OPTIMUM OPERATING TIME FOR CLEANING OF CANE SUGAR JUICE EVAPORATORS IN SUGAR MILLS

Studies were conducted for determining optimum operating time for clea ning of cane sugar juice evaporators in sugar mills. The overall heat transfer coefficient decreased with time of operation of evaporators a nd increase in incoming juice Brix. The overall heat transfer coeffici ent and time of operation gave a straightline relationship for both th e evaporators under study. At the present operating conditions, the op timum operating time for maximum heat transfer in K1 and K3 evaporator s was found to be 1800. It is sufficient enough to clean the evaporato rs only once during the entire cane crushing season of the mill. It is , thus, possible to save nearly 50 tonnes of bagasse and also detergen ts for cleaning the evaporators, in addition to the increase in the li fe of the evaporators.