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.
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Item Optimising productivity and variety recommendations through analysis of mill data : ASSCT peer reviewed paper(ASSCT, 2016) Stringer, JK; Croft, B; Di Bella, L; Sefton, M; Nielsen, R; Larsen, P; De Lai, R; Davies, IProduction peaked in the Herbert River mills in 2005 but since then productivity has declined. Analysis of mill data in the Herbert has successfully identified groups of farms with similar productivity over time and the major factors associated with these groupings. The major finding of the study was that those growers who have adopted new farming systems had significantly higher productivity than those who use traditional practices. The impact of the Pachymetra resistance of previous varieties on yield of the current crop was also significant, suggesting this may be a major factor contributing to poor ratooning in the Herbert. In the small farm size groups, low and high performing growers had similar levels of % plant, % young crops, % old crops and % old varieties. However, the low and high performing groups varied significantly in terms of new varieties, suggesting that the small farm size low performing group were not adopting the new, more productive varieties to the same extent as the small farm size high performing group. Manager’s age was also an important factor associated with cane yields. Growers who regularly (five or six years out of six) obtained clean seed had more than 10% higher yields than growers who never or infrequently obtained clean seed and greater than 6% higher yields than growers who only obtained clean seed in three or four years out of six. Results from this research has allowed the Herbert Cane Productivity Services Limited (HCPSL) to design targeted extension strategies with the region. This will result in better variety recommendations and increase productivity.Item Evaluation of the Neltec Colour Q for measuring the purity of magma from C centrifugals : final report 2018/201(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2019) Pike, D; Broadfoot, R; King, S; Woods, PIn Australian factories one operator typically manages the high grade fugalling, sugar drying and low grade (C) fugalling stations. The C fugals are managed least effectively as there is no process instrumentation to monitor on line C sugar purity or final molasses purity. Conditions can change rapidly in the C fugals without the operator being aware and poor performance can persist for several hours. Tight control of the C sugar purity is important to avoid high sucrose losses to final molasses or an excessive recycle of impurities in the C sugar (magma or remelt) to the pan stage.Item Evaporator liquor brix sensor : final report 2017/003(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2019) Stobie, RA Pro-M-tec Ultrasonic Time of Flight (TOF) sensor was installed for trials at Victoria Mill in 2017. The TOF instrument calculates the brix of a liquid using the measurement of temperature and velocity of an ultrasonic signal through a liquid. The single sensor was located in a spool piece on the discharge line from final evaporator liquor pumps.Item Develop a blueprint for the introduction of new processing technologies for Australian factories: final report 2015/043(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2018) Broadfoot, R; Rackemann, DW; Moller, DJSeveral overseas factories are using technologies that reduce their process steam consumptions to very low levels, e.g. lower than 32% on cane, which are much lower than achieved by the most steam efficient Australian factories (~40% on cane). The steam efficient technologies that are not currently being used in Australian factories include:- Falling film tube evaporators and Kestner evaporators; In-line juice heaters on vapour from the final evaporator; Barriquand juice heaters; Use of vapour from the 3rd evaporator for pan boiling; Direct contact pan feed conditioning systems; and Vapour recovery systems such as in condensate cigars.Item Developing a new methodology for competency based training courses for shift supervisors in sugar factories : revised final report QUT032(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2014) Broadfoot, RThe provision of effective training of supervisors and operators is essential if sugar factories are to operate profitably and in an environmentally sustainable and safe manner. The benefits of having supervisor and operator staff with a high level of operational skills are reduced stoppages, increased recovery, improved sugar quality, reduced damage to equipment, and reduced OH&S and environmental impacts.Item Advanced computer simulation of sugar factories - SysCAD : revised final report 2010/040(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2014) Broadfoot, R; McFeaters, J; Stephenson, RThis project aims to develop a highly adaptable 'whole of sugar factory' process model that includes the capability to incorporate a variety of adjunct processing options e.g. cogeneration, biofuel production from molasses, juice or fibre, biochemical production.Item Flocculation and sedimentation of slow settling mud and mud cake conditioning : final report 2012/056(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2015) Doherty, W; Rainey, T; Bakir, HThe project aimed to improve the flocculation and sedimentation of slow settling mud, and reduce the pol/moisture content of mill mud by: Identifying key parameters which are associated with difficult to clarify soils; Identifying processes to improve the clarification of poor quality cane; and Identifying a strategy to condition filter cake that is difficult to process. The project seeks to realize its objective by conducting physico-chemical assessment of different soils from cane fields reported to produce juices that are difficult to clarify. Results from the assessment will be used to identify an additive/process that can be used to bring about particle aggregation and improved settling of the floc particles. Permeability and compressibility parameters of mud cake obtained from the difficult to clarify soils will be conducted using a custom-built laboratory mud cake former.Item Biomass characterisation facility for extended stockpile model accuracy and capability: final report project 2011/049(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2015) Hobson, P; Plaza, FTwo issues critical to the design and operation of stockpiles are prevention of spontaneous combustion and minimisation of loss of heating value due to deterioration. There are currently few tools available to the industry to ensure optimum management of stockpiles. The project has delivered experimental means, data and model refinements necessary to advance the capabilities of an existing model towards being a practical stockpile design and management tool for the industry. The project has developed, from scratch, three sets of equipment to measure four important bagasse material behaviours relevant to bagasse degradation and spontaneous combustion. They are: 1. A permeability and diffusivity measuring test rig that reproduces the layered bagasse structure formed when a stockpile is built and compacted by the tracks of a bulldozer in a co-generation scenario. It has been shown that the permeability of the bagasse in the vertical direction is quite different to that along the horizontal direction. This is important since the ability of oxygen to move into the stockpile has a significant effect in the reactions occurring in the bagasse and its subsequent deterioration. 2. A large sample size calorimeter that is likely to be more representative of the behaviour of a bagasse stockpile compared to previously available equipment (many kg versus less than 20 g) to measure the heating behaviour of bagasse. 3. A degradation measuring rig was built in an incubator with the capability of measuring the behaviour of six bagasse samples simultaneously. By measuring for example the quantity of carbon dioxide given off, the percentage loss of combustible matter and fuel heating value were determined.Item Improving mill efficiency through rapid analysis methodologies : final report 2014/051(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2017) Keeffe, EA rapid analysis system for measuring key constituents in sugarcane factory products has been developed using diode array (DA) near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic technology. Analysis of key constituents in prepared cane, bagasse, juice and syrup streams, magma, massecuite, molasses, raw sugar and mill mud is feasible. The benchtop NIR spectroscopic systems are mill laboratory-based and designed to augment the analysis already conducted by mill laboratories. More frequent analyses of mill factory products will allow Mill Engineers to minimise losses, and consequently, improve the factory’s coefficient of work. Additional benefits accrue through improved final product quality and the ability to schedule maintenance based on impurity loading.Item Determine the optimum tube dimensions for Robert evaporators through experimental investigations and CFD modelling: final report 2012/054(Sugar Research Australia Limited, 2017) Broadfoot, RExperimental investigations were undertaken in a single tube pilot evaporator for nine tubes of three different lengths and three different diameters to determine the optimum tube dimensions for Robert evaporators. Heat transfer performance was determined at operating conditions typically encountered in sugar factory evaporators. Juice of three brix levels were selected to mimic conditions for the 1st, 3rd and 5th effects in a quintuple evaporator set. For each brix, the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) was calculated at four juice levels, two headspace pressures and two pressure differences between the steam chest and the headspace. Of the four juice levels, one juice level was identified as the optimum juice level corresponding to the maximum HTC. In total, 432 tests were undertaken with nine tubes and a further 128 tests were replicated with four tubes. The maximum HTC and optimum juice level results, linked together with a capital cost analysis and sucrose loss considerations, determined the preferred tube dimensions for Robert evaporators in a quintuple evaporator set.