Optimización del proceso de cristalización de la sacarosa para un agotamiento máximo de la miel final y una producción homogénea de cristales en el Ingenio Azucarero del Norte C.E.M.

Abstract

The aim of this project was to optimize the crystallization process at the Ingenio Azucarero del Norte, a sugar cane processing plant. Two main problems faced the processing plant, disparity of final sugar crystals and a low degree of exhaustion of the final molasses, having a purity of 42,69 % when the desired value is about 32-33 % obtained by high-performance sugar factories. First of all, a mass and energy balances were needed. In order to do that, physical variable were recorder for all materials involved in the boiling house and the calandria pans. Once process critical conditions were found, two actions were proposed. The first one was related to the seed preparation by controlling humidity and granulometry; and using P.E.G. as dispersing phase for seed suspension. The second action was to redistribute the flowlines on the boiling house. Under these conditions, the final molasses purity was 38,31 % and the homogeneity of commercial sugar crystals increased in 13,48 %. The increased exhaustion of sucrose from its mother liquor allowed to step up the cane milling in 20 Tn/day and to reduce the consumption of heating steam and water in 92,4 kg/h and 23,62 Tn/day respectively.