An engineering approach to design a non-centrifugal cane sugar production module: A heat transfer study to improve the energy use

Non-centrifugal cane sugar (NCS) is a concentrated product obtained from the evaporation of sugarcane juice in production modules (PM). The design of PM has been done empirically without taking into account the heat transfer study. Consequently, there are thermal efficiency problems that affect the quality and economic-environmental sustainability of the production process. Therefore, it is necessary to generate calculation and design tools to build thermally efficient PM. The aim of this work was to develop a tool of design for a non-centrifugal cane sugar production module from a heat transfer study. A mathematical model (0D model) was developed to establish design variables for a PM (overall thermal efficiency (%) and production capacity (kg NCS/h)). Subsequently, the 0D model was tested with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools. Finally, the PM was built with detailed design parameters and validated. The 0D model allows a good fit between temperature profile along the flue gas pipeline and CFD models with a mean absolute error (ER) ≤ 7.62%. Numerical temperature profile results along the flue gas pipeline are in accordance with field measurements with a ER ≤ 3.24%. Therefore, the 0D model could be of special interest in PM design and energy use optimization.