The papers presented at the Meeting are listed below, linked to an abstract of the paper. In the future it will be possible to request a copy of each paper while reading the abstract.
#789 The Utilization of Bagasse Exchanger in Sugar Industry
#790 Application of a Different Type of Ion-Exchange Material to Sugar Operations
#791 Membrane Treatment of Low Purity Recovery House Streams
#792 Recycling of Filter Cake From Sugar Refinery
#793 A New Polarimetric Dextran and Sucrose Test
#794 Symposium - A. Energy Management [NO ABSTRACTS]
#795 Physiological Functions of Sugar Cane Extracts
#796 Ion-Exchange Decolorization: A Flexible Way to Modernization and Capacity Extension
#797 The Choice, Installation, Start-Up and Operation of a Treatment Plant for the Liquid Refinery Effluent
#798 Recent Advances in Unit Process Design and Measurement System Developement at the Sugar Research Institute
#799 A New Type of Vacuum Pan for Rock Sugar Boiling - A Preliminary Study
#800 Robotics for Palletizing Sugar Products
#801 Reserved
#802 Interactive Safety in Sugar Factory
#803 Industry Awareness in Nutritional Blindness Prevention Through Sugar Fortification Program
#804 Most Appropriate Method for Evaluation of Microbial Losses of Sugar : Importance and Ecomomics of Using Proper Biocide for Mill Sanitation
#805 Commercially Targeted Process Developement/Improvement for the New Millenium
Posters#806 Water Treatment System
#807 Experience in the Operation of Pulsed Bed Granular Activated Carbon Decolorization
#808 Ultrafiltration of Beet Diffusion Juice Using Spiral and Tubular Polymeric Membranes
#809 Supersaturation Control and Automation of Vacuum Pans - Pilot Study
#810 Ultrasonic Control of Basket Loading on centrifugals
#811 Decolorization and Decalcification of Sugar Liquors with Resins Using the Saccharate Regeneration Process
#812 The Developement and Use of High Grade Continuous Centrifugals
#813 Economical High-Performance Adsorbent Solutions for Sugar Purification
#814 Using Image Analysis in the Study of Sugar Crystallization
#789 THE UTILIZATION OF BAGASSE EXCHANGER IN SUGAR INDUSTRY
Shujuan Yu, Yuhuan Geng and Goji Li, South China University of Technology, China, Dawei Gao, Dr. Chou Technologies, Inc., USA
The 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl cellulose was made of bagasse reacted with chloropropylene oxide and catalized by perchloric acid. Anion exchange fiber EDABF, DEABF and TEABF were obtained by the amination of ethylene diamine, diethylamine and thriehylamine. Syrup decolorization and turbidity removal for new clarifying reagent is tested respectively with this bagasse anion exchange fiber. It was found that besides it's adsorption properties as well as polymer resin this bagasse anion exchange fiber has superior advantage for adsorbing big molecular colorant desorption and easy to regenerate
#790 APPLICATION OF A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ION-EXCHANGE MATERIAL TO SUGAR OPERATIONS
Stephen J. Clarke, Florida Crystals Corp., FL, USA
Poly-4-vinyl pyridine is a water insoluble material in bead form and has been evaluated as a potential ion-exchange material in sugar processing. The manufacturer's data suggest good thermal stability and it is therefore a potential alternative to currently used materials for decolorization and anion exchange. Results to date indicate high color removal capacity and work is ongoing on its application to remove polyvalent anions from sugar processing liquors, in both raw and refined operations. These results will be presented along with a description of some different approaches to resin regeneration.
#791 MEMBRANE TREATMENT OF LOW PURITY RECOVERY HOUSE STREAMS
Mary An Godshall and Khalid Iqbal, Sugar Processing Research Institute, New Orleans, La. USA
Membrane treatment of sugar processing streams holds great promise in reducing energy usage, reduction or elimination of chemical clarification and improved final product quality. Another promising area of application is in production of new products, such as organic sugars or products from unusual sources in the process.
At the 2000 SIT meeting a symposium was held on the recovery house. This is an important area of the refinery, but one in which low purity samples are recycled back into the process to recover sugar, with the added expense of increased clarification demands and the introduction of additional impurities. A series of tests were undertaken using a Koch spiral membrane system to treat the various streams of the recovery house of a local refinery. Removal of total polysaccharides, starch, dextran, turbidity and color were noted, ranging from 4 to 38 % color removal, 93% turbidity removal, 73% starch removal, 62% dextran removal, and 72% total polysaccharides removal. The permeate from soft syrup (color > 12,000 ICU) was further processed into a crystalline product. This resulted in a "soft white" sugar, color 800, with a very pleasant odor and appearance. The sensory characteristics of this new product will be described.
#792 RECYCLING OF FILTER CAKE FROM SUGAR REFINERY
J. S. Tzeng, P. L. Wang, C. M. Huang, Y. H. Lin, C. H. Lu and C. J. Chou, Taiwan Sugar Research Institute, Taiwan, R.O.C.
The carbonation process filter cake that produced 4000 tons per year from Shiaukang Sugar Refinery is a waste after the clarifying processes of sugar production. Environmental issues would be aroused if the wastes were not properly disposed. The filter cake was generally disposed to cane field for soil amendment. Some soils with acidic characteristics and high in buffer capacity, did play an important role in the recycling of the filter cake. However, filter cake are not suitable to all the soils and water environment. Therefore, soil amended with the filter cake should be carefully selected and monitored.
The aims of the study were focused on the effects of filter cake application on soil properties, heavy metal contents, and cane yield. The results showed that filter cake application increased the capacity of soil water retention. Bulk density decreased when the rates of filter cake application increased. The EC of amended soil did not increase either. No significant differences of heavy metals concentration in soil or in sugarcane between with and without the application of filter cake were found. Hence, no adverse effects of the filter cake application on soils could be found.
#793 A NEW POLARIMETRIC DEXTRAN AND SUCROSE TEST
Victoria Singleton, Optical Activity Ltd. Cambridgeshire, England
A new test for dextran has been developed and field trialled in Jamaica, West Indies in association with the Sugar Industry Research Institute. The test uses a near infrared (NIR) polarimeter and a specific dextranase. The dextranase selectively breaks-down the dextran into sugars of smaller rotations without affecting any other substance present in the juice. The change in observed optical rotation (OR) is calibrated to the initial dextran concentration and outputted automatically by the polarimeter. Readings are not affected by the molecular weight of the dextrans, the entire test takes less than 10 minutes to perform and it is semi-automated. By using a NIR polarimeter the test negates the need for lead clarification and can be applied to both juice and raw sugar samples.
#794 SYMPOSIUM - No abstracts at this time
#795 PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF SUGAR CANE EXTRACTS
Yukie Nagai, Takeo Mizutani and Hiroshi Iwabe, Mitsui Sugar Co., Ltd., Seiichi Araki, and Mamoru Suzuki, Eisai Co., Ltd., JAPAN
We have studied the effective components of sugar cane, and found out that several types of Sugar Cane Extracts had various physiological functions. Sugar cane extracts 1, 3 and 4 were prepared from the raw sugar manufacturing process by synthetic adsorbent column chromatography, hot water extraction, and chromatographic separation by ion exchange column, respectively. We evaluated influences on immunological reaction, liver injury-preventive effects, and antioxdative activities of them.
First, preventive effects on bacterial and virus infections, resistance against cold stress, and vaccine adjuvant effect were evaluated. The results showed that all of the Sugar Cane Extracts had all these functions, and suggested that they should influence on immunological reaction. Next, in order to examine the protective effects on liver injury, we used four liver injury models induced by carbon tetrachloride, carbon tetrachloride with phenobarbital, D-galactosamine, and a-naphthyl-isochiocyanate. All of them were found to have the protection effects on all the models. Besides a free radical (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical) scavenging activity and a superoxide anion scavenging activity were determined as the antioxidative activities. All of them indicated both activities.
These results mean sugar cane contains various compounds having various physiological functions, and suggest that the sugar cane extracts should be the effective functional food ingredients or feed materials.
#796 ION-EXCHANGE DECOLORIZATION: A FLEXIBLE WAY TO MODERNIZATION AND CAPACITY EXTENSION
Jean de Lataillade and Francois Rousset, Applexion, Inc., USA
During the last few years a significant number of sugar refiners have selected ion-exchange to extend their existing decolorization capacities, or to completely replace obsolete bone char decolorization systems. The complete replacement of a large bone char decolorization system is usually critical for the refinery.
Concerns about decolorization rate, pH stability, and operators training are often expressed before deciding for such large projects.
In practise, resin decolorization systems have shown very good flexibility and the process adjustments required have been minimal. These modern resin systems are much more compact and simple to operate than most of the other decolorization systems available to the refiners.
Several strategies including staged investments have been used to define, for each specific refinery, the most economical way to introduce ion-exchange decolorization in their operations, with minimal investment and operation cost.
The simplicity and the flexibility of the resin system, combined with the new regenerant recycling technology now available when required, result in attractive and profitable proposals for most of the capacity extension and modernization projects.
#797 THE CHOICE, INSTALLATION, START-UP AND OPERATION OF A TREATMENT PLANT FOR THE LIQUID REFINERY EFFLUENT
Didier Corfa, Saint Louis Sucre, Marseille, France
The Saint Louis Sugar Marseille refinery decided in 1999 to treat its liquid effluents:
I - Choice
The intention was to considerably reduce the following parameters: COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) and TMIS (Total Matter In Suspension) in terms of Yield (%), Concentration (mg/liter), and Output (kg/day). A biological plant was chosen with a two stage operation: A - An anaerobic stage B - An aerobic stage. The Belgian company BIOTIM was selected following successful tests carried out under laboratory conditions.
II - Installation
The plant itself was custom built by BIOTIM. Building work started in January 2000 and was finished in October of the same year. The main elements of the installation are: rotary sieve, steel buffer storage tank, concrete anaerobic reactor tank, concrete aerobic reaction tank, effluent filter, bio filter to eliminate odor, static sludge densifier, and a flare stack to burn gases which contain CH4.
III - Operation
After a two month start up campaign, necessary to allow the bacteria to build up to full activity, the station reached its permanent performance level in December 2000. The author presents operations data and effluent discharge results.
#798 RECENT ADVANCES IN UNIT PROCESS DESIGN AND MEASUREMENT SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AT THE SUGAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Graeme E. Bullock, Les A. Edye, and William O. S. Doherty, Sugar Research Institute, Mackay MC, Australia
This presentation will highlight recent advances in unit process design. The effects of design modifications on flow direction and velocity have been elucidated by computational fluid dynamic modelling. This technique has been used to effect improvements in the designs of evaporators, clarifiers, bagasse fired boilers and ancillary equipment. The development of several new measurement systems also are presented. These include on-line massecuite crystal content measurement by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, at-line crystal sizing by digital image analysis and an on-line soluble sucrose measurement.
#799 A NEW TYPE OF VACUUM PAN FOR ROCK SUGAR BOILING - A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Y. C. Hsiao, J. S. Wu and T. P. Hsieh, Taiwan Sugar Research Institute, Tainan, Taiwan R.O.C.
The conventional vacuum pan design in sugar factory is focused on a higher massecuite circulation velocity and a higher ratio of heating surface to boiling volume. Its purpose is trying to get a high evaporation rate and thus cut down the time required per strike.
Compared to the massecuite boiled in the conventional vacuum pan, rock sugar massecuite has a much less crystal surface. So a fast evaporation rate seems not so important. Instead, how to keep the maximum evaporation rate with a less ratio of mother liquor to crystal, is the key design of vacuum pan for rock sugar boiling.
We moved outside the calandria, and set a screen at the bottom of pan. A pump was used to pump out the mother liquor from pan through screen and heater, and then back to pan. This new type of vacuum pan has a much less heating surface/boiling volume ratio (feet2 to feet3) of 0.80.
In the pilot plant scale, test of crystallization rate with the same seed rock sugar by this pan and the main appliances we used for growing rock sugar, the rotatory crystallizer, has been conducted. The results show that the new type vacuum has tenfold crystallization rate than the rotatory crystallizer.
#800 ROBOTICS FOR PALLETIZING SUGAR PRODUCTS
Pascal Firinga, Eridania Beghin-Say, France
In order to guarantee quality of life in the workplace, quality standards while increasing productivity and product range, at reduced cost, Eridania Beghin-Say finds and develops flexible solutions for their production and packaging processes.
Robots are used for palletizing, depalletizing, box loading and unloading, picking, case loading, machine feeding and special applications as well as laser guided shuttle to transport pallets.
The benefits of robot are numerous : product and pattern flexibility, fast change-overs, high availability and capacity, extremely easy operation, low maintenance, low hourly cost, extremely short pay-off time.
In his presentation, the author proposes to show different kind of application developed by Eridania Beghin-Say in France and explain difficulties and success met in their projects.
#801 RESERVED - NO ABSTRACT
#802 INTERACTIVE SAFETY IN SUGAR FACTORY
Philippe Bausier, Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, Belgium
This conference presents the interactive training tool on prevention of accidents in the workplace as developed by the European sugar industry in the frame of the Leonardo da Vinci program. After describing the origin of the project, we will underline its main characteristics : European scale, involvement of the whole profession: trade unions & employers, enhancement of safety. Behaviour is in particular seen as the first safety factor whereas all actors in the sugar factory at all levels have a specific role to play and are independent.
This training product is available in eleven languages and currently used in France and Belgium. It is being distributed in the other European countries.
#803 INDUSTRY AWARENESS IN NUTRITIONAL BLINDNESS PREVENTION THROUGH SUGAR FORTIFICATION PROGRAM
Andy C. Chen, Applied Technology, USA
Clinically evident ocular disease caused by Vitamin A deficiency annually effects an estimated 5-10 million children, mostly in the developing world. Life and Sight Foundation in Basel, Switzerland estimated that improved vitamin A intake would be expected to prevent up to 2.5 million death annually among children under 5 years old. The "Guatemala Experiences" conducted by the United Nations, marked an outstanding achievement in the history of public health by incorporating vitamin A nutrification via crystalline sugar. The program successfully alleviated vitamin A deficiency and prevented consequent blindness in the Central American population.
Based on this achievement as a paradigm, the purpose of this presentation is to promote the importance and awareness of the vitamin A fortification program, using sugar as a practical carrier in the developing country. It is believed that the establishment, implementation and sustainability of sugar fortification program requires the initiation and active participation of the sugar sector. Sugar industry must be aware of and committed to the benefits for population that program implied. Sugar manufacturers must also be aware of and understand the social and humanitarian implications of their unreserved cooperation, which is critical to achieving the program's objectives. It is hoped that sugar fortification program will save millions children lives and prevent the blindness for millions children in the developing country.
#804 MOST APPROPRIATE METHOD FOR EVALUATION OF MICROBIAL LOSSES OF SUGAR: IMPORTANCE AND ECONOMICS OF USING PROPER BIOCIDE FOR MILL SANITATION
V. M. Kulkarni, VM Bio Tech, India
Losses of sugar due to growth of micro-organisms are considered to be occurring only during milling, and are judged on the basis of incorrect method of Purity Drop. Obvious sampling errors in collecting primary juice makes the proper evaluation further difficult. Thus use of chemicals for mill sanitation not evaluated properly, this has led to overall confusion and use of improper chemicals for mill sanitation. Mill sanitation 'biocide' should have ability to kill 90% bacteria in cane juice within 10 minutes at low dose say 10 ppm , and only such chemical would be able to save microbial losses of sugar throughout the process and would yield economic benefits to the factory.
Polmax ESR, chemical formulation having ability to kill 90% bacteria in cane juice within 10 minutes at 10 ppm dose, have been found to exert effect up to analysis of final molasses. Reducing sugars per 100 brix , as well as acidity by titration per 100 brix of PJ, MJ , Cl.J , Syrup and final molasses were used for proper evaluation. Use of such biocide reduces rise in reducing sugars as well as titratable acidity at every stage. Titratable acidity of final molasses could be considered as most appropriate method of evaluation of sugar losses. Data of two sugar factories will be presented.
#805 COMMERCIALLY TARGETED PROCESS DEVELOPMENT/ IMPROVEMENT FOR THE NEW MILLENIUM
Chung Chi Chou, Dr. Chou Technologies, Inc., New Orleans, La. USA
The sugar industry has been operating practically the same processes for the last 50 years. Other industries have made considerable progress in their process technology. Yet the sugar sector has not capitalized the new high-tech system for the global economy. In this paper, the author will identify and describe major process development/improvement projects which, if successful, would "revolutionize" the sugar processing technology. The sugar community needs to work together for this bottom line oriented technology if we are going to survive and prosper in this new economy.
#806 WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
Karl Kuo-Chin Chen, Taiwan Sugar Corporation, Hsiao-Kang Refinery, Taiwan, R.O.C.
The water treatment equipment of Hsiao-kang Factory has the capacity of treating about 200 tonnes of industrial water (raw water) per hour. The water treatment process mainly consists of multimedia filtration, activated carbon filtration, softening, reverse osmosis, and electrodeionization (EDI). The flows through the system are in order.
The system is designed to remove suspended solids and dissolved minerals from the water. Different types of media are used in the multimedia filters, activated carbon filters, cartridge filters and softeners which are properly positioned in pressure vessels to remove suspended solids, organics, hardness etc. from the raw water. The Reverse Osmosis system uses a pressure driven membrane process to remove most of the dissolved minerals from the filtered and softened water. The EDI system uses ion exchange resins to remove most of the remaining dissolved minerals from the water. There are three plants: sugar refinery, oil, and feeder in Hsiao-kang Refinery. The water treatment plant supplies quality-assured, economical, and applicable water to the process.
#807 EXPERIENCE IN THE OPERATION OF PULSED BED GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON DECOLORIZATION
Rong-Hsing Lee, Taiwan Sugar Corporation, Hsiao-Kang Refinery, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Hsiao-kang Sugar Refinery has a melting capacity of 1,250 metric tonnes/day of raw sugar. The main processes include affination, melting, carbonation, filtration, and granular activated carbon (GAC) decolorization. At the refinery, GAC is loaded into large adsorption columns and the filtered liquor is passed through the carbon bed. It is necessary for the carbon and the sugar liquor to be in intimate contact for a period. The coloring matter from the liquor will be absorbed and trapped within the activated carbon.
Eventually, the carbon becomes saturated and can not adsorb organic matter effectively. At this time, the carbon is removed from the adsorption columns, de-sweetened and sent to the furnace for regeneration. In the furnace, the carbon is slowly heated to 900~950°C. As the temperature of the carbon increases, organic matters adsorbed are either vaporized or oxidized to carbon dioxide. The regenerated activated carbon is then cooled and returned to the adsorption columns.
#808 ULTRAFILTRATION OF BEET DIFFUSION JUICE USING SPIRAL AND TUBULAR POLYMERIC MEMBRANES
Bruce G. Eaton, Anthony C. Eringis, Imran M. Jaferey, and Lorraine R. Attridge, Koch Membrane Systems, Inc. Wilmington, MA, USA
Koch Membrane Systems, Inc. (KMS) has been working with Amalgamated Research, Inc. (ARi) and their partners in the beet sugar industry in the US and in Europe since 1996. The primary focus of the study has been the integration of ultrafiltration membrane technology into ARi's raw juice purification system. The challenges for polymeric membrane filtration in this application include high temperature (185°F), an abrasive environment (approx. 2 - 3 % suspended solids), and constantly changing feed quality. KMS has been successful in the development of high temperature polymeric membranes in spiral and tubular configurations for sucrose applications and these membranes show the greatest promise of success in this application. Pilot systems have been tested in the United States and in England and the results of three seasons of testing with both spiral and tubular membrane configurations have been very promising. A commercial scale spiral membrane system with the capacity to treat approximately 5% of the factory juice stream has been in operation at ARi for two campaigns and is installed downstream of a clarifier and prefiltration unit. In addition, a tubular membrane system has been piloted to further concentrate solids and to increase sugar recovery. The membrane trials have focused mainly on optimizing system performance with respect to membrane productivity, cycle run time cleanability, sucrose recovery and membrane life. The membrane productivity has been consistent at varying operating conditions even with repeated cleanings. Initial water fluxes and differential pressures have also been recoverable, indicating the absence of irreversible plugging in the spiral membrane modules. Continued testing in the 2000/2001 campaign will aim to optimize system parameters for economical operation and to verify membrane life in this application.
#809 SUPERSATURATION CONTROL AND AUTOMATION OF VACUUM PANS -PILOT STUDY
M. Saska, and P. Rein, Audubon Sugar Institute, LSU, USA
Two pilot scale vacuum pans at ASI were instrumented and automated, and used to evaluate four common modes of massecuite condition control in the sugar cane industry: boiling point elevation, conductivity, radio frequency and microwave. Effects on the four signals of liquor purity, temperature and crystal content were investigated.
#810 ULTRASONIC CONTROL OF BASKET LOADING ON CENTRIFUGALS
William F. Duersch, Western States Machine Corp., USA
The charging of a batch centrifugal with massecuite has evolved from being totally controlled by the centrifugal operator, to more sophisticated electronic means in recent years. The Western States Machine Company has recently developed a non-contact means of centrifugal load control using patented ultrasonic sound technology.
The ultrasonic transmitter and receiver are located within a stainless steel housing that extends inside the centrifugal basket. The transmitter emits sound pulses that are reflected off the moving massecuite wall and the pulses are then picked up by the receiver. The ultrasonic load sensor provides a 4 to 20 milliamp signal to a PLC operating the centrifugal. The PLC also regulates the incoming massecuite feed by automatically adjusting the feed valve or gate opening to provide a sequential closing to maximize the fill within the basket.
Ultrasonic technology overcomes the limitations of mechanical or capacitance load controls. The ultrasonic load control does a better job by taking advantage of its ability to (1) precisely sense a surface, (2) measure linearly from empty to full, (3) easily interface with PLC logic for a sophisticated feed gate movement, (4) continuously monitor the load throughout the cycle, (5) display at the end of each cycle, actual sugar cake thickness and (6) allow for uniform basket loading, cycle after cycle, which can make dramatic productivity improvements possible.
#811 DECOLORIZATION AND DECALCIFICATION OF SUGAR LIQUORS WITH RESINS USING THE SACCHARATE REGENERATION PROCESS
Luis San Miguel Bento, CIENTECA - Portugal
Anionic resins used to decolorize sugar liquors, are efficiently regenerated using calcium chloride in an alkaline calcium saccharate solution. An explanation for this high efficiency is the formation of a complex between colorants, calcium and sucrose. The formation of this complex can dislocate the regeneration reaction allowing colorants removal even with a low chloride concentration. The idea behind this new process for sugar liquors decolorization and decalcification is the following: if the presence of calcium and sucrose can remove efficiently colorants fixed to anionic resins; the presence of colorants and sucrose can remove efficiently calcium fixed to cationic resins. Experiments were performed using a column with a mixture of anionic and cationic resin, in chloride and sodium form, respectively. After ten cycles an average decolorization and decalcification achieved was 90.5 and 90.8%, respectively. Regeneration was performed in a sequence of calcium chloride; calcium chloride and saccharate; sodium chloride. In the first part colorants are removed by chloride ions in presence of saccharate, and, in the second part, the calcium is removed by sodium ions in presence of colorants and saccharate. This process is attractive as in only one step, two processes are performed: decolorization and decalcification.
#812 THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF HIGH GRADE CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGALS
Dr. G. C. Grimwood, P. D. Thompson, and M. J. Thewlis, Broadbent Inc., USA
The desire to make the sugar process fully continuous has resulted in many advances in recent years most noticeably in the areas of diffusion and vacuum pans. However, batch centrifugals for the production of final quality sugars have traditionally been the preferred method of separation despite significant developments in continuous processing.
Following initial limited success in the mid-80's by the Australians, however, there is now a current generation of High Grade Continuous Centrifugals (HGCC's) on the market, all aimed at the continuous processing of selected high quality sugars.
This paper will contrast the key design characteristics of the Broadbent NQEA HGCC (a combined effort of Broadbent and NQEA, their Australian associates), with that of the conventional low grade continuous centrifugal. It also comments on the performance of the HGCC compared to both the new and older designs of batch centrifugals in raw, VHP and refinery operations with mass balance supporting data.
Advantages and disadvantages of using HGCC's, including the important process parameters to be considered prior to installation, are explained in detail together with their effects on ancillary equipment.
Research and development of the HGCC continues to obtain a better understanding of the separation characteristics of continuous centrifugals and it is expected that more final quality products will also be processed continuously in the future as their performance improves.
#813 ECONOMICAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE ADSORBENT SOLUTIONS FOR SUGAR PURIFICATION
Emmanuel M. Sarir, Carbo-UA Limited, USA
This poster will discuss Carbo-UA's high-performance adsorbent products for use in sugar production and purification. These products have been specifically designed to improve plant efficiency and product quality and allow for greater flexibility in processing capability with minimal to no capital investment, all at a low cost per metric ton of sugar produced. Carbo-UA products utilize extremely high-activity powdered adsorbents optimized for decolorizing, deodorizing, and filtration of sugar solutions. In addition to their high efficiency, these products are designed to obtain long cycle lengths to reduce downtime and associated operating costs (Sluicing, Sweetwater evaporation, etc).
Examples of specific industrial applications include production of liquid sugar syrups for the bottling industry directly from melted mill-grade crystal sugar, extension of ion-exchange column cycle and resin life by using Carbo-UA treatment before or after IX columns in both liquid and crystal sugar production, improvement of vacuum pan efficiency, sucrose yields, and crystal (strike) quality by final polish of the liquid syrup prior to evaporation in sugar refining, and extension of process capability and production capacity via efficient treatment of off-season sugar crops which are typically higher in Colour, odor, and turbidity. This poster will analyze case studies in more detail, which demonstrate the versatility and tremendous benefits that can be realized through the use of Carbo-UA adsorbent products.
#814 USING IMAGE ANALYSIS IN THE STUDY OF SUGAR CRYSTALLIZATION
M. N. Pons, E. Camarasa, H. Vivier Laboratoire des Sciences du Génie Chimique, CNRS-ENSIC-INPL, Nancy, France, N. Faria, F. Rocha, S. Feyo de Azevedo, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Portuga
An automated method for the morphology classification and characterization of sugar crystals is proposed. The method combines the analysis of images obtained from an optical microscope (transmitted light) and the analysis of the resulting shape descriptors by a Discriminant Factorial method. According to their silhouette the crystals are classified as simple crystals and agglomerates and these are further separated into three classes according to their complexity. The agreement between visual and automated shape classification is very good for the discrimination between simple crystals and agglomerates.
Using this image analysis technique it is possible to obtain valuable information from experiments carried out in a simple experimental set-up. In this work, the influence of Dextran in the crystallization of sugar is evaluated.
This method can be easily implemented in an industrial environment, using dedicated pieces of software. It provides useful information, which can be used to improve the understanding of agglomeration and the modelling and control of crystallization processes.