Mechanical Vapor Recompression Positive Displacement Blower

Industries use mechanical vapor compression for different tasks, like drying products efficiently, capturing wasted heat, squeezing harmful vapors, and getting back valuable materials.

What Is Vapor Mechanical Compression?

Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) is a technique used in industries for various purposes.

It mechanically compresses vapor to concentrate and dry products while saving energy.

It also helps recover lost thermal heat, thus reducing energy costs and environmental impact.

In addition to these benefits, MVR can capture and reuse thermal energy in chemical reactions, compress toxic vapors for safe disposal, and recover valuable products.

 Overall, it is versatile in improving energy efficiency, recovering lost heat, and protecting the environment.

Mechanical Steam Compression Process
Specific ETO positive displacement blower Hibon used for mechanical vapor recompression

How Does Mechanical Vapor Recompression Work?

The operating principle is simple.

First, the evaporator heats the liquid to concentrate it.

Then, a 'roots' positive displacement blower pulls in and compresses the evaporator's vapor, raising its temperature.

This superheated vapor is sent to a heat exchanger for condensation. The heat from the exchanger warms up the liquid again before it's returned to the evaporator.

This loop generates more vapor.

In this loop, as the vapor is recompressed using mechanical means, its pressure and temperature increase. This increase in pressure and temperature leads to the generation of additional vapor molecules from the liquid phase.

As a result, the system produces more vapor, contributing to the overall efficiency of the process.

Using MVR mechanical vapor recompression, we obtain a concentrated substance. This process significantly reduces liquid effluent volume potentially to zero discharge.

It also minimizes cooling water consumption or eliminates it altogether. Overall, this process loop cuts energy consumption and achieves unmatched energy efficiency.

View of some evaporators used in a mechanical vapor compression process
Large Hibon positive displacement blower used on EPR of Flammanville for mechanical steam compression

What Is The Hibon Vapor Blower Range?

We offer solutions for customer processes requiring water vapor production ranging from 1,000 to 3,500 kg/h.

We determine the flow rate of the blower based on the available machine size.

When running under pressure, the temperature of the discharged vapor can go up to 115°C, with the incoming steam at 100°C.

When operating under vacuum, the temperature at the suction starts from 85°C, and the steam is discharged at 100°C.

What Do We Need To Calculate A Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) System Using A Positive Displacement Blower?

We typically need the following information:

  •  Vapor flow rate: The amount of vapor produced or required for the process, usually measured in kg/h or m3/h.
  •  Vapor pressure: The pressure of the vapor at the inlet and outlet of the blower, often measured in bar or kPa.
  • Inlet temperature: The temperature of the vapor entering the blower, usually measured in °C or °F.
  •  Outlet temperature: The temperature of the vapor leaving the blower, also measured in °C or °F.
  • Operating conditions: Information about whether the system operates under pressure or vacuum, and any specific temperature or pressure constraints.

With this information, we can configure what the blower needs to be and what features it needs for the MVR system. We can also check how well it saves energy and how it works overall.

Learn what makes them successful, download our white paper on mechanical vapor recompression.

Cover of the white paper of Hibon relating explanations about mechanical vapor recompression with positive displacement blowers
Hibon Eto process positive displacement blower unit under enclosure used for mechanical steam compression

What Is The Use Of MVR?

Typical Applications Of Mechanical Vapor Recompression By Hibon:

Hibon process blowers are used in this application to compress the vapors produced by evaporation.

There are numerous references for Hibon process blowers in the chemical industry in ethanol and methanol processes.

In the pharmaceutical industry, MVR - Mechanical Vapor Recompression utilizes Hibon positive displacement blowers (roots type) for distilling pure water and essential oils.

To protect the environment, Hibon has expertise in concentrating:

  • residues from polluted soils,
  • heavy metals,
  • cutting oils,
  • radioactive oil,
  • printing ink, 
  • brine,
  • treatment of rubber,
  • paint,
  • metal rejects. 

In the food industry, lots of factories use PROCESS Hibon blowers to make juices concentrate (such as tomato or fish juice), or to prepare brewing water and salty water.

Seawater desalination processes also use MVR.

Recently, the growing green oil industry has also begun to utilize mechanical vapor recompression processes with rotary piston blowers.

In an EPR (European Pressurized Reactor) nuclear power plant, mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) is a process used to recover and reuse steam generated during the power generation process.