Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
COMPARATIVE SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SOLUTIONING THERMOCOUPLE INTERNAL POSITION PROBLEM OF VERTICAL HEAT EXCHANGER TUBES USED IN THE FALLING FILM EVAPORATION PROCESS
Submission Author:
Patrick Walter Rüdiger Scheidt , SC
Co-Authors:
Patrick Walter Rüdiger Scheidt, Arthur Kleyton Azevedo de Araújo, Jessé Steinert Barbiaro, Tainan Andrioni, Rafael dos Santos Maximo, Júlio Passos
Presenter: Jessé Steinert Barbiaro
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-1053
Abstract
The heat exchanger tubes used in the falling film evaporation process have gained significant attention due to their high efficiency in separating liquid mixtures. This process is widely used in different industry fields such as food, beverage, dairy, chemical, pharmaceutical and even nuclear. The flow of a thin liquid film over a heated surface causes evaporation and concentration of the remaining solute, making it ideal for heat-sensitive and viscous products that may degrade due to temperature. Falling film evaporators are highly customizable and can be designed to meet specific process requirements, which make them more efficient than other separation techniques. This study aims to analyze the surfaces of the modified heat exchanger tubes used in falling film evaporation and propose an alternative to attach thermocouples to the inner wall of the exchanger for future thermal analysis testing. The researchers used interferometry to obtain topographic parameters and images via MountaisMap software. The results demonstrate that the topographical parameters Sa (arithmetical mean height), Sq (root mean square height), and Sz (maximum height) on the grooved surface are approximately four times higher than those on the tube's external wall. The volume of the motifs obtained in the groove is about three and a half times greater than that of the external wall, which can significantly affect the evaporation process in this area. In order to fix the thermocouples in place, the researchers designed and 3D printed a rod that conducts the thermocouples to the desired positions in the internal wall. This solution may enable accurate thermal analysis of the falling film evaporator, which makes it more efficient and reliable. With the increasing demand for energy-efficient separation techniques, falling film evaporation is gaining more attention in different industry sectors. Understanding the surfaces of modified heat exchanger tubes and accurately monitoring their thermal behavior for optimizing the process and improving efficiency is crucial.
Keywords
Falling Film Evaporator, vertical tube, surface, thermocouple
