Thin-film evaporator LabVap®

processfor the food industry

Feed material is metered into the thin-film evaporator at a steadily controlled rate from the feed tank by a food-grade peristaltic pump. Upon entering the evaporator, the feed is immediately distributed onto the thermal wall, by the spinning rotor, as an agitated, thin liquid film. The product is maintained in a turbulent, thin liquid film by the rotor as it travels through the evaporator. Under these very favorable heat and mass transfer conditions, rapid evaporation occurs and the vapor exits through the top vapor outlet for condensation in a polished shell and tube heat exchanger. The distillate is collected in an Erlenmeyer flask. The concentrate (bottoms) flows out of the evaporator’s bottom outlet by gravity into an Erlenmeyer flask. Capacity can be varied by adjusting the feed rate, heating temperature, rotor speed, and/or vacuum to achieve the desired composition result.