Howden's MVR Mission… to be the World’s Leading Applications Engineer for Vapor Compressors

Howden understands the unique process, aerodynamic, mechanical, and operations requirements of MVR applications. Our expertise, gathered over decades of research, design and installation of all types of rotating equipment for MVR applications, provides a solid platform for successful, robust long-term operation. To date, we have installed more than 2500 MVR compressors, in over 70 countries.

Benefits of Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR)

  • A wide range of compressor options to optimally meet conditions of each application whatever the flow or temperature change required
  • Vapor compressors designed and built to the highest standards ensuring safety and reliability long-term
  • High efficiency across the product range delivering best performance at lowest operational cost
  • Optimised operation via digital control and monitoring technology leading to long term efficiency and lower unscheduled maintenance
 

MVR Blower and Compressor Technology

Find out more about how Mechanical Vapor Recompression works in our animated video

 

A depth of experience across numerous industries

With over 45 years of designing, applying, and servicing fans and compressors for numerous industries and applications, Howden brings an unrivalled depth of experience and applications knowledge to any project. This includes a working knowledge of unique industry requirements/demands such as those associated with MVR Evaporation or Crystallization.

We have been involved in supporting multiple industries in their drive to higher performing and more cost-effective process.

Food & Beverage

MVR evaporation is commonly used to pre-concentrate food, to increase the solid content of food, to change the colour of food and to reduce the water content of a liquid product almost completely.

Pulp & Paper

MVR is often used as a pre-evaporator for black liquor treatment.

Chemicals & Fertilizers

MVR evaporation systems are used for concentration within the production of chemicals such as caustic soda, calcium chloride, caprolactam, ethanol, anhydrous ammonia, urea, ammonium nitrate and fertilizers (via phosphoric acid).

Some production processes rely on a mix of evaporation and crystallisation and benefit from introducing MVR e.g. sodium chloride (salt), sodium sulphate, soda ash (from Trona ore), potash and ammonia sulphate.

Metals

MVR evaporation and crystallization can be used to produce lithium carbonate as a precursor to lithium. Alumina refineries are also utilising MVR to concentrate caustic liquor (sodium hydroxide) to enable it to be recycled to the process.

Pharmaceuticals

Active Pharma Ingredients (API) production requires evaporators to recover solvents and concentrate drug/ vitamins and amino acids. MVR could also apply to the distillation of purified water and in crystallization processes.

Petrochemicals

MVR is used to support chemical distillation processes where vapors discharged at the top of the stripper can be recompressed. This applies to products such as butadiene, alcohols, propylene, EDC, EPDM, aniline and cumene. Solvent recovery can also utilise MVR when steam splitters are used.

Crystallization is also common within the industry where there are sulphate by-products as well as product purification.

Industrial wastewater

With the increasing need to protect water resources and reuse wastewater, industries are turning to technologies such as Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD). Heavy industries such as power generation, mining and oil & gas can benefit from using MVR based ZLD systems both to purify discharge and recycle water for reuse.

Other industries where the wastewater is mixed with heavy organics, oils etc. are adopting ZLD. Typical industries where this is applicable include metals manufacturing, metal fabrication, textiles, pigment manufacturing and automotive manufacturing. Other key segments are considered separately e.g. O&G, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, mining, food etc.

Industrial wastewater

Turbo Fans

Unique and industry leading impeller and bearing solutions allow our turbo fans to develop the highest differential pressures available in the fan industry. The ExVel has substantial proven installations in support of MVR worldwide.

  • Budget friendly through balanced CapEx and OpEx.
  • High compression ratio (potential delta-T) with 1, 2, or 3 stage options
  • High single stage flow capabilities
  • High efficiency
  • Water spray options for cleaning (CIP) or desuperheating
  • Proven dependability when there is potential for MVR process carryover
  • Turndown to 50% or more
  • API 673 option

Features of the ExVel:

  • ExVel Impeller - the strong, tough, and reliable impeller technology unique to Howden's ExVel turbo fans
  • Advanced Bearing Technologies - several different bearing technologies are available to either minimise cost or maximise life and reliability
  • Low rotational speeds – low rotor stress, less sensitivity to fouling, more reliable service
  • Fabricated Construction - impellers and casings are fabricated from ductile alloy plate (no castings) making them more forgiving in unexpected process conditions. All component interface connections are machined
  • Few parts – low maintenance
  • High Efficiency and Good Turndown - operating efficiencies up to 85%, controllability to less than 50% flow and variable speed and/or guide vane control options
  • Short lead time
  • Oil free, non-pulsating operation - low rotor stress, less sensitivity to fouling, more reliable service
  • API (American Petroleum Institute) options

Visit our product page for more information on our turbo fans.

Turbo Fans

ExVel Turbo Fans

Turbo Compressors

Our SF series of turbo blowers have a significant installation history in MVR applications making it an excellent choice for your MVR plant.

  • High single stage compression ratio (potential delta-T)
  • High single stage flow capabilities
  • Highest efficiency
  • Robust, packaged Design
  • Turndown to 50% or more
  • API 617 option

Features of the SF:

  • State of the Art impeller shaft connection - the self-centering connection allows our rotors to achieve reliable performance in high speed / high torque applications. It allows for reproducibility of balancing quality after assembly or inspection and maintenance operations
  • Wear Resistant Impeller Design - the unique blade design and geometry allow for better resistance to erosion which might be experienced in MVR applications than impellers from other compressor technologies
  • Impeller Material Options - Stainless steel (X3CrNi13 4 / 1.4313), Titanium alloy, Special materials, Inconell 625, Hastelloy C22

Visit our product page for more information on our turbo compressors.

Turbo Compressors

SF Turbo Compressors

Screw Compressors

We specialise in the engineering, design and manufacturing of high specification process gas screw compressor systems, based around Howden’s range of proven and reliable bare shaft screw compressors.

  • High Single Stage compression ratio with Delta T up to 30oC with no additional condensate injection
  • Increased Single Stage compression ratio with Delta T up to 45oC with inlet condensate injection
  • Compressor Design available to API619
  • Optimised pressure ratios available
  • Excellent range of turndown duties

Visit our product page for more information on our screw compressors.

Screw Compressors

Screw Compressors

ExVel™ eMVR

The innovative eMVR turbo fan brings simplicity of design, fit, form, function, and many options to make it the EASY MVR solution for your vapor compression applications of less than 10 tons of vapor.

Features

  • Robust fan casing with an integral motor - compact installation, eliminating the need for costly and space consuming ducting and support structures.
  • ExVel impeller - mounted directly to the motor shaft and providing high efficiencies of over 80%
  • Multi-stage carbon ring seal with purge and condensate drain provisions - ensures process steam remains isolated from atmosphere.
  • Rotor bearing seals are separate and independent from the fan casing seal with ventilation between the two - ensures oil-free operation for the process steam, and isolation of process from the machine bearings.
  • Optional features such as machine condition monitoring packages, seal purge conditioning packages, installation base and more - provides design flexibility, added functionality, and maintenance friendly operation.

Visit our product page for more information on our turbo fans.

Turbo Fans

ExVel™ eMVR

Turbo Fans

Unique and industry leading impeller and bearing solutions allow our turbo fans to develop the highest differential pressures available in the fan industry. The ExVel has substantial proven installations in support of MVR worldwide.

  • Budget friendly through balanced CapEx and OpEx.
  • High compression ratio (potential delta-T) with 1, 2, or 3 stage options
  • High single stage flow capabilities
  • High efficiency
  • Water spray options for cleaning (CIP) or desuperheating
  • Proven dependability when there is potential for MVR process carryover
  • Turndown to 50% or more
  • API 673 option

Features of the ExVel:

  • ExVel Impeller - the strong, tough, and reliable impeller technology unique to Howden's ExVel turbo fans
  • Advanced Bearing Technologies - several different bearing technologies are available to either minimise cost or maximise life and reliability
  • Low rotational speeds – low rotor stress, less sensitivity to fouling, more reliable service
  • Fabricated Construction - impellers and casings are fabricated from ductile alloy plate (no castings) making them more forgiving in unexpected process conditions. All component interface connections are machined
  • Few parts – low maintenance
  • High Efficiency and Good Turndown - operating efficiencies up to 85%, controllability to less than 50% flow and variable speed and/or guide vane control options
  • Short lead time
  • Oil free, non-pulsating operation - low rotor stress, less sensitivity to fouling, more reliable service
  • API (American Petroleum Institute) options

Visit our product page for more information on our turbo fans.

Turbo Fans

ExVel Turbo Fans

Turbo Compressors

Our SF series of turbo blowers have a significant installation history in MVR applications making it an excellent choice for your MVR plant.

  • High single stage compression ratio (potential delta-T)
  • High single stage flow capabilities
  • Highest efficiency
  • Robust, packaged Design
  • Turndown to 50% or more
  • API 617 option

Features of the SF:

  • State of the Art impeller shaft connection - the self-centering connection allows our rotors to achieve reliable performance in high speed / high torque applications. It allows for reproducibility of balancing quality after assembly or inspection and maintenance operations
  • Wear Resistant Impeller Design - the unique blade design and geometry allow for better resistance to erosion which might be experienced in MVR applications than impellers from other compressor technologies
  • Impeller Material Options - Stainless steel (X3CrNi13 4 / 1.4313), Titanium alloy, Special materials, Inconell 625, Hastelloy C22

Visit our product page for more information on our turbo compressors.

Turbo Compressors

SF Turbo Compressors

Screw Compressors

We specialise in the engineering, design and manufacturing of high specification process gas screw compressor systems, based around Howden’s range of proven and reliable bare shaft screw compressors.

  • High Single Stage compression ratio with Delta T up to 30oC with no additional condensate injection
  • Increased Single Stage compression ratio with Delta T up to 45oC with inlet condensate injection
  • Compressor Design available to API619
  • Optimised pressure ratios available
  • Excellent range of turndown duties

Visit our product page for more information on our screw compressors.

Screw Compressors

Screw Compressors

ExVel™ eMVR

The innovative eMVR turbo fan brings simplicity of design, fit, form, function, and many options to make it the EASY MVR solution for your vapor compression applications of less than 10 tons of vapor.

Features

  • Robust fan casing with an integral motor - compact installation, eliminating the need for costly and space consuming ducting and support structures.
  • ExVel impeller - mounted directly to the motor shaft and providing high efficiencies of over 80%
  • Multi-stage carbon ring seal with purge and condensate drain provisions - ensures process steam remains isolated from atmosphere.
  • Rotor bearing seals are separate and independent from the fan casing seal with ventilation between the two - ensures oil-free operation for the process steam, and isolation of process from the machine bearings.
  • Optional features such as machine condition monitoring packages, seal purge conditioning packages, installation base and more - provides design flexibility, added functionality, and maintenance friendly operation.

Visit our product page for more information on our turbo fans.

Turbo Fans

ExVel™ eMVR

 
 
 

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North America  +1 800 327 8885