Milling efficiency and technology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13845

Research outcomes: Optimised mill transport and logistics. Mill capacity and efficiency is optimised through improved processes, technology and value chain coordination and collaboration.

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 25
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Towards functional specifications of a sampling scheme for commercial sampling of prepared cane : final report V89/17
    (BSES, 1990) Robinson, G
    Payment by Australian sugar mills to sugar can growers has for many years been based on samples of "first expressed juice" - the juice squeezed from prepared cane at the number one mill. This basis for payment is perceived by some sugar industry bodies as being less than completely satisfactory. The weaknesses being focussed on in this. report is that it is an inferential method. The amount of pol in first expressed juice is used to estimate the total amount of pol in the cane. This is unsatisfactory because the relationship between pol in first expressed juice and total pol was derived many years ago when there was less pressure exerted at the number one mill. The relationship has not been altered to allow more accurate estimation of total pol.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    High grade sugar recovery using a continuous centrifuge : final report BSC25
    (Bundaberg Sugar company Limited, 1990) Swindells, RJ; Griffin, KJ; Lynch, SG
    This project report describes the conversion of an existing batch high grade centrifuge to a continuous unit (termed a hybrid fugal) and an assessment of its performance characteristics.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Hardening of raw sugar : SRDC final report CSR8S
    (CSR, 1991) Mangion, MJ; Player, MR
    Australia has a long term contract to supply the Soviet Union with raw sugar. While the contract seeks to avoid delivery in the coldest months, the long transport from Black Sea ports and possible delays can lead to hardening in rail cars. The consequence would be slow unloading of rail cars, extra demurrage, and extra labour cost. The buyers claim that sugar from other sources such as Cuba does not harden to the same extent.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Intelligent adaptive control in an on-line cane transport scheduler : final report UCQ2S
    (SRDC, 1996) Pinkney, A
    The vast majority of the Australian sugar crop is transported from the field to the sugar mill by privately owned cane railways. The total length of the permanent way exceeds 3000 km and approximately 500 x 106 tonne kilometres of cane are hauled during the crushing season, making the combined operation the third largest rail transport system in Australia.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Monitoring cane at the mill to improve nitrogen management on the farm, a pilot study : final report CSC21A
    (BSES, 1997) Keating, B;
    The project examined variation in amino-N in cane supply at the Macknade Mill during the 1996 crushing season. This variation was related to factors such as crop class, variety, time of harvest, ccs, and farm supplying the cane. Extensive variation in amino-N concentrations was found in cane supplied to Macknade Mill over this season. There was a large crop class effect detected, with plant crops on average registering 50% higher amino-N concentrations in their juice than later ratoons. There was no significant variety effect detected. A major factor determining amino-N level was the farm from which the cane was sourced. Some farms always supplied cane with high levels of amino-N in the cane, indicating excess N supply. Others consistently supplied cane with low to adequate levels of amino-N. Overall approximately 45% of the cane supply to Macknade Mill during the 1996 crushing season was estimated to have been grown under conditions of excess N supply. Excessive N fertilisation rates is thought to be the most probable explanation, but this suggestion is being explored in follow up research.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Determination of fracture properties of cast steels : final report JCU9S
    (SRDC, 1998) Anderson, SI; Loughran, JG
    Technology currently exists to estimate the structural durability of cracked sugar mill gears and mill roller shafts. Both SRDC projects JCU2S (Crack detection and durability assessment of low speed gears) and JCU6S (finite element and durability modelling of roller shells and shafts) involve the application of linear elastic fracture mechanics to assess cracked components in• Australian sugar factories. The benefits from these projects could not be fully realised due to the lack of fracture property data for Australian manufactured gear and shaft steels.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Crack detection and durability assessment of low speed sugar mill gears : final report JCU2S
    (BSES, 1995) Anderson, SI; Loughran, JG
    Heavy low speed gearing used by the Australian Sugar Industry is manufactured according to code specifications. These gears fail in several ways with the most common failure modes being the gradual surface fatigue of the contacting teeth due to poor lubrication and sudden tooth fracture resulting from the presence of cracks. Over the last decade, sudden gear failures have cost .the industry millions of dollars. The problem is exacerbated by the unexpected lost production time and cost of gear replacements.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Finite element and durability modelling of roller shells and shafts : final report JCU6S
    (BSES, 1998) Anderson, SI; Loughran, JG
    The technology that has been adopted by the Australian raw sugar industry for roller shells and shafts has evolved over the past 40 years. Apart from Crawford's theoretical calculations on shell design and Cullen's factory experiments on operational stress states in roller shafts, little has been done to address the current problems associated with up to 10 mill roller failures each year. Ultrasonic testing of shafts has been used as a means of identifying problem shafts for many years. However, despite this, cracked rollers still prevail. The problem is exacerbated when one considers the operational costs associated with the removal of problem rollers during continuous crushing or an unplanned shutdown due to a roller failure.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Hygroscopic water in sugarcane : final report 114
    (CSR, 1990) Mangion, MJ; Player, MR
    At the 1989 Workshop on Cane Analysis conducted by the Sugar Research Council it emerged that the best technical method of cane analysis for the Australian industry was the direct cane analysis method (DCA) employing the wet disintegrator technique. This method involves comminuting a sample of prepared cane with a weighed amount of water and then analysing the resultant liquid extract. The analysis of cane is determined by calculation, making allowance for the degree of dilution by the added water. This calculation also makes allowance for some water in sugar cane which is not available for solution of the dissolved substances in juice. This water is commonly referred to as bound water or hygroscopic water.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Factors affecting the sugar content of sugar cane in the wet tropics of Queensland: statistical analysis of ccs data at Babinda and Tully
    (BSES, 1972) Sturgess, OW; Hogarth, DM; Hurney, AP; Leverington, KC
    In the wet tropics, the sugar content of crops is usually below the state's average and is a critical factor in farm economy, particularly during years of low sugar prices. This aspect of sugar production has been the subject of detailed investigation.