A study of the cane sugar diffusion process.
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Date
1972
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Abstract
A mathematical model has been developed to
represent the extraction of sugar from sugar cane in the diffusion
process. As a consequence of the structure of prepared cane,
extraction is postulated to occur via two first order relations in
parallel.
The model was found to represent accurately the
extraction behaviour observed in two different experimental
configurations. Experiments on a laboratory scale were undertaken
to elucidate the mechanism and basic rates of extraction.
The results are consistent with the postulate that extraction takes
place by a combination of washing and molecular diffusion.
The diffusion process was simulated experimentally
in a fixed-bed pilot plant diffuser. Model parameter values
estimated from this data provide evidence of the effect of liquid
hydrodynamics on the extraction process. These results have
been interpreted in terms of liquid holdup, liquid velocities and
the efficiency of liquid- solid contacting.
It is shown how the model can be applied to full scale
diffusers of the moving-bed type, which will enable prediction
of performance and the choice of optimum operating conditions.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1972.
Keywords
Sugarcane--Processing., Sugarcane--Research., Sugarcane industry., Diffusion., Theses--Chemical engineering.