OPERATING EXPERIENCE WITH A FALLING-FILM PLATE EVAPORATOR

Since the 1992 campaign, the evaporator station of the Waghausel sugar factory (Sudzucker AG Mannheim/Ochsenfurt) has been equipped with a f alling-film plate evaporator in the thick juice stage. This evaporator which has a heating surface of 1500 m2, was supplied by Balcke-Durr A G. In order to install it, the steam chamber of a natural recirculatin g (Robert evaporator) was removed and a plate evaporator module integr ated in the pressure tank, it being possible to retain the peripheral piping to a large extent. In 1993 the significantly improved juice dis tribution in comparison with the campaign of 1992, permitted steady op eration with the heating surface being uniformly wetted with juice. Th e heat transfer behaviour and the colour formation were studied and co mpared with the evaporators connected in series. The effects of the ne w evaporator on the overall pressure difference in the evaporator stat ion were also observed.