SUGAR EVAPORATORS
by John Ziegler
Multiple effect evaporation has been
used in the sugar industry for many
years to economically increase the
concentration of 12 - 15% thin juice
to thick, juice syrup of 60 - 65% sugar.
The basic principle is that each ton of
steam entering the first body of a
quintuple effect evaporator evaporates
about five tons of water since the
vapor from each body boils juice in
the following body at a lower tempera­
ture. This is not exactly so because of
minor gains and losses from liquor and
condensate flash, boiling point eleva­
tion, variation in latent heat and so
forth but nearly enough true for an
understanding of the fundamental op­
eration.
HEAT TRANSFER
The amount of evaporation pro­
duced in a given body increases in pro­
portion to the heating surface area, the
difference in temperature between con­
densing vapor in the calandria and juice
in the body, and with the coefficient
of heat transfer over the heating sur­
face. Heat transfer varies with the
fluidity of the juice, the average velo­
city of juice across the tubes and tube
sheets, the cleanliness of the heating
surface regarding insulating scale, the
amount of non-condensible gases such
as air and ammonia present in the cal­
andria, and the presence of insulating
condensate on the vapor side of the
heating surface.
ECONOMY AND CAPACITY
A six effect evaporator will evapo­
rate twice as much water per ton of
steam as a three effect. In raw cane
mills where bagasse is used as fuel, eco­
nomy is not so important and three or
four effect evaporators are common.
In beet factories, economy is very im­
The Sugar Journal, March 1973
Technical Consultant
Process Control
portant and four to six effects are
used, five being most common in the
United States. Evaporating capacity,
however, for a given total heating sur­
face and given temperature drop from
steam to last body, decreases with the
number of effects because the boiling
point elevation of juice in each body
is lost from the total temperature drop.
The rule governing multiple effect
evaporation is that no body will evap­
orate more than the slowest one. In a
quintuple effect evaporator, if No. 3
ceased to boil due to very low juice
level, all the other bodies would soon
stop boiling because no third vapor
would be available to heat number 4
and 5; Number 1 and 2 would also
stop because vapor from No. 2 would
not condense in the calandria of No. 3.
First and second body temperatures
would rise almost to the temperature
of steam in the first body calandria.
The temperatures of 3rd, 4th, and 5th
bodies would fall almost to the tem­
perature of 5th body produced by the
condenser vacuum. Almost but not
quite due to the boiling point elevation
of juice in each body.
TEMPERATURE GRADIENT
In a quintuple effect evaporator,
the heating surface is not necessarily
the same in each body and the coeffi­
cient of heat transfer varies from about
2
550 BTU/hr/°F/ft. (2700 Kg.Cal/hr./
2
° C / m e t e r ) in first body to around
half this in the last body due to the in­
creasing syrup viscosity. An evaporator
will establish its own temperature gra­
dient from body to body to arrive at
equal evaporation in each effect. Of the
total available temperature drop from
first calandria to last body, the drop
over each body from 1st to 5th might
be 1 0 , 1 2 , 1 5 , 25 and 38% of the total.
This is only a typical distribution.
The temperature gradient in a given
evaporator is a valuable tool to trace
trouble in operation. For example,-if
the temperature drop over 4th body
increases and the drop over the other
heating surfaces decreases, it is a good
sign that No. 4 surface is scaling, or
condensate is not being well drained,
or non-condensible gases are not being
effectively removed from N o . 4 calan­
dria.
V A P O R WITHDRAWAL
Even in the older "low pressure"
beet factories where exhaust steam
pressure is around one atmosphere
gage, first and second vapors are used
for process heating in place of live or
exhaust steam because of the increased
steam economy that results. In the
more modern "high pressure" plants,
exhaust steam pressure of 3 atmos­
pheres gage is used and the correspond­
ing increased evaporator vapor temp­
eratures make 3rd, 4th and even 5th
vapor useful for many heating loads,
resulting in further economy. This can
best be shown by an example. In a
straight quintuple effect evaporator,
one ton of steam produces five tons
of evaporation. If, in addition, a vac­
uum pan or other heating load requires
one ton of steam, the total usage is
two tons. But is 1st vapor is at a suf­
ficiently high temperature to do the
heating, it can be used instead of ex­
haust steam. The ton of first vapor re­
quires only an additional 0.8 ton of ex­
haust steam to first body which boils
1.8 tons and the other four bodies
0.8 tons each, making the total evapo­
ration 5 tons as before. A ton of first
vapor is obtained from only 4/5 ton
of additional exhaust steam. A ton of
second vapor requires only 3/5 ton
more exhaust; third vapor, 2/5 and so
forth and fifth vapor is free if it can do
useful heating of something besides
47
 condenser water. Thus, for economy,
vapor at the lowest usable temperature
should be used for heating.

SMITHFIELD SUGAR If no vapor (other than 5th to the

condenser) is withdrawn from a 5 ef­
fect evaporator, the steam used is equal
COOPERATIVE, Inc. to 5th vapor and the evaporation is
equal to 5th vapor and the evaporation
is equal to 5 times the amount of 5th
vapor. If other vapors are withdrawn,
Route 1 Box 350 steam used is equal to 1st + 2nd + 3rd

Port Allen, La. 7 0 7 6 7 + 4th + 5th vapor and the evaporation

produced is equal to 1st vapor + 2 x
2nd vapor + 3 x 3rd vapor + 4 x 4th
vapor + 5 x 5th vapor.
JUICE LEVEL
A given set of evaporators with fixed
Operating for 1973 Crop maximum exhaust steam temperature
and fixed minimum last body tempera­
ture, can evaporate only so many tons
of water per hour. But if not operated
properly, the maximum evaporation
obtainable can fall far below that a-
POPLAR GROVE mount. One of the most important
variables affecting capacity is the juice
level carried in each body. As already
AND noted, heat transfer increases with
juice velocity on a heating surface and

SMITHFIELD FACTORIES there is one best level in an evaporator

body that gives the highest average vel­
ocity on all the available surface. If
level is carried too low, boiling juice
does not reach the top part of the
tubes and some heating surface is lost.
If carried too high, the lower part of
the tubes is contacted only by juice
moving very slowly or not at all.

CAIRE & GRAUGNARD For highest evaporating capacity,

P. O. Box 7
Edgard, Louisiana 70049
Telephone: (504) 497-3351
(504) 721-5725
each level should be held as low as
possible and still keep the tops of all
tubes and tube sheet covered with boil­
ing juice and foam. Under this condi­
tion, the level of foam pouring into
the center well will be only an inch or
two above the top tube sheet at that
point. The best operating level for each
body should be determined when the
evaporator is boiling at maximum rate,
the gage glasses marked and level con­
trols, if any, set to hold those levels.
Typical juice level is successive bodies
from first to fifth are 25%, 25%, 30%,
35% and 45% of tube height.

When an evaporator is operating at

Plantation Granulated Sugar
Louisiana High Grade Edible Molasses
less than maximum rate, the foam level
in each body can fall somewhat and the
top tube sheet become visible. This
does no particular harm since it is not
necessary to use all the surface at low
rate. There is no substantial evidence
that juice on "dry tubes" causes loss
or color formation since the juice in
immediate contact with a tube wall is
at the wall temperature whether boil-

48 The Sugar Journal, March 1973

ing or not. It is a mistake to raise juice
levels when an evaporator is operating
at lower rate just to keep the top tube
sheet covered because when juice sup­
ply increases, it requires considerable
time to evaporate juice in each body
WEBRE
down to the optimum level for best
heat transfer. Sudden changes in de­
mand for evaporation can be best ac­
cepted if juice levels are held near op­
SUGAR APPARATUS
timum at all times.
Occasionally "hard boiling" juices
Evaporators
are encountered due to poor process­ Vacuum Pans
ing or from deteriorated beets. Opti­
mum body levels may of necessity be Mechanical Circulators
somewhat higher than normal but the
levels should be returned to the pre­ Condensers
viously determined values when normal
juice is again being evaporated. If ex­ Juice Heaters
cessively foamy juice is encountered
due to faulty beet end operation, body Crystallizers
levels should not be lowered because
heat transfer will suffer. Instead, foam
breaking oil should be added until the DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BY
bad juice purification is corrected.
NON-CONDENSIBLE GASES JACKSON INDUSTRIES, Inc.
Heat transfer from condensing steam
or vapors is drastically reduced by the BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
presence of even small amounts of air
or other gases in the steam. Heat
transfer rates from pure vapors are
P. 0 . Box 397 Phone: (205) 322-8521
very high but even a thin film of air on
a heating surface forms an insulating
layer and, since heat transfer thru gas
films is very low, it is necessary to
eliminate as much gas as possible from
all heating surfaces. Normally exhaust
ST. JAMES SUGAR
steam carries very little gas so the
problem is not great in first body. But COOPERATIVE, INC.
ammonia and other gases from the
juice itself being evaporated must be ST. JAMES, LOUISIANA
continuously removed as well as air
Capacity: 4 0 0 0 Tons cane per 2 4 hours
leakage into bodies operating under
vacuum if good heat transfer is to be EXECUTIVE PERSONNEL
maintained.
Pres.-Manager—F. A . Graugnard, Jr.
Consider a heating surface con­ Vice-Pres.—J. F . Falgoust
sisting of a single tube with steam in­ Sec.-Treas.—Theodore Gravois
side the tube and boiling juice outside. Board of Directors:
At the inlet end, steam containing a Cyril Waguespack, Felicien Schexnayder, Harry Brazan, Stan Rodrigue, Clarence
small amount of non-condensible gas, Waguespack, Albert Waguespack, Edgar Schexnayder, J . F. Falgoust, F . A .
call it air, enters at high velocity. Any Graugnard, Jr.
air left on the tube wall by the
condensing steam is swept away by the STAFF PERSONNEL
rapidly moving steam. Further down Chief Engineer—Max Rodriguez, Jr.
the tube, the velocity decreases and Fab. Supt.—Charles Pressburg
the percentage of air increases so the Asst. F a b . Supt.—Mark Kliebert—Leo Folse
air film begins to impede heat transfer. Chief Chemist—Thomas Quick
Condensed water in the tube covers a Office Manager—Theodore Gravois
small area but does not have much Chief Electrician & Instrumentation Eng.—Nelson Schexnayder
Asst. Manager—Neal Bolton
effect on heat transfer since liquid
Asst. Engineer—John Tregre
films are quite good conductors com­
pared to gases. Toward the final end Producers of Raw Sugar
of the tube, the last steam is con­
densed, the velocity in the tube be­
and Blackstrap Molasses
comes zero and there the residual air

The Sugar Journal, March 1973 49

 accumulates and heat transfer is very
low. If the air were not removed, it
would fill more and more of the tube
until eventually the tube would be full
MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL
of air and heat transfer would cease.
ENGINEERS
To prevent this, the air must be
AIR POLLUTION ENGINEERING continuously bled from the "cold" end
COMBUSTION & HEAT EXCHANGE of the tube. If a small amount of air
DRYERS: STEAM & GAS FIRED
(saturated with vapor) is bled off, the
BULK PNEUMATIC CONVEYING
CONTROLS & AUTOMATION
concentration of air in the final end of
the tube will be high enough to reduce
414 Tidewater Marine Bldg.
heat transfer in that area. If too much
3308 Tulane Avenue is bled off, the air concentration will
New Orleans, La. 7 0 1 1 9 be low and steam will be wasted with­
Telephone (504) 821-8999 out much increase in heat transfer.
Ideally, the bleed should be sufficient
to keep the air concentration down to
2 to 4 percent in the mixture. Precise
measurement is not justified since the
MIGUEL CHINCHILLA VARONA
steam loss is small but in the interest
& ASSOCIATES, INC. of good evaporator operation it is
better to bleed somewhat more than
Consulting Engineers the minimum to keep air concentration
well below the amount that interferes
. ' m p r o v e m e n t s of Exist 1
ng with heat transfer.
and Designs of N e w S u g a r Removal of non-condensible gas
Factories from evaporator calandrias is not as
simple as in the above example because
Post Office Box 0 vapor enters the relatively open space
Vero B e a c h , Florida 3 2 9 6 0 outside the tubes and between tube
sheets. It would appear that if vapor
Tel. 305/562-5646, 464-1900
entered on one side of the calandria,
the coldest region would be on the
FOR SALE opposite side and it is there that air
would accumulate and be withdrawn.
15 Semi-Automatic Broadbent Cen­ But the vapor velocity around the two
trifugals: Still Operational, but avail­
sides of the center well might not be the
able in March, 1973.
same due to tube arrangement or inlet
Size: 48" x 30" x 1500 r.p.m. piping configuration and the air pocket
Complete with Driving Motors, Fan
might well move to one side or thei
Drive Motors and Sequencing Units.
other of the withdrawal point. Good
Installed New in 1965, in excellent calandrias are designed with internal
condition.
baffles between tube sheets that direct
the steam flow toward a final corner
ADDRESS:
between baffles and center well where
HULETTS S U G A R LIMITED,
AMATIKULU, air can be efficiently removed.
SOUTH AFRICA. One often hears the opinion that,
Telex. 6-7185 Tel. Ging. 23, 62 air will settle to the bottom side of the
calandria because air is heavier than
water vapor but they remain mixed
Eagle and air may migrate to both top and
bottom. Venting is best done thru one
A S B E S T O S k P A C K I N G CO., I N C .
or more dummy tubes closed at one
INSULATION — CALTEMP — end and manifolded to a common pipe
F O A M G L A S —SNAP-ON, etc. carried out thru the side of the body.
Boiler Gaskets, Special E f f e c t & V a c u u m These tubes are perforated from top to
Pan Gaskets, R u b b e r F o o t Valves, Juice bottom to collect gases wherever they
Heater Packing, Flexitallic and Ring accumulate.
Gaskets, Mechanical, Sheet & Rod and Non-condensible vents from each
body may be manifolded and carried
A l l p a x Packings, Gasket Cutters.
in a common line to the condenser.
ALL TYPES OF CEMENTS
Unless the header is of ample size,
ADHESIVES & WATER PROOFING there is danger that flow from the first
Telephone 522-7781 bodies can create so much friction
2431 Clio St. N e w Orleans, La. 70150 drop that final bodies will not be
adequately vented. A more common
method is to vent calandrias which will
always work above atmospheric pres­
sure to atmosphere and those calandrias
below atmospheric to the vapor space
of the same body.
Good judgement in setting vent
valves will result in adequate venting
without undue waste of vapor. Aver­
age sized bodies will have 1-1/2 inch
glove valves which should be opened
1/2 to one turn. There is no surer way
to shut down evaporation in a body
than to close the vent valve. Gradually
the calandria will fill with gas and
evaporation will cease. Unless vapors
are withdrawn from previous bodies,
the entire evaporator will come to a
standstill.
CONDENSATE REMOVAL
Good drainage of all calandrias is
essential for proper operation of an
evaporator. If condensate accumulates
it acts as an insulator, not as bad as
gas, but it reduces heat transfer thru
all surfaces that it covers. Inadequate
drainage soon causes water hammer in
the vapor piping and calandrias and
serves as a warming that traps and
flash tanks are not performing prop­
erly.
Normally c o n d e n s a t e from each
calandria flows to a flash tank at the
body pressure and the flashed vapor
resulting from the drop in pressure is
added to the vapor where it condenses
in the following calandria. Condensate
collected from early bodies is used for
boiler feed water and the rest, flashed
in succeeding flash tanks is pumped
from the final calandria and used for
press wash water, etc.
For economical operation, a level
should be carried in all flash tanks and
only liquid allowed to flow and flash
into the following tank. Any vapor
that by-passes from one calandria or
body to the next is wasted because it
does no evaporation.
One sometimes sees liquid lines
from one flash tank to the next
dropped down to form a seal between
tanks but it is impossible to seal water
at the upstream boiling point; the
flash in the piping immediately blows
the seal and the only restriction be­
tween the two tanks is that of the
piping and much wasteful by-passing
of vapor results. When such a system
without level control valves is used,
valves in the lines between flash tanks
should be closed until they will just
barely handle the maximum flow of
condensate without flooding the up­
stream tank. At lower condensate flow,

50 The Sugar Journal, March 1973

some vapor will by-pass but not nearly
as much as thru a wide-open valve. IF YOU OPERATE A SUGAR MILL...
Gage glasses on flash tanks or their
outlet lines simplify flash valve setting. ONE OF YOUR MANY PROBLEMS COULD BE...
JUICE FLASH
Thin juice to first body is generally
somewhat below the boiling point of
that body so some of the heating sur­ A "SICK FURNACE"
face is used to raise its temperature. In
following bodies, however, large vol­ IF SO... YOU WILL PROBABLY
umes of vapor are created by the juice WANT TO CONSIDER...
flashing to the lower pressure. Effective
use of the flash to create higher
velocity over heating surfaces if very 1. Choice of High Grade Material:
important for good heat transfer. Juice for repairs.
flashing down 10° C on entering a
body around a t m o s p h e r i c pressure
forms over thirty times its own volume '2. Proper Materials in Proper Plac
of vapor and if directed up thru the
tubes gives very valuable increase in
heat transfer. Any flashed vapor that 3. Qualified Craftsmen to install materials expertly.
goes up thru the center well contributes YOU CAN GET ALL THIS BY CALLING
little or nothing to the heat transfer in
the body. All incoming juice should be
directed by means of internal or ex­
BILL WAY
ternal distribution so that all flashed WAY REFRACTORIES
vapor goes up thru the tubes. The 1818 W00DDALE BLVD.
capacity of many evaporators has been BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA PHONE 927-7529
markedly improved by attention to
this important detail WE S P E C I A L I Z E IN R E F R A C T O R I E S AND APPLICATION OF R £ F R A C T O R I E 5 FOR SUGAR MILL FURNACES-

Even when there is no problem of FIRE BRICK « CEMENTS • P L A S T I C S & RAMMING MIXES • CASTABLES • INSULATIONS • CLEAN-OUT
DOORS • TUYERES • PEEPHOLES • FEED CHUTES • L A R G E WAREHOUSE STOCK & PROMPT D E L I VERtES
evaporator capacity, improved heat
transfer can allow reduction in the
temperature of first and second bodies
with attendant reduction in sugar de­
gradation and color formation as well
as improvement in steam economy.
SUPERHEAT AND VACUUM
ST. MAEY SUGAR
The belief persists that exhaust
steam to the first body of an evaporator
should be desuperheated to improve
COOPERATIVE, INC.
heat transfer. Theoretically, yes, but P. O. Box 2 6 9 Jeanerette, La.
practically a modest amount of super­
heat seems to make no difference Phone 318-276-6761
whatever. The reason lies in the small
amount of heat given up by cooling
Capacity: 4000 Tons of Cane Per 24 Hours
superheated steam compared to that
from its condensation to water. For EXECUTIVE PERSONNEL
example, 10° C of superheat is less
than 2 percent of the heat available
PRESIDENT - C. B. C A U S E Y VICE-PRESIDENT - JOHN BROUSSARD
from condensation so only a small part
of the heating surface near the steam SECTY-TREASURER - R O B E R T L. A L L A I N

entrance is required to remove the

superheat and the velocity is highest OPERATING PERSONNEL
in that area.
Another opinion is that too much GENERAL MANAGER - W. B R A D L E Y K I M B R O U G H , J R .
vacuum on the final body can reduce OFFICE M A N A G E R - R O N A L D J. M A R T I N
heat transfer because of the viscosity CHIEF ENGINEER - ADOLF THIBODAUX
increase at lower temperature. It is ASST. E N G I N E E R - W. T. B R O O M
true that there is a small loss of heat SUPERINTENDENT - ALVIN ROGERS
transfer due to increased viscosity but PURCHASING - A D O L F T H I B O D A U X and W. B R A D L E Y K I M B R O U G H , J R .
it is far over-shadowed by the increased
temperature drop made available by
the increased vacuum. Generally the

The Sugar Journal, March 1973 51

 vacuum carried is determined by fac­
tors such as available condenser water
temperature, condenser design and the
economics of keeping condenser leg
line temperature at a useful value.
$ COLOR FORMATION
SUGAR Tests have shown that color for­
mation in sugar juices increases with
M both the temperature and the time of
exposure. The time of exposure in an
evaporator cannot be reduced except
SOUTHDOWN by maintaining minimum levels in each
duced or diffuser draft lowered at the
expense of greater pulp losses. Or
thick juice density may be lowered to
throw more of the evaporating load to
the vacuum pans at the expense of
increased steam consumption. Lower­
ing thick juice concentration increases
evaporator capacity more than just
that due to the greater amount of
water in thick juice; the decreased
viscosity in last body increases heat
transfer considerably.

body. The rate of color formation is REDUCED EVAPORATING RATE

SUGARS, slow at lower temperatures but begins While evaporator variables should
to increase rapidly above 112°C. Tem­ be controlled at values that will pro­
INC. peratures in this range are usually only
encountered in first and second effects
duce maximum water removal when
needed, an evaporator of adequate
Manufacturers of:
so it is desirable to operate these size normally operates at lower loads
REFINED SUGAR RAW SUGAR
bodies at as low a temperature as and it is necessary to match evaporating
BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES
possible and still accomplish the re­ rate with the need for evaporation.
quired evaporation and keep sufficient There are many ways to do this but
Plant Locations: pressure on vapors to satisfy their the most direct way is to throttle
Southdown Refinery & Factory heating loads. the flow of steam or some vapor as
Houma, La.
juice supply decreases.
G r e e n w o o d Factory THICK JUICE
The most obvious location for a
Thibodaux, La. Water that is not removed by mul­
"rate" control valve is in the exhaust
Armant Factory tiple effect evaporation must event­
steam line to first body, lowering the
Vacherie, La. ually be removed in the vacuum pans
pressure in the first calandria and the
by single effect evaporation which
overall temperature drop between it
EXECUTIVE OFFICES: greatly increases steam consumption.
and last vapor. Each body will then
8th Floor Odeco Bldg. P. O . B o x 5 2 3 7 8 Thick juice concentration, therefore,
boil more slowly and the pressure of
New Orleans, La. 70152 should be maintained at the highest
all bodies except possibly the last will
practical level at all times. Equipment
fall and establish a new temperature
limitations usually dictate the max­
gradient. Were it not for vapor with­
imum thick juice concentration. White,
drawal and need for adequate heating
or " A " pans without mechanical cir­
vapor pressure, this would be a sat­
culators must be boiled fast enough to
isfactory means of reducing the evap­
maintain adequate circulation after
orating rate.
seeding and the minimum time of
Another way to slow down an
boiling increases with required grain
evaporator would be to raise the tem­
size. But for typical pans and grain,
perature of the last body by throttling
standard liquor should be between
condenser water, causing the tempera­
Sweetening 65 and 70 brix. Remelt sugar flow to
ture of all bodies except possibly the
the melter is not constant and thick
the Sugar Bowl juice concentration cannot be changed
first to increase. The possible reduction
in evaporation is limited since last
rapidly so it is better to hold thick
Sugar, as it follows its route body cannot be raised above atmo­
juice around 65 brix so standard liquor
from the fields to its spheric pressure.
consumers, uses bank financing will not fall below that at times of
The most common and most sat­
to speed its journey. The low remelt sugar flow to the melter.
Whitney has recognized the isfactory method of slowing evapora­
When larger quantities of remelt are
credit needs of the sugar tion is to locate a "rate" valve in the
industry and has been ready being produced the standard liquor
when needed to extend its
vapor line between bodies, putting it
density should be adjusted by the
lending facilities to marketers, after the last important vapor with­
processors, and industrial users.
addition of thin juice or water to the
drawal. In most beet factories, it is put
melter to limit maximum concentra­
between 2nd and 3rd body but in
tion to the value found best for filter
higher pressure operation where 3rd
and pan operation in the particular
vapor pressure is required, it is in the
factory.
third vapor line to 4th body. Vapors
MAXIMUM EVAPORATING RATE beyond this point may be used but
It has been pointed out that a set only for non-critical uses such as
of evaporators even when run at the primary juice heaters.
conditions giving maximum heat trans­ In automatic operation, the rate
NATIONAL BANK OF NEW ORLEANS
Established 1883 ' Member F.D.I .C. fer can only evaporate just so much valve is operated as level in the thin
water. If the supply of juice exceeds juice supply tank goes from minimum
this capacity, some compromise must to maximum. The larger the tank, the
be made. Beet slice rate may be re­ slower the changes in evaporating rate,

52 The Sugar Journal, March 1973

reducing load changes on the boiler
house. The supply tank should have a
minimum capacity of 8 minutes of
juice at maximum rate.
When a valve between bodies is
throttled to reduce evaporation, the The South Coast Corporation
pressures of upstream bodies rise. In­ HOUMA, LA. NEW ORLEANS, LA.
crease in pressure of vapors is usually Producers of
acceptable, but in automatic systems
one or more are controlled by throttl­
ing valves in the vapor supply line to WHITE GOLD
each controlled body.
Throttling the rate valve cuts evap­ IN YOUR
oration in all bodies but vapors with­ SUGAR BOWL
drawn still evaporate water. For ex­
ample, if first and second vapors are The A L L PURPOSE S U G A R
being used, evaporation equals first
vapor plus two times second vapor. If * Sparkling W h i t e
incoming juice required less evapora­
•fa Uniformly G r a n u l a t e d
tion than this, it would be necessary to
feed some water to maintain the va­ •jt; Superior Refined Q u a l i t y
pors. In automatic systems, when sup­
ply tank level falls to the point that
gives minimum rate valve opening, Owners and Operators of:
Georgia Factory and Refinery, Mathews, Louisiana
water is automatically added to the Raceland F a c t o r y , Raceland, Louisiana
supply tank to maintain the level. The Georgia Division A g r i c u l t u r a l Operations, M a t h e w s , Louisiana
Terrebonne Division, consisting of Terrebonne-Factory in Montegut, Louisiana,
water used should be of good quality, a n d A g r i c u l t u r a l O p e r a t i o n s in M o n t e g u t a n d H o u m a , L o u i s i a n a .
condensate or demineralized water, to Oaklawn Division, consisting o f Oaklawn Factory and Agricultural Operations,
Franklin. Louisiana
minimize scaling of evaporator tubes.
ENTRAINMENT
If good juice levels are carried in
evaporator bodies, entrainment of juice
with vapors should be negligible if
entrainment separators are adequately
designed and maintained. Vapor rising
from boiling juice always carries a
mist of very fine droplets left by
breaking foam bubbles that are too CALDWELL SUGARS CO-OP., INC.
small to settle against the upward flow
of vapor. Entrainment separators take LAUREL GROVE FACTORY
a variety of forms but all operate on
the same principle; a sudden change in THIBODAUX, LOUISIANA Telephone HI 7-4023
the direction of vapor flow tends to
separate liquid droplets by centrifugal Grinding Capacity 4800 Tons
force and deposit them on the de­
flecting surfaces. But another nec­
essary condition, often overlooked, is
that the collected liquid must be re­
turned to the body. If the only path
is thru a hole leading back into the Manufacturers of
rising vapor, the friction drop of the
separator may create such a high RAW SUGAR AND BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES
velocity that the liquid cannot run
thru and simply accumulates to be V. L. CALDWELL, J r . VICTOR J . BAILLIET
eventually blown over with the vapor President Sec'y-Treas. &c General Manager
to the next body. To prevent this, a
seal must always be provided, deeper JOSEPH L. THIBODAUX JOSEPH BOUDREAUX
than the pressure drop in head of juice; First Vice-President Second Vice-President
usually 40 cm. is more than adequate.
The evaporator station is the heart Ass't S e c ' y . Trees. & Office M a n a g e r : R U B E N B O U D R E A U X
of a beet sugar factory and its proper
operation has an important influence
on capacity and economy of the entire
factory.

The Sugar Journal, March 1973