4 Falling Film Evaporators for DSM Vitamin Production in Shanghai: Pharmaceutical-Grade Stainless Steel Construction to GB151

Lmart manufactured four falling film evaporators for DSM (now DSM-Firmenich) vitamin production facilities in Shanghai. The scope includes one large C-1301 evaporator (28,276 kg) in Q345R/10# carbon steel, and three compact stainless steel units in S31603 (316L) and S30408 (304) for CMO and isomer column service. All units were built to GB151 standard for pharmaceutical-grade vitamin synthesis operations.

Customer	DSM — 迪斯美巴拉斯特 / 帝斯曼维生素（上海）
Industry	Pharmaceutical & nutrition — vitamin manufacturing
Project Location	Shanghai, China
Equipment	Falling film evaporators × 4
Design Code	GB151
Key Materials	Q345R/10#, S31603 (316L), S30408 (304)
Weight Range	300–28,276 kg per unit

Customer Background

Royal DSM (now DSM-Firmenich following the 2023 merger) is a global science-based company with leading positions in nutrition, health, and sustainable living. DSM’s Shanghai vitamin production complex manufactures essential vitamins — including Vitamin A, E, and C intermediates — for global pharmaceutical and animal nutrition markets. The production processes involve multi-stage synthesis with concentration, purification, and solvent recovery steps where falling film evaporators are critical unit operations.

Two DSM entities in Shanghai placed orders with Lmart: 迪斯美巴拉斯特 (DSM BALPLA-related operations) for the large C-1301 evaporator, and 帝斯曼维生素（上海） (DSM Vitamins Shanghai) for the three compact stainless units. Both serve the same integrated vitamin production campus.

Why Falling Film Evaporators for Vitamin Production

Falling film evaporators are the preferred technology for heat-sensitive pharmaceutical and food-grade products because the liquid film is exposed to heating surfaces for only seconds, minimizing thermal degradation. In vitamin synthesis, intermediate compounds can decompose, polymerize, or discolor if held at elevated temperatures for extended periods. The falling film design achieves high evaporation rates at low temperature differentials — typically operating under vacuum to reduce boiling points further.

The four evaporators in this project serve different stages of the vitamin production process:

• C-1301 — a primary concentration evaporator handling large volumes at moderate corrosion risk, hence the carbon steel (Q345R/10#) construction
• 316L falling film evaporator — handling corrosive intermediates requiring molybdenum-enhanced stainless resistance
• CMO falling film evaporator — serving the CMO (contract manufacturing organization) process line in 304 stainless
• CMO isomer column falling film evaporator — the smallest unit, providing reboiler duty for an isomer separation column

Complete Equipment Specifications

#	Equipment	Qty	Weight (kg)	DN (mm)	THK (mm)	Length (mm)	Material	Entity
31	C-1301 Falling Film Evaporator	1	28,276	2070	24	6000	Q345R / 10#	迪斯美巴拉斯特
32	Falling Film Evaporator	1	1,970	388	6	3561	S31603 (316L)	帝斯曼维生素（上海）
33	CMO Falling Film Evaporator	1	620	400	6	2009	S30408 (304)	帝斯曼维生素（上海）
34	CMO Isomer Column Falling Film Evaporator	1	300	273	6	1979	S30408 (304)	帝斯曼维生素（上海）

Engineering Challenges

C-1301: 28-Tonne Falling Film Evaporator in Carbon Steel

The C-1301 is the largest unit in this project — DN2070 with 24 mm wall thickness and a total height of 6,000 mm. At 28,276 kg, this evaporator required heavy-lift handling throughout fabrication. The shell and tubesheet are Q345R carbon steel with 10# (AISI 1010 equivalent) tubes — a material pairing suited to non-corrosive aqueous process streams where carbon steel provides adequate service life at significantly lower material cost than stainless alternatives. Tube-to-tubesheet expansion and seal welding at this diameter demands precision to ensure uniform liquid distribution across all tubes in the falling film bundle.

316L Construction for Corrosive Vitamin Intermediates

The 1,970 kg falling film evaporator (item 32) is built entirely in S31603 (316L) — both shell and tubes. Vitamin synthesis intermediates, particularly those involving chlorinated solvents or organic acids, attack standard 304 stainless through pitting and crevice corrosion mechanisms. The molybdenum content in 316L (2–3% Mo) provides the necessary pitting resistance for these service conditions. Full stainless construction also eliminates bimetallic corrosion cells that would form at carbon-steel-to-stainless interfaces.

Compact 304 Units for CMO Process Lines

The two CMO units (items 33–34) are compact evaporators — 620 kg and 300 kg respectively — designed for contract manufacturing process lines handling less aggressive media. S30408 (304) provides adequate corrosion resistance for these specific process streams at lower material cost. Despite their small size, these units require the same falling film liquid distribution precision as larger evaporators, with tube straightness and internal surface finish critical to film uniformity.

Quality Requirements for Pharmaceutical-Grade Equipment

Equipment for vitamin manufacturing must meet stringent cleanliness and documentation standards beyond standard pressure vessel requirements:

• Internal surface finish verification — Ra measurements on tube bore and shell interior to confirm compliance with DSM’s process cleanliness specifications
• Material traceability — full mill certificate chain from plate/tube supplier through fabrication to final vessel, with PMI verification at incoming inspection
• Weld quality — 100% radiographic examination on butt welds, dye penetrant inspection on all fillet welds, with acceptance criteria per GB151 and DSM’s supplementary requirements
• Hydrostatic testing and helium leak testing for vacuum-rated components
• Clean packaging and transport protocols to prevent contamination between factory and site

Why DSM Selected Lmart

Falling film evaporator experience. Lmart has manufactured falling film evaporators for multiple clients including Sulzer Chemtech and AAK, providing the specific fabrication know-how — tube installation precision, liquid distribution header geometry, and internal surface finish control — that falling film technology demands.

Range from 300 kg to 28 tonnes. Few fabricators can efficiently handle both a 28-tonne heavy-wall carbon steel evaporator and 300 kg compact stainless units within the same project. Lmart’s workshop accommodates this range without subcontracting, maintaining quality control consistency across all four units.

GB151 compliance with pharmaceutical-grade documentation. DSM’s Shanghai operations require GB151-compliant equipment with enhanced documentation packages that satisfy both Chinese regulatory requirements and DSM’s global equipment qualification standards.

Customer Voice

DSM’s procurement of four falling film evaporators from Lmart — spanning two separate DSM entities and covering both carbon steel and stainless constructions — reflects confidence in Lmart’s ability to deliver pharmaceutical-grade process equipment across a wide size and material range.

Note: Lmart respects client confidentiality. Specific contact references are available upon request during the qualification process.