Wednesday, 20 October 2021

38. FLASH TANK DIMENTIONS

             




D B Jambhale 

Consuting Sugar Technologist,

former Technical adviser, VSI PUne,

Pune Maharashtra India,


Flash tank for treated juice:

The treated juice generally being heated above 103°C and if it send directly to the clarifier as it is opened to atmosphere flashing or self evaporation starts and vapor bubbles that are evolved. These vapour bubbles pass upward and disturb the precipitate. Therefore the settling mud by gravity gets disturbed.

 Therefore before sending the juice to clarifiers it is passed through a flash tank. In the flash tank the flashing effects occurs rapidly due to whirling velocity of the juice in the flash tank and the temperature of the juice comes down below the boiling point of the juice. Then the juice is send to the clarifier at a slow rate.  Now in some factories heating of the juice is done up to 97-99°C only. In such case flashing of the juice does not occur.

Fig. 1 -  flash tank


Fig. 2 -  flash tank

 

Flash tank size:

We will calculate the flash tank inlet outlet diameter and tank size for a 5000 TCD (230 tch) plant here under

Assumptions:

Crushing rate  TCH

230

mixed juice % cane

110

Mixed juice quantity mt/hr

253

Filtrate return  (17%) mt/hr

39

Total Juice  quantity mt/hr

292

Juice density at 99°C

1.02

Juice volume  m3/hr

286.3

Juice volume  m3/sec

0.080

 Flash tank juice inlet pipe diameter:

In calculating the inlet pipe diameter the velocity of the juice is assumed as 1.5 m/sec. The diameter can be calculate by the following formula

      p D2

                            V         =   --------------  X  v

                                                     4

Where              

                  V   =  Volume of juice flow (m3/sec)

                                 D   =  Diameter of the inlet pipe

                                  n   =  Velocity of juice (m/sec.)

Putting the value of V and v

      3.142 D2                           

                                   0.080 =   --------------   X   1.50

                                                         4

Solving the above equation we get D = 0.261 m.

The standard pipelines available are of sizes 10” or `12” in diameter. Considering higher crushing rate 12” diameter pipeline can be used.   

Flash tank dimensions:

                The flash tank volume should be about 6 m3/100 tch for venting out vapours. For as 500 tcd (230 tch) plant it should be 13.8 m3 say 14 m3.  Now considering height to diameter ratio of the tank as 1.35 we will calculate height and diameter of the tank.

 

      p D2

                             V         =   --------------  X  h

                                                    4

Where              

                  V   =  Volume of flash tank

                                D   =  Diameter of of the flash tank

                                h   =   Height of flash tank = 1.35D

Putting the value of V and v

      3.142 D2                           

                                14.0  =   ------------------ X 1.35 D

                                                      4

                                                   14.0 X 4

Or       D3  =  ---------------------------------

                                3.142 X 1.35  

 

Solving the above equation we get D = 2.37  or say 2.40 m.

Thus the diameter of the flash tank will be 2.40 m and height will be 3.24 m.

Outlet pipe diameter:

The velocity of the juice pass from flash tank to clarifier through a U siphon should be around 0.5 m/sec.  so that the floc formed will not be distrurbed. Therefore considering the juice velocity 0.5m/sec. we will calculate the diameter of the outlet and siphon.

                      p D2

                                             V         =   --------------  X  v

                                                                    4

Where              

                  V   =  Volume of juice flow (m3/sec)

                                D   =  Diameter of the inlet pipe

                               n   =  Velocity of juice (m/sec.)

Putting the value of V and v

      3.142 D2                           

                                0.080  =    --------------      X 0.50

                                                      4

Solving the above equation we get D = 0.450 m.

Thus the diameter of the flash tank outlet and the siphon will be 0.45 m.     

       

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