Dušan Klinar
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

Janvit Golob
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 5, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
 

ABSTRACT

The article presents an engineering approach to the development of an alternative production with the existing equipment. Zeolite production is becoming an alternative to the old “Bayer” process for aluminum hydrate production. By applying appropriate know-how old equipment was used for an economically as well as ecologically acceptable production. In this equipment adaptation among other production steps the multistage evaporation battery was the most critical part of the process. We applied semi empirical approach on the basis of Z. Rant ideas to find heat transfer coefficients and to determine which equipment elements are more relevant for efficient performance and need serious maintenance.