LIQUID CONCENTRATION METHOD AND THIN FILM EVAPORATION DEVICE

To provide a thin film evaporation device that improves separation performance in a liquid concentration method using the thin film evaporation device, and that is suited to exhibiting excellent separation performance.SOLUTION: There is provided a liquid concentration method of concentrating liquid to be processed by a thin film evaporation device. The thin film evaporation device comprises an evaporation unit having a vertical cylinder-shaped inner peripheral surface, used for concentrating the liquid to be processed, and the device is provided with grooved wipers 122 for forming a liquid film of the liquid to be processed on the inner peripheral surface by circulating around along said inner peripheral surface. The grooved wipers 122 have a plurality of grooves C that are more recessed than a surface of the grooved wipers facing the inner peripheral surface and are respectively open toward the front side and the rear side in the circulation, and the plurality of grooves C are provided such that the liquid to be processed passes therethrough, with the opening on the front side as the entrance CI and the opening on the rear side as the exit CO during the circulation of the grooved wipers 122. The grooved wipers 122 are circulated while filling at least one among the plurality of grooves C with the liquid to be processed, so as to concentrate the liquid to be processed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3 【課題】薄膜蒸発装置を用いた液体濃縮方法での分離性能の向上を図るとともに優れた分離性能を発揮させるのに適した薄膜蒸発装置を提供すること。【解決手段】薄膜蒸発装置で被処理液を濃縮する液体濃縮方法であって、縦型円筒状の内周面を有する装置本体は、被処理液の濃縮に用いられる蒸発部となっており、内周面に沿って周回して被処理液の液膜を内周面上に形成するための溝付ワイパー１２２が更に備えられ、溝付ワイパー１２２が、前記内周面に対向する面より凹入し、且つ、周回における前方側と後方側とのそれぞれに開口した複数の溝Ｃを有し、複数の溝Ｃは、溝付ワイパー１２２の周回に際して前方側の開口を入口ＣＩとし、後方側の開口を出口ＣＯとして被処理液が通り抜けられるように設けられており、複数の溝Ｃの内の少なくとも一つが被処理液で充満された状態で溝付ワイパー１２２を周回させて被処理液を濃縮する、液体濃縮方法とする。【選択図】図３