M Carolina Cruz, F Franck and M Ruiz
Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres (EEAOC), Av. William Cross 3150, CP 4101, Tucumán, Argentina; ccruz@eeaoc.org.ar
The efficiency of the evaporation plant contributes significantly to determine the exhaust steam demand and energy efficiency of the plant. Exhaust steam consumption in Tucumán can be improved by modifying the evaporation operation scheme, which generally requires investments, to a greater or lesser extent depending on the modifications made. The performance of the heating and evaporation stage of a sugar mill in Tucumán was analyzed. Possible improvements were proposed and evaluated as a guide for planning future investments, including strategies of rational use of energy to reduce the consumption of exhaust steam and water in the barometric condenser. The results of case 3 show that shifting the vapor bleeding from the first effect to the second effect of quintuple evaporation plant equivalent to 7.85% on cane for vacuum pans would result in a saving of 0.84% exhaust steam without any investment in surface area. With some investments in the surface area, according to the proposed alternatives, up to 3.82% exhaust steam could be saved.