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Economic and Technical Tradeoffs Between Open and Closed Cycle Vapor Compression Evaporators
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Date
1986-06
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Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu)
Abstract
Evaporators are used extensively in the chemical,
pulp and paper, food and beverage, and related
industries. Mechanical vapor recompression (MVR)
evaporators are a type using an open heat pump
cycle with steam as the working fluid. The technology
is widely used and time-proven. Closed
cycle vapor compression is an emerging technology.
A secondary working fluid such as a halocarbon is
used in a closed heat pump cycle to transfer heat
from the steam condenser to the hottest surface.
Advantages of closed cycle evaporation include
flexibility in working fluid selection, potential
savings in compressor first cost, and isolation of
the compressor from potentially corrosive or troublesome
gases and liquid droplets in the suction
vapor. A major disadvantage of closed cycle evaporation
is that the driving force developed by the
compressor (temperature difference) must be shared
between two heat transfer surfaces, vs. one in the
open cycle design.
This paper explores the advantages and disadvantages
of open and closed cycle evaporators. Factors
considered include working fluid physical
properties and thermodynamics, compressor operating
limits and cost, and surface area sizing and cost.
Description
Keywords
Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) Evaporators, Open and Closed Cycle Evaporation, Economics, Working Fluids, Compressors, Heat Transfer Surface