Falling Film Evaporator for Non-Condensable Gas Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing falling film evaporators are not suitable for large-scale use due to their heavy construction and are ineffective when using contaminating vapour flows containing non-condensable gases as a heat source, as they fail to efficiently manage and purify the condensate and vapor.
Innovation Solution
The evaporator design features multiple tube bundles with individual tube plates and collecting manifolds, allowing for effective heat transfer and purification of condensate, with self-cleaning surfaces and compartments for parallel or series coupling, and includes features like inclined tube plates and throttling openings to manage non-condensable gases and support structures for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a single tube bundle with internal parallel tubes is used, then the evaporator structure is compact, but the evaporator becomes heavy and unsuitable for large-scale applications
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into multiple independent tube bundles, each with its own tube plate and collecting manifold. This segmentation allows each bundle to be lighter and easier to handle while maintaining overall evaporator capacity through parallel arrangement, resolving the contradiction between compactness and weight for large-scale applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If contaminating vapour flows containing non-condensable gases are used as heat source, then alternative heat sources become available, but the evaporator fails to efficiently purify the condensate
Solution Approach 1:
Non-condensable gases are extracted from the vapour flow through dedicated discharge conduits positioned at the upper part of the vapour inlet chamber. This extraction prevents contamination of the condensate while allowing the use of flexible heat sources containing non-condensable gases, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and purification reliability.
3Device complexity
If vertical tubes are closed at upper end with internal parallel tubes, then vapour flow path is controlled, but the construction becomes heavy and complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of complex internal parallel tubes within single vertical tubes, the invention uses multiple separate vertical tubes arranged in bundles. Each tube is simpler in construction, and the bundle arrangement achieves the same vapour flow control function with reduced overall weight and complexity.
4Reliability
If multiple tube bundles with individual tube plates are used, then the evaporator can handle contaminating vapour flows and purify condensate effectively, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is segmented into multiple independent tube bundles with individual tube plates and collecting manifolds. This segmentation provides modular units that can be arranged in parallel or series, achieving effective condensate purification through distributed vapour-liquid contact while maintaining manageable complexity through standardization of each bundle unit.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tube bundle is designed as a universal module that performs multiple functions: heat transfer, condensate collection, and non-condensable gas discharge. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by eliminating the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables efficient heat transfer, effective desuperheating, and easy maintenance, allowing for the use of contaminating vapour flows while ensuring the condensate is purified and the evaporator is lightweight, suitable for large-scale applications.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-releasing condensable vapour can be fed to the vertical tubes from below upwards, and whereby to the upper end of the tube bundle a heat-receiving, vaporizing liquid can be led to flow down the outer surface of the vertical tubes
Implementation Method 2
a heat-releasing condensable vapour can be fed to the vertical tubes from below upwards
Implementation Method 3
a heat-receiving, vaporizing liquid can be led to flow down the outer surface of the vertical tubes as a thin liquid layer
Implementation Method 4
the vapour flowing upwards against the condensate flow purifies the condensate effectively by stripping
Data Source
AI summary
A falling film evaporator, includes an outer shell formed by a cylindrical shell and convex ends, at least one tube bundle formed of vertical tubes arranged inside the outer shell, whereby a heat-releasing, condensable vapor can be fed into the vertical tubes from below upwards, and a heat-receiving, vaporizable liquid can be fed to the upper end of the tube bundle to flow downwards along the outer surface of the vertical tubes as a thin liquid layer, whereby an element for discharging non-condensable gases contained in the heat-releasing vapor has been arranged in the tube bundle. The evaporator includes two or more tube bundles each being provided with a tube plate of its own, whereby the vertical tubes of each tube bundle are at their lower ends attached to the tube plate of the corresponding tube bundle and at their upper ends to collecting manifolds of the corresponding tube bundle.