pH 7.0 color at Sugar pH 8.5 / pH 7.0 Lot #PolWhole Affined 1x Affined 2x , , , , , , , , , Average98.61, June 2006 Laboratory affination of 2005 crop raw sugar
November 2006: Factory: Effect of wash time
0.008 gallons / second / nozzle A nine-nozzle manifold 0.07 gallons / second
Effect of wash volume A 3 second wash = 0.21 gallons water at 250 – 350 Lb sugar / cycle 3 seconds = % on sugar 1 – 1.4 % sugar to run-off
need to test spray nozzles use the data to optimize centrifuge wash from the standpoint of sugar pol and sugar color vs. boiling house impact and cost
Sugar sample P2 Digital scale Pressure Vessel With Water or peroxide Factory Wash water Air supply P1 V2 V1 Western States 48x36” V3
Sugarcane biomass (“trash”) Collection and transportation cost Separation at the mill Conversion to energy (co-generation)* fermentable sugars / ethanol
Density of cane at different trash yields
Cost of trash delivered to mill
Conversion to NOW energy (co-generation) 1 t CLM = 95 kWh gross = 85 kWh net = $5 IN THE FUTURE? fermentable sugars / ethanol 1 t CLM = 39 gallons EtOH $40 - $80 (gross)
Cost of trash delivered to mill
*cost of CLM that goes to juice extraction -$8/t or -$24/acre for “conventional” cane (at 2% pol in bagasse)
dry cleaning of billeted cane – optimize & standardize design trash preparation - shredding, cleaning & conveying
Observation from trip to Brazil, April 2007
present retail cost in Brazil ethanol (hydrous)US$2.7/gal gasoline (25% ethanol anhydrous)US$4.5 /gal production cost of ethanolUS$1.1/gal Plans to expand sugarcane production in Brazil to substitute 5 – 10% of world gasoline will require 6 x present sugarcane production energy optimization of sugar and sugar ethanol process biomass ethanol