1 SeedMasterSeedMaster 2 SeedMaster and SeedMaster 2 in advanced sugar crystallization control Striving for perfection of forms in nature and in the crystallizer. K-PATENTS OY PROFICON KFT.PROCESS CONTROL KFT. K-PATENTS OY PROFICON KFT. PROCESS CONTROL KFT. FinlandHungary Hungary Finland Hungary Hungary JOINING FORCES TO HELP YOU TO DO IT BETTER JOINING FORCES TO HELP YOU TO DO IT BETTER

2 Large amount of fines Conglomerates (Scale : 1 by 1 mm) The main issue: product quality and cost of production

3 Poor product quality results in high cost of production Pan farm Green liquor and fines Re-circulated fines and conglomerates RE-CIRCULATION OF CRYSTALS MEANS: Waste of energy and time. Decreased production capacity (tons of product per hour). Increased use of water. Throwing out money and facing a bleak future. Product screen Product crystals Fines and conglomerates Melter Mixer Centrifugal station Tank

4 Supersaturation: Supersaturation: the most important parameter in crystallization Supersaturation = sugar in solution / sugar at saturation Supersaturation = f (C, Q, T, m, b, c) C : syrup / mother liquor concentration (%) Q : syrup / mother liquor purity (%) T : temperature © m, b, c : syrup quality parameters () Largest sensitivity to liquid concentration. Important notes: 1. Supersaturation is a multivariable function (no single measurement is able to provide data on it). even when crystals are already present. 2. To calculate it, syrup / mother liquor concentration has to be measured even when crystals are already present.

5 Critical supersaturation limits to avoid unwanted nucleation (M.Saska: International Sugar Journal, 2002, 500…507) Supersaturation limits Critical supersaturation limits to avoid unwanted nucleation (M.Saska: International Sugar Journal, 2002, 500…507)

6 The lessons to learn 1. Supersaturation is the most important parameter of crystallization. 2. Monitoring and control of supersaturation is extremely important not only for reliable automatic seeding, but during the full course of crystallization. Only the process refractometer is able to do that. 3. In monitoring supersaturation during a complete strike the first task is to measure liquid concentration selectively, that is undisturbed by crystal content. Only the process refractometer is able to do that. 4. Besides supersaturation a second massecuite parameter correlated to crystal content is also required. 5. There is no direct way to measure supersaturation and crystal content. 6. The myth of a single-parameter sensor imitating playing a double role perfectly is perfectly ungrounded and misleading. advanced sugar crystallization requires relevant and meaningful data, most of all: supersaturation to improve crystallization practice. 7. Instead of data of questionable value, like conductivity, capacitance, density etc., advanced sugar crystallization requires relevant and meaningful data, most of all: supersaturation to improve crystallization practice.

7 SeedMaster software option for on-line calculation of supersaturation and automatic seeding K-PATENTS process refractometer PR-01-S SeedMaster SeedMaster supersaturation data and trend display (refinery in Finland) SeedMaster SeedMaster supersaturation data (United Sugar Refinery, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) More in the USA (6), Colombia, Peru, Iran etc.

8 SeedMaster 2: SeedMaster 2: a unique device for sugar crystallization control syrup / mother liquor concentration Inputs : syrup / mother liquor concentration (refractometer), temperature temperature (refractometer or transmitter), densitybrixstirrer motor consumption density OR brix OR stirrer motor consumption transmitter. Outputs: supersaturation ( ) Type of outputs: crystal content (%) 4 – 20 mA mother liquor purity (%) digital data transm. density (kg/m3) (serial and Ethernet massecuite solids content (brix) Modbus) mean crystal size (mm) consistency (%) Main features: transmission of up to 7 massecuite parameters automatic seeding based on supersaturation automatic seeding based on supersaturation or density set-point advanced local operators’ station features can serve 2 crystallizers simultaneously operating temperature range: 5 – 50 deg. Celsius SeedMaster 2

9 SeedMaster 2 An example of SeedMaster 2 application Components K-PATENTS OY : PR-01-S / PR-23- GP refractometer(s) PROCESS CONTROL KFT.: SeedMaster 2 PROFICON KFT. : Consultation, training THIRD PARTY : Standard transmitter LOCAL LABORATORY : Data input DENSITY THIRD PARTY TRANSMITTER : DENSITY MOTOR CONS. THIRD PARTY TRANSMITTER: MOTOR CONSUMPTION

10 The many faces of a unique device Main display Supersaturation and brix Supersaturation and cryst. cont. Trending supersat. and cryst. cont.Trending s.sat. and m.liq. purityStrike history on supersaturation Data and trends of important parameters for the last 4 strikes (per pan)

11 SeedMaster 2 Single sensor any known single sensor K-PATENTS refractometer + SeedMaster 2 COMPARING performance of any known single sensor and the K-PATENTS refractometer + SeedMaster 2 combination Is or can supersaturation be measured or calculated? NO YES Is it good practice to use it for reproducible seeding? NO YES Is it able to accomplish reliable automatic seeding? NO YES Is it sufficient for syrup feed control? YES YES Does it provide information on crystal content? Approx. YES Is advanced crystallization control possible with its use? NO YES Does it provide all the required information on a strike? Far from it Even more Can it be used in manual and automatic control, too? Can it be used in manual and automatic control, too? YES With compromise

12 SeedMaster SeedMaster Refractometer : PR-01-S Extra hardware : not needed Software : yes, option Calculated parameter : supersaturation Data output : 1x 4 – 20 mA Data trend displ. : supersaturation Automatic seeding: yes Strike history : supersaturation trend for 1 strike Number of crystallizers served: 1 Some of the references : USA (6), Iran (8), Colombia (3), Peru (2), Saudi Arabia (1), Thailand (1) SeedMaster 2 SeedMaster 2 Refractometer : PR-01-S, PR-23-… Extra hardware : yes, needed Software : yes, included Calculated parameters : supersaturation + 6 additional ones Data output : 2x 4 – 20 mA, digital (per pan) transm. (all of the param.) Data trend displ. : 11 param. for 4 strikes Automatic seeding: yes Strike history : yes (4 strikes) Number of crystallizers served: 2 References : Thailand (1), new device Paper in the Intern. Sugar Journal in December, SeedMasterSeedMaster 2 Comparing SeedMaster and SeedMaster 2

13 Common features : Both devices are unique without competition. 1. Both devices are unique without competition. 2. Both rely on the use of K-PATENTS process refractometers. 3. Both are based on experience gained by PROFICON in sugar crystallization control during more than two decades. SeedMaster : 1. The software option is sold by K-PATENTS representatives worldwide. Product support 2. Product support: PROFICON Kft., Hungary. SeedMaster 2 : 1. SeedMaster 2 and refractometers can be ordered from K-PATENTS OY, Finland or from its representatives. 2. SeedMaster 2 can be ordered from the manufacturer and support companies (see below). Manufacturer 3. Manufacturer: Process Control Kft., Hungary. Web: Product support 4. Product support: PROFICON Kft., Hungary. SeedMasterSeedMaster 2 SeedMaster and SeedMaster 2