SUCROSE COOLING CRYSTALLIZATION MODELLING

Abstract

Based on the material balance equations and understanding of the final-grade massecuite cooling crystallization process as the technology object, a simulation model of the process has been built by which the computational experiments have been conducted. By results of these experiments, analytical exponential dependences of the massecuite characteristics change during cooling crystallization have been obtained, namely, grain content, weight, purity and dry solids weight ratio of massecuite syrup. The constructed model has been used to study the industrial cooling crystallization process. It is proved that the results of the experiment of the developed simulation model fully reflect the nature of the industrial process of final-grade massecuite cooling crystallization of sucrose. Typical scheme industrial cooling crystallization with massecuite water or impure sugar solution dilution and authors’ scheme with an intermediate heat massecuite have been considered. It’s experimentally shown that the use of final-grade massecuite intermediate heating after cooling to 50-52 ºC by 7-10 ºC increases the effect of crystallization to 8.4% by reducing the viscosity of massecuite syrup, the surface tension and alignment of the massecuite cooling rate at sucrose crystalization rate. Consequently, the exclusion of dilution of massecuite by water or impure sugar solution and its replacement by intermediate heating provides a more complete depletion of molasses and increases the amount sugar grains in the massecuite.