CHAPTER 4: Vacuum Pan Boilers

4.1. What is Vacuum Pan Boiler

Vacuum Pan Boiler is the equipment used in sugar boiling in sugar
manufacturing process. A Vacuum Pan Boiler is basically of three types.

Coil heating Vacuum pan boiler

Calandria heating Vacuum pan boiler
Combined calandria and coil heating Vacuum pan boiler

In coil heating model, there are multiple coils with an approximate

diameter of about 5 inches made of copper are used in heating the boiler.
In calandria heating model, short tubes with a higher diameter than in
evaporators are used for heating purpose.

Fig 1.1: Calandria heating model (left) and Coil heating model (right)
(Image source: Hugot, E., 1960, Handbook of Cane Sugar Engineering,
Elsevier, Amsterdam)
Normally in large scale applications, calandrial heating Vacuum pan boiler
is commonly used in many countries. Since it is a recently introduced
technology than coil boilers, this calandria boilers are gaining popularity in
many countries as a trend despite of the performance or accuracy. It is
practically proved that the coil boiler model is more accurate and effective
for low grade massecuites (Hugot 1960). For industrial applications in Sri
Lanka, the calandria boilers are most commonly used. The combined
boilers are used in several special cases.

4.2. Design Calculations and Data

According to the calculations performed under CP408, the flow rate of Amassecuites at the inlet of the vacuum pan boiler could be found as 17.19
MT/hr. The Brix value of this inlet stream can be considered as 60 - 650 Bx
according to the temperature range and purity values. The temperature of
the inlet massecuite stream is suggested to be around 650 C (Hugot
1960).
The purity of the inlet massecuite stream is generally around 830 (Baikov
1982). The same value is suggested to be 840 by Pelwatte Sugar
Industries Plc. So we can take this value around 83 - 840. The purity of the
outlet wet sugar from the Vacuum pan boiler is provided as 990 (Baikov
1982). The purity of the molasses leaving the Vacuum pan boiler is around
330 (Baikov 1982). The operation temperature of the boiler should be
between 63 710C to get the maximum possible yield of the process
according to the conditions of the feed stream. This temperature range is
recommended to avoid the reducing sugars crystallization inside the boiler
as well.
The rate of crystallization is mainly dependent of viscosity, temperature
and purity of the molasses. So these parameters also should be studied
with the calculations regarding the process of crystallization within the
vacuum pan boiler. The set of data available for the initiation of the 1st
stage calculations are shown in the table below.
Table 1.1: Calculated flow rates related with the vacuum pan boiler
Flow rates
Value (MT/hr.)
Notation
Flow rate of A-massecuite feed
Flow rate of molasses + wet sugar
crystals leaving the boiler
Moisture (water) removal rate of boiler

17.19
14.51

F
E

2.68

Calculation 1:
Data for the calculation is as follows
Feed flow rate to the boiler
Brix of feed
Brix of effluent stream
Effluent stream flow rate

= 17.19 MT/hr.
= 650 Bx
= 770 Bx
= E MT/hr.

F x 65
17.19 x 65
E

= E x 77
= E x 77
= 14.51 MT/hr.

Therefore,
Moisture removal rate of boiler
= (F E)
R
= 2.68 MT/hr.
The purity, temperature and Brix, density and viscosity values that are
calculated and suggested are included in the following table. These values
are essential for the further calculations with this process.
Table 1.2: Further data for the calculations
Parameter
Value
Purity of feed massecuite stream
Purity of effluent molasses
Purity of effluent wet crystals

83 830
330
990

Brix of feed stream

Brix of effluent stream

60 680
770

Notation

Temperature of the feed

Operation temperature of boiler
Outlet temperature of the effluent stream

650C
63 710C
63 710C

Tf
To
To

Density of feed

~1473.7
kg/m3

Df

These data can be clearly indicated in a process flow diagram. The most
essential data are indicated in the following diagram for the ease of
further calculations.

Fig 1.2: Labelled diagram of Vacuum pan boiler with basic data

Calculation 2:
Heat requirement of the boiler
Basis, per hour
Required heat for moisture to vaporize at 680C
Pressure inside the boiler at 680C for water to vaporize

Fig 1.3: Pressure vs Boiling point of water

(Image source: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/boilingpoint-water-d_926.html)
Pressure at 680C

= 0.29 bars
= 29 kPa