Evaporation

The evaporator station consists of two 25,000 sq. ft. pre-evaporators (one of which was installed new in 2001); one triple with 28,500 sq. ft. of heating surface; and one triple with 38,500 sq. ft. of heating surface. Total heating surface thus is 117,000 sq. ft.

There are eight vacuum pans: one of 700 cu. ft., one 900 cu. ft., two 1,100 cu. ft., one 1,200 cu. ft., two 2,000 cu. ft., and one of 3,000 cu. ft. Discharge valves and cut-over valves are operated by air-hydraulic systems. Pans 5 through 8 are automated with a Smar system from Brazil.