acetone vapor flow rate control

[saleda]

Dear all
we try to recover acetone from solid material that is being dried in vacuum tray driers. at min. 600 mmhg and 50-55 deg c range. there are 2 such driers where batches are charged at uncotrollable times. when tem and vac is applied intially high load of vapors will vaporize and our condenser is not big enough to condense intial high rate of vapor flow so much acetone is wwasted. both driers have common vacuum pump with vfd. is there any way that with this condenser that run utility in its tubes at -18 deg c condense all vapors??

 

[RaRo]

If your vacuum is max. 600mmHg (ca. 0.2bar abs.), you will be able to condense the acetone vapors with a -18°C cooling stream (vapor pressure is ca 0.035bar bar).
Your issue is one of capacity as you said. Without changing your installation you could use the vfd or pressure control valves to reduce the volumic flow of the vacuum pump. With stepped/reduced vacuum you will reduce the flowrate of vapors to your condenser.

You could monitor the condensate flowrate to adjust your vacuum for instance.