The liquid flow in multi-stage flash evaporators

Abstract In an attempt to reach a quantitative understanding of the interaction between the fluid mechanics and flash evaporation in a stage of a multi-stage flash (MSF) evaporator, and in horizontal free-surface streams in general, a numerical analysis is performed, as a first step, of two-dimensional turbulent isothermal flow of a liquid in a flash chamber (stage) with and without a baffle (sill) placed downstream of the inlet orifice. Experiments are also performed, and validate the model successfully in the range of flows of 4.3 × 10 5 −8.7 × 10 5 kg h −1 (m width) −1 and liquid level of 0.4 m, conditions typical to MSF evaporators. The baffle plate is found to serve well in propelling the entering liquid to the free surface and in generating low-pressure regions, primarily near the stream line rising from the top edge of the baffle, both effects promoting evaporation rates. The interstage orifice coefficient is found to be practically independent of the liquid superheat, temperature, and mass flow rate.