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SeedMasterSeedMaster and SeedMaster 2SeedMaster 2 in advanced sugar crystallization control

Striving for perfection of forms in nature and in the crystallizer.

K-PATENTS OY K-PATENTS OY PROFICON KFT.PROFICON KFT. PPROCESS CONTROLROCESS CONTROL KFT. KFT.

FinlandFinland Hungary HungaryHungary Hungary JOINING FORCES JOINING FORCES TO HELP YOU TO DO IT BETTERTO HELP YOU TO DO IT BETTER

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Large amount of finesLarge amount of fines

ConglomeratesConglomerates

(Scale : 1 by 1 mm)

The main issue: product quality and cost of production

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Poor product quality results in high cost of production

Pan farm

Green liquor and finesRe-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

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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).2. To calculate it, syrup / mother liquor concentration has

to be measured eveneven w when crystals are already hen crystals are already present.present.

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Supersaturation limits

Critical supersaturation limits to avoid unwanted Critical supersaturation limits to avoid unwanted nucleationnucleation

(M.Saska: International Sugar Journal, 2002, 500…507)(M.Saska: International Sugar Journal, 2002, 500…507)

CRITICAL SUPERSATURATION LIMITS

1,1

1,11

1,12

1,13

1,14

1,15

1,16

1,17

1,18

1,19

1,2

74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102

MOTHER LIQUOR PURITY (%)

SU

PE

RS

ATU

RA

TIO

N

T = 60 C

T = 80 C

T = 75 C

T = 70 C

M.Saska: ISJ. 2002, Vol. 104., No.1247, 500-

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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.

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.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.

7. Instead of data of questionable value, like conductivity, capacitance, density etc., advanced sugar crystallization advanced sugar crystallization requires relevant and meaningful data, most of all: requires relevant and meaningful data, most of all: supersaturation to improve crystallization practice.supersaturation to improve crystallization practice.

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SeedMasterSeedMaster software option software option for on-line for on-line calculation ofcalculation of

supersaturation and automatic seedingsupersaturation and automatic seeding

K-PATENTS process refractometer PR-01-S

SeedMasterSeedMaster supersaturation data and trend display (refinery in

Finland)

SeedMasterSeedMaster supersaturation data (United Sugar Refinery, Jeddah, Saudi

Arabia)

More in the USA (6), Colombia, Peru, Iran etc.

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SeedMaster 2:SeedMaster 2: a unique device for sugar crystallization control

Inputs : syrup / mother liquor concentrationsyrup / mother liquor concentration (refractometer), temperaturetemperature (refractometer or transmitter), densitydensity OR brixbrix OR stirrer motor stirrer motor consumptionconsumption 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 transmission of up to 77 massecuite parameters massecuite parameters• automatic seeding automatic seeding based on supersaturationbased on supersaturation or density set-point• advanced local operators’ station features• can serve 2 crystallizers simultaneously• operating temperature range: 5 – 50 deg. Celsius

SeedMaster 2SeedMaster 2

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An example of SeedMaster 2SeedMaster 2 applicationComponents

K-PATENTS OY : PR-01-S / PR-23-GP refractometer(s)

PROCESS CONTROL KFT.: SeedMaster 2

PROFICON KFT. : Consultation, trainingTHIRD PARTY : Standard transmitter LOCAL LABORATORY : Data input

DENSITY

THIRD PARTY TRANSMITTER : DENSITY

MOTOR CONS.

THIRD PARTY TRANSMITTER: MOTOR CONSUMPTION

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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. purity Strike history on supersaturation

Data and trends of important parameters

for the last 4 strikes (per pan)

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SeedMaster 2Single sensor

COMPARING performance of any known any known single sensorsingle sensor and the K-PATENTS K-PATENTS

refractometer + SeedMaster 2refractometer + SeedMaster 2 combination

Is or can Is or can supersaturationsupersaturation be measured or calculated? be measured or calculated? NO YES

Is it good Is it good practicepractice to use it for to use it for reproducible reproducible seeding?seeding?

NO YES

Is it able to accomplish Is it able to accomplish reliable reliable automatic automatic seedingseeding??

NO YES

Is it sufficient for Is it sufficient for syrup feed control?syrup feed control? YES YES

Does it provide information on Does it provide information on crystal content?crystal content? Approx. YES

Is Is advanced crystallization controladvanced crystallization control possible with possible with its use?its use?

NO YES

Does it provide Does it provide all the required informationall the required information on a on a strike?strike?

Far from it Even more

Can it be used in Can it be used in manual and automatic control,manual and automatic control, too? too? YES

With compromise

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SeedMasterSeedMaster

Refractometer : PR-01-SExtra hardware : not neededSoftware : yes, option Calculated parameter :

supersaturationData output : 1x 4 – 20 mAData 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 2SeedMaster 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: 2References : Thailand (1), new device Paper in the Intern. Sugar Journal in December, 2006.

Comparing SeedMasterSeedMaster and SeedMaster 2SeedMaster 2

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Common features :Common features :

1. Both devices are unique without competitionBoth 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 :SeedMaster :1. The software option is sold by K-PATENTS representatives

worldwide.2. Product supportProduct support: PROFICON Kft., Hungary.

SeedMaster 2 :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).3. ManufacturerManufacturer: Process Control Kft., Hungary.

e-mail: info@processcontrol.hue-mail: info@processcontrol.hu Web: Web: www.processcontrol.huwww.processcontrol.hu

4. Product supportProduct support: PROFICON Kft., Hungary.e-mail: LajosRozsa@mail.datanet.hue-mail: LajosRozsa@mail.datanet.hu

SeedMasterSeedMaster and SeedMaster 2SeedMaster 2