Diseño y construcción de un evaporador de simple efecto para concentrar vinaza en la empresa Soderal S.A.

Abstract

A single effect evaporator was designed and built to concentrate vinasse in the company SODERAL S.A. located in the canton Marcelino Maridueña in the province of Guayas. In this project we used the analytical method, which allowed us to obtain laboratory data from the company SODERAL in order to design the equipment. For the construction we used 304 stainless steel plates with the dimensions calculated within the design where its feeding is of batch type and consists of a stainless steel coil through which steam is sent and a stainless steel jacket that allows that there are no losses during the operation of the equipment. The capacity of the equipment is 262.5 liters with a height of 1.58 m and a diameter of 0.46 m. The equipment allows us to obtain vinasse with a Brix of 55o concentration in a time of 3 hours with a temperature of 98oC and a pressure of 10 psi. The time used allows us to save water vapor and minimize costs for the company. The tests carried out to validate the equipment were able to concentrate the vinasse taking into account the variables involved in the evaporation process, which are time, concentration, temperature and pressure, all of which will be controlled during the industrial process. We conclude that when performing the simulation tests in the laboratory, it is important to take into account the importance of constant agitation so that the vinasse does not spill at the moment of boiling. We recommend that the raw material used in this case the diluted vinasse should be that which is in instantaneous process so that it can be concentrated without changing its physical-chemical properties.