[Image: CFD output of flow vectors within a vacuum pan test rig]Principal Investigator:
Ben Legendre, Professor and Interim Head, Audubon Sugar Institute
Co-PI:
Peter Rein, Professor, Audubon Sugar Institute; Sumanta Acharya, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, LSU
Abstract:
Louisiana sugar mills are financially pressured by declining sugar prices and increasing production costs to improve their efficiency and capacity to remain viable. This project aims to improve the crystallization process of sugar in vacuum pans by applying experimental and computational fluid mechanics.
Crystallization is a complex process in sugar production involving simultaneous evaporation and crystallization, both under vacuum. Circulation of massecuite (sugar + molasses + water) inside vacuum pans is a key parameter in this process that is limited by equipment design to achieve maximum capacity and conditions that promote good quality sugar. Current designs of vacuum pans can be improved by optimizing parameters for heat transfer in the calandria and vessel shape to minimize resistance to flow of circulating massecuite. Previous work has shown that fluid mechanics techniques can provide better understanding of the flow patterns in vacuum pans and information to improve pan designs. The enhancement of pan capacities and efficiencies will contribute to increase of recovery and profitability and reduction of energy usage at Louisiana sugar mills.
The LSU Mechanical Engineering Department has the skill and experience in modern experimental and computational techniques to analyze fluid flows using hot films anemometry, laser doppler velocimetry and computational fluid dynamics. Together with the sugar processing experience at Audubon Sugar Institute and technical support by the Louisiana sugar mills, achieving the breakthrough required is expected. This project will attempt to model flow patterns in the process vessel using computer simulation and validate the predictions through laboratory test work.