The Agitated Thin film evaporator (ATFE) consists of two major assemblies – jacketed shell and a rotor assembly which rotates at high speed inside the shell.
The feed enters evaporator at top, tangential to shell and gets distributed along the shell by the distributor. The rotor blades spread the feed evenly on the heated surface into a thin film and further agitate the film.
Heating medium passing through the jacket evaporates the volatile component in feed. The vapor generated flow counter currently to feed and gets cleared in entrainment separator before leaving through vapor nozzle. The concentrate product comes out at bottom.
Features
- Residence time of few seconds, hence very useful for heat sensitive product.
- Single pass evaporation without re-circulation and or degradation.
- Scaling on heat transfer surface is avoided due to intense agitation of film. Good turn down capability.
- Low product hold up.
- Operating pressure upto 1 mbar(a)
- Different rotors can be used to suit application.
Applications
- Product concentration of heat sensitive products in bulk drugs, fine chemicals, agrochemicals and specialty chemicals.
- Re-refining of lubricating oil & transformer oil.
- Vacuum distillation of fatty acids, amines and esters.
- Concentration of oleo-resins & plant extracts. Stripping of monomers and silicon oils.
- Recovery of solvent and product from residue.
- Recovery of glycerin from residue.