Krting Hannover AG

VACUUM SYSTEMS
IN THE
EDIBLE OIL INDUSTRIES

Krting Hannover AG Division S

Badenstedter Str. 56 D-30453 Hannover Germany
Phone ++49 511 2129 - 0 Fax ++49 511 2129 - 223 E-mail st@koerting.de

Krting Hannover AG

STEAM JET VACUUM EJECTORS

IN THE EDIBLE OIL AND RELATED INDUSTRIES

The basic idea for the design of STEAM JET EJECTORS has to be considered
in that way that the available raw materials and available energy (in which ever form that
they take) should be converted with the least possible waste and therefore the best possible
efficiency.

For the present and immediate future one has to live with the fact that only part
of this general requirement can be fulfilled . In all transformation processes not only there
is a limitation by the physical constraints but also financial aspects have to be observed.

In this respect every material processing plant and every machine has to represent a compromise
between that which is desired, that which is possible and that which makes financial sense.

This statement is also true for the vacuum ejector systems that will be presented in this paper.
With regard to this topic the application of these systems in the edible oil industry will be shown.

However, that which is true for this branch of industry is also true for related industries,
e. g. fats and soap production, and indeed for all processes in which products are manufactured
for human consumption.

In the past steam ejectors were - and sometimes they are still today - reputed of being "steam guzzlers".
This may be true in the case where ejectors are misdesigned or misoperated. But if they are well designed
and properly operated, ejectors are a simple and robust equipment being capable to convey large
mass flows from low pressure to a higher pressure level.

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Krting Hannover AG

Venturi Tube / Ejector

I

II
C

A
B
III
A

subsonic

IV
A

supersonic

B
1 2 2
3
2
2
p tr
c tr

ps
cs

p mix
c mix

5
pd
cd

PART I

In its simplest form an ejector is a Venturi Tube. In the converging section an acceleration with
pressure drop takes place, and in the diverging section a retardation with pressure increase.
If the acceleration and, consequently, the pressure drop is large enough, it is possible,
for example, to achieve a lower pressure than the atmospheric pressure in the smallest section.

PART II

At this point anything can be entrained.

PART III

If the Venturi tube is cut at this point and a chamber is laid round the cutting, we have already
the simplest form of a jet ejector, for example, a water jet ejector.

PART IV

When these features are transferred to gaseous media such as steam, and when a Laval Nozzle
is used, it is possible to convert the adiabatic difference into high velocities. Now, we have a
steam jet ejector operating with sonic or supersonic velocity in the smallest mixing section.

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Krting Hannover AG

Characteristic Curves of Pressure and Velocity

motive
flow

m tr
p tr
c tr

mixed
flow

ms
ps
cs

md
pd
cd

suction
flow

pressure
p tr
pd
ps

velocity

sonic

c tr

cd

cs
1

2 3
2
2

The motive flow enters the motive nozzle with a fixed pressure and velocity. It is not possible
to transfer the high energy of the motive flow directly to the suction flow.
The LAVAL NOZZLE converts the pressure energy of the motive flow (steam) into kinetic energy, until the nozzle
outlet the velocity will be increased up to supersonic velocity. At this point of the lowest pressure, the suction flow
will be entrained, then accelerated and mixed with the motive flow. In the following converging supersonic
diffuser, the mixing duct and the diverging subsonic diffuser velocity decreases with increasing pressure.
This finally results the discharge pressure of the ejector.

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Krting Hannover AG

Standard terms for Ejectors

A
m tr
p tr

1 steam chest with strainer

2 motive nozzle
3 head

4 inlet diffuser
5 outlet diffuser
6 gauge connection G 1/2"

A motive steam mtr with pressure ptr

B suction flow ms at pressure ps
C mixed flow md = ms + mtr at pressure pd

C
md
pd

B
ms
ps

Expansion ratio

ptr/ps

compression ratio

pd/ps

spec. motive steam consumption =mtr/ms = f(pd/ps, ptr/ps)

The compression attainable from the suction nozzle to the outlet nozzle is, dependent on
the motive pressure, the specific motive steam consumption, and finally on the internal geometry
of the ejector.

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Krting Hannover AG

Vacuum in Vegetable Oil Processes

animals fats
fish oil

vegetable oils

electrolyser

degumming

hydrogenation

neutralisation

fractionation

bleaching

winterizing

soapstock
decomposition

soapstock
fatty acid

deodorization

degumming
bleaching
distillative
deacidification and
deodorization

edible oils
fatty acid
edible fats
hydrogenated fats

This picture shows the various process stages in the processing of edible oil.
The red fields show the stages of the process which are carried out under vacuum,
separation,
bleaching, drying,
deodorising following alkaline deacidification,
destillative deacidification with deodorization.

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Krting Hannover AG

Design Parameters
vacuum pump system

distallation column
crude oil

m, tw in
coolant
motive steam m, p, t
elt. energy
Pel

m
t
vapour = suction flow

stripping
steam
m
t
p

p col
t col
p col

m
t
p

m
t
p

heating fluid

refined oil
m
t

waste gas

condensate
coolant m, tw out

m
t

In all of these process stages similar requirements must be fulfilled;

i.e. relatively large mass flows (mainly stripping steam and some non condensable gases)
must be sucked from a vessel (column, dryer, reaction vessel) at a low absolute pressure
and be compressed to atmospheric pressure.
In general atmospheric pressure is 1.000 mbar (at sea level).
Working pressure in a distillation column is generally these days taken to be 2,5...4 mbar
(sometimes it can be lower).
I.e. ejector systems in such columns must be able to achieve compression ratios
from 400..250 (max. compression ratio of a single stage is 12 ....14).
That is why multi-stage ejector systems are used. Those systems consist of ejectors with after connected
condensers where all condensable vapours are liquefied.
The following ejector stage has only to compress the non condensable gases, which reduces the total motive
steam consumption of a multi-stage system to a minimum.

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Krting Hannover AG

Multi-Stage Ejector Vacuum System

Today nearly exclusively those ejector systems are used in the edible oil industry world wide.
The advantages are obvious:
-

large mass flows can be moved within acceptable plant sizes

and sensible steam requirement figures (300 kg/h stripping steam
at 2,5 mbar still represent a volumetric flow of 150 000 m/h,
that can be conveyed by 1450 kg/h motive steam = 0,4 MW therm.)

low investment costs.

low maintenance costs, easy to install and to operate.

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Krting Hannover AG

Multistage Ejector Vacuum System with

Liquid Ring Vacuum Pump

motive steam

A process vapour from column

B scrubber
C to ejector vacuum system
D hotwell
E plate heat exchanger
F cooling tower

B
4

6
5

7
8

1-3 boosters / ejector

4 stand by ejector
5-6 direct contact condensers
7 liquid ring vacuum pump
8 separator

D
E

It is sensible in the case of multi-stage compressions to combine the advantages of steam ejectors and
water ring pumps.
That means up to the first possible condensation stage the stripping steam is exclusively compressed by
ejectors (so called boosters); after the first condenser a combination of steam ejectors and water ring pumps
can be implemented.
The available coolant and its temperature have a decisive influence
on the design of the first inter condenser, the number of ejector stages and on the total motive steam
consumption for the plant.

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Krting Hannover AG

Cooling water temperature

[C]
30

25

Cooling tower water

20
River water
15

10

0
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. [months]
The possibility of condensing the water vapour (suction- and motive flow), depends on the temperature of the
coolant, which is mainly cooling water.
The graph shows the cooling water temperatures through a year. The corresponding saturation (condensation)
pressure gives the limitation for any condenser (surface or direct contact type).
An ejector system has to be designed for the most unfavourable operating conditions,
i. e. for the max. stripping steam flow and the highest cooling water temperature.
If -during operation- the cooling water temperature changes to a lower value and the system is not adaptable,
energy will be wasted.
As far as the motive steam consumption is concerned, this problem can be overcome by adapting the motive
steam consumption to the actual counter- or discharge pressure in the condenser which is varying with the
cooling water temperature.

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Krting Hannover AG

With decreasing water temperature, this can be done reducing the motive steam pressure or, in a more
economic way, by reducing the nozzle throat diameter with a movable nozzle needle as shown below.
transmitter

cooling water

wiring diagram
variation of discharge
pressure

gas outlet

Electr.
power
manipulated variable

motive steam

pressure
measurement point
motive nozzle

nozzle spindle
motor element

steam jet ejector

entrainment
mixing water
supply of air

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Krting Hannover AG

Vacuum Pump Systems, where Stripping Steam

Condensate is strictly partitioned from Coolant
p
mbar

t
C

process
step

surface
condensation

29

31,5

25

25

21

20

18

16

14

12,5
10
8
6,3
5

10
7
4
0
2

3,2

2,5
2

11
13

direct
contact
condensation
alkaline
loop

direct
contact
condensation
condensate
loop

direct
contact
condensation
alkaline
loop

direct
contact
condensation
condensate
loop
CCF

distillation

*
*
*
40

condensation

70

direct
contact
condensation
brine
loop

ice
condensation

In the realisation of this separation numerous systems have been developed which are shown in the
picture above:
on the left a pressure scale can be seen,
next to it a temperature scale (this shows the corresponding water boiling or condensation temperatures),
the green areas show at which temperature the first condensation takes place.
Furthermore the following can be seen:
with "normal", cooling water temperatures, (cooling tower / river water), a
two-stage pre compression with steam ejectors is unavoidable.
By using chilled water sets, i. e. water temperatures less than 10C only one
steam jet compression stage is sufficient.
Only with coolant temperatures far below 0C it is possible to work without a steam ejector for pre
compression; condensation is then done either by a salt solution in direct contact condensers or in so called
ice-condensers with indirect condensation (shell and tube condensers).
Some of these systems are shown schematically on the following pages.

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Krting Hannover AG

Alkaline System (ACL) Normal Cooling Water

Temperature
motive steam

B
4

6
2

5
CW cooling water
HP condensate, highly polluted
EX exhaust gas

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

process vapour from column

scrubber
to ejector vacuum system
fat separator
plate heat exchanger
to/from cooling tower
ph-control unit
circulation pump

EX

TIC

HP

heating

LC

CW

1-4 boosters / ejectors

5-6 direct contact condensers

PH

NaOH
When using the proven mixing condenser, the mixture of condensed motive steam and
stripping steam stays in a closed loop and this circulating water is cooled against "normal" cooling water
in plate heat exchangers, i. e. cooling water at ambient temperature. Sodium hydroxide solution is added
to the circulation fluid to avoid too fast fouling in the heat exchanges from crystallising fatty acids.
Using either the usual seal box or an especially developed separator and removing only the portion of the mixed
motive steam and stripping steam condensate from the circulation leads to extremely waste water amount.
The benefits of these systems are:
-

small amount of waste water,

low investment costs,
lowest maintenance costs.

Alkaline System (ACL) Low Cooling Water Temperature

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Krting Hannover AG

motive steam

CW cooling water
EX exhaust gas
HP condensate highly polluted
2 SP condensate slightly polluted

B
1

4
3
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
L

process vapour from column

scrubber
to ejector vacuum system
fat separator
plate heat exchanger
refrigerator
ph-control unit
circulation pump
water ring vacuum pump
separator
heat exchanger

1-2 booster / ejector

3 direct contact condenser
4 surface condenser

CW

EX

I
L
EX

TIC

SP
K

CW

HP

heating

LC

E
F
PH

NaOH

CW

With the help of a refrigeration system the circulating water is cooled to about 4...6 C and is warmed
by about 3...4 C in the mixing condenser
As a result of this the pressure in the mixing condenser is no longer in the region of 50...70 mbar
but about 11...15 mbar.
The necessary compression ratio before the condenser is no longer 20...30 but is now only 5...7;
as a result of this one booster stage with a correspondingly low steam consumption may be used.
The compression of noncondensable gases does however require a somewhat higher motive steam
consumption but the total costs for energy in the form of motive steam and electrical power are lower than for the
Normal Cooling Water Temperature system.
Due to the higher cost for the refrigeration system the whole system is more expensive.

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Krting Hannover AG

Comparison figures for Alkaline System (ACL)

with chilled cooling water
design data :
Stripping steam rate

:
+
+

Suction temperature
:
Suction pressure
:
Motive steam pressure :

200
6
10

kg/h water vapour

kg/h air
kg/h FFA

120
C
2.66 mbar
8 bar g./sat.

450

424
404
388

motive steam (kg/h)

400
373
358
345

350
323
305
300

motive steam (kg/h)

required power (kW)

250

el. power (kW)

200

150

155

153

151

148

145

143

140

157

100

50

0
4

10

11

cooling water inlet temperature (C)

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Krting Hannover AG

Ice Condensation Vacuum System

CW cooling water
FW Fresh water
OF Overflow

12

FW

OF

11
PIC

motive
steam

suction flow
from deodorizer

10
M

1A
1B
2
3
4
5
6
7

ice condenser
ice condenser
melting vessel
condensate pump
steam jet ejector
steam jet ejector
surface condenser
water ring vacuum
pump
8 separator
9 heat exchanger
10 coolant separator
11 coolant compressor

6
CW

1B

1A

exhaust
gas
8

9
TC

waste
water

waste
water
CW

Following the idea to condense the stripping steam at the lowest possible temperature and
pressure leads to a system where the stripping steam can be condensed at the process
working pressure of the column. In case this pressure is below 6 mbar, water vapour condenses
into the ice phase.
This can be done:
- by direct connection between column and surface condenser which is cooled
by an evaporating refrigerant (i.e. NH3) having a temperature of less then- 20 C.
That means:
- water vapour freezes outside the tube bundle
- at a certain load which can be chosen in appropriate limitations, the condenser has to
be isolated from the column and the ice has to be molten by vapour generated in the melting vessel.
-

meanwhile a second condenser has to be connected to the column for continuos operation.

This ice condensation system combines the smallest possible quantity of waste liquid with the lowest energy
consumption when operating a vacuum system at a pressure below 6 mbar.
Even at the relatively high investment cost, it is worthwhile to invest in such systems because of steady
increasing costs for energy and waste water treatment.

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Krting Hannover AG

The picture shows a section of an ICE-condensation plant.

page : 17