SIMULATION OF VACUUM CRYSTALLIZER

Abstract

The present investigation pertains to a theoretical study on the simulation of vacuum crystallizer of sugar industry. It basically deals with the development of a mathematical model for crystallizer. It also includes the solution technique for the solution of the model. In the end, studies of the effect of different operating parameters viz. crystal content, crystal mean aperture, purity of massecuite and brix of massecuite on the model behaviour has been done. The steady state mathematical model is based on flow pattern. Using the basic principles of mass conservation and energy conservation a mathematical model of a vacuum crystallizer has been developed. These balance equations include material balance and enthalpy balance equations. Correlations for enthalpies of syrup and massecuite have been developed. The resulting system of equations is solved using "Iterative method". The steady state mathematical model• developed describes the most important aspects of the crystallizer behaviour in each compartment: crystal content, crystal mean size The results of the simulation have been compared with those due to Bounahmidi (2001). An examination of the results shows, that the model has been successful in representing the vacuum crystallizer. The maximum deviation between the profiles obtained by this simulation with those due to Bounahmidi (2001) was found to be less then 4%.