GEA to supply third evaporator line for Utkal Alumina in India

GEA has been awarded a follow-up contract by Utkal Alumina to build a third line of multi-stage falling film evaporators. GEA already delivered the first two evaporator lines with a capacity of 310 tons per hour each to this refinery. These evaporator lines had been commissioned in 2013. This evaporation unit removes water added to the process from residue washing, product washing and other various sources. The so-called alumina spent liquor is concentrated and then used again for the digestion of the bauxite rock. The evaporation plant is designed to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in continuous operation with sufficient cleaning frequency.
With this third evaporator line, the total capacity of 1.5 million tons of alumina per year can be increased to 2 million tons per year.
GEA’s scope of supply includes process equipment such as pressure vessels, heat exchangers, pumps, tanks and separators, process and supply piping, as well as instrumentation and commissioning to ensure the best quality execution of this project. GEA also took care to meet all efficiency, safety and environmental requirements. In this context, GEA engineers also examined the extent to which process steps can be combined and integrated energetically to achieve the lowest possible energy balance. GEA has extensive know-how and decades of experience in this application. GEA’s presence in India enables the company to provide local site services and equipment delivery.
“We are proud to have received a follow-up order from Utkal Alumina that reflects confidence in GEA’s technology and product quality. GEA has more than a hundred thirty reference plants in the alumina industry. The extensive know-how gained in building these plants gives us the experience to design new plants that are tailored to the customer’s needs and minimize operating costs,” says Suket Gohil, Country Managing Director, GEA India Cluster.

Utkal Alumina International Ltd.

Utkal Alumina International Ltd., a 100 percent subsidiary of Aditya Birla Group company Hindalco, is engaged in alumina refining. The Utkal refinery, located in Rayagada District, Odisha, India is supplied by Baphlimali’s proprietary bauxite mines, which have sufficient reserves to meet the refinery’s needs for 25 years. With the best quality bauxite as its input, and tightly integrated logistics between mines and the refinery, the operating cost per ton of alumina is among the lowest in the world.

GEA Evaporation Technology

GEA’s world-renowned state-of-the-art evaporation technology guarantees minimum operating costs, safe operation and long service life. GEA offers turnkey services from process, instrument and electrical engineering to mechanics, piping and commissioning to ensure the best possible quality in the execution of this project. To meet the wide range of process requirements, GEA develops solutions with all types of evaporators. Each evaporator type has its advantages and the most suitable one is selected taking into account the main process parameters: product specifications, evaporation rate, energy conditions, annual uptime, material, expandability and maintenance. GEA also designs customized solutions for the pretreatment prior to concentration as well as the purification of vapors and condensates if needed for reuse and environmental protection.

About GEA

GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food processing industry and a wide range of other industries that generated consolidated revenues of approximately EUR 4.8 billion in 2018.

The international technology group specializes in machinery, and plants as well as process technology and components. GEA provides sustainable energy solutions for sophisticated production processes in various end-user markets and offers a comprehensive service portfolio. The group generates around 70 percent of its revenue in the food and beverages sector that enjoys long-term sustainable growth. As of December 31, 2018, the company employed about 18,500 people worldwide. GEA is a market and technology leader in its business areas. The company is listed on the German MDAX (G1A, WKN 660 200), the STOXX® Europe 600 Index as well as the DAX 50 ESG Index and selected MSCI Global Sustainability Indexes.