Sugarcane juice concentration: A new approach

A heat pump based freeze concentration system (FCS) using layer freezing process is proposed for concentration of sugarcane juice from 15 to 40 Bx in a sugar manufacture process. Effect of operating parameters such as velocity of the juice, ice growth rate, freezing surface temperature and initial concentration of the juice on the inclusion of sucrose in the ice formed is studied through experiments and published correlations. The variation of the FCS parameters and sucrose inclusion with respect to the temperature difference between refrigerant and sugarcane juice is simulated. The results are presented for a 2500 ton per day (TPD) capacity sugar factory. It is observed that the temperature difference between juice and refrigerant is the governing factor. The results of the simulation facilitate to select operating parameter range of the FCS to be used in the sugar factory. The results show that to make FCS a techno economically viable proposition for sugar factory, low cost freezing surface needs to be developed