ENERGY CONSERVATION IN SUGAR INDUSTRY

Abstract

The gap between supply and demand of energy is continuously increasing despite of huge outlay for energy sector In India, the rate of energy demand is increasing at a rate of 6.5% per annum. Future energy demand in India is substantial as the 120% increase in annual oil production at 50 million tons, almost 250% increase in annual coal production at 600 million tonnes and doubling of natural gas production at 100 million cubic meters per day for the year 2012. Thus, the energy security has key issue for our country. So to minimize the gap between supply and demand of energy, energy conservation may play leading role in Indian industries. Therefore, there is a good scope of energy conservation in various sectors like industries, agriculture, transport, and domestic. India is the largest consumer of sugar in the world and Indian sugar industry is the 2"d largest agro-industry located in the rural India. And there is a wide scope of energy conservation in sugar industry. The sugar industry has 25-30 % energy conservation potential. Energy conservation (EC) in sugar industry is typically the results of process technology advancements and diligence in manufacturing operations and its intensity varies according to the chemical and mechanical process. However, so far there is no defined practice of energy conservation in sugar industry in India. In the this Dissertation, the scope of energy conservation in various process in sugar industry such as; milling, juice clarification, juice concentration by evaporators, crystallization, electrical and mechanical drives, process vessel insulation, waste and renewable fuel use (Bagasse) and new process in mechanical, electrical and control technologies has been discussed. Under the present work, two section of Uttam Sugar Mills Ltd (USML), Libberheri, Haridwar (Uttaranchal) has been taken for energy audit, named as; mill house and boiler house. It was found that the net calorific value of bagasse has increased from 2650 to 4160 kcal / kg by reducing the moisture level from 50% to 30%. By energy auditing in these two sections, it was estimated that there is a potential of net energy saving of amount 2.70 x 10 7 kWh per season (160 days).in the above stated section of USML. Based on the finding it is recommended that sustainable amount of energy could be saved in USML.