Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.44, No.23, 8858-8864, 2005
Modeling sucrose evaporative crystallization. Part 1. Vacuum pan monitoring by mass balance and image analysis methods
Sugar boiling experiments were carried out in a pilot vacuum pan with the aim of developing new methods for monitoring and estimation of important variables in industrial crystallization. A mathematical model based on mass balances was applied, using typical on-line data recorded during the boiling runs, to determine the evolution of parameters related to the crystal content and liquor purity. In a subsequent paper (Part II), the conclusions resulting from the application of the mass balance method will be used in a study of crystal growth kinetics of sucrose in industrial and synthetic syrups. In a different approach, in situ images were captured and processed for the purpose of estimating the mean crystals size progress at the early stages of the strike-image analysis method. A strategy is proposed to solve the problems associated with the identification of crystals in images taken directly from the suspension. The results obtained by the two methods were compared, showing good agreement both in the range of the crystal sizes and in the way crystal size changes.