Filter Type Bag Performance for Separation of Herbicide Residues/ Desempenho de Filtro Tipo Bolsa na Separação de Resíduos de Herbicidas

In the agricultural sector, advances in recent years can be related to the evolution of equipment, seeds and agrochemicals. In the production process of liquid agrochemicals, there may be particulates that are not of interest and thus, need to be removed. Removal of solid particles from a liquid medium is by filtration. The bag or bag filter has a simple, low cost and easy access for cleaning. In order to evaluate the efficiency of a filtration system, determination of the medium resistance, determination of the specific strength of the cake and the efficiency and characteristics of the pump used for liquid transfer are important calculations. In a productive process of liquid herbicides, a study was carried out to calculate the efficiency of the filter system (bag type). By calculating the area of the filter element (0.460 m²), the density of the cake (0.99 g. ), the concentration of solids in the suspension (0.00760 kg. ), the cake mass per unit area (0.661 kg. ), average cake thickness (0.09 cm), cake porosity (27%), specific cake strength (5.664 ) and medium strength (94160993 ¹), the viability of the filtration system in the removal of particulates from herbicides was verified

Effects of Segregation on Granulated NPK Sieving – a case study/ Efeitos da segregação na peneiração granulada de NPK - um estudo de caso

Particle segregation is a common, but often neglected problem in bulk solids handling. It is induced by mechanical stresses suffered by a bed of material when vibrated, allowed to freely fall or transfer, provoking particles to reaccommodate size-biased. This phenomenon triggers a series of upsets in production lines. In fertilizer granulation plants, some quality issues of final product and overall process control disturbances can be explained by excess of segregated material being fed to process screening machines. This paper is a case study of sieving inefficiency troubleshooting that took place in an NPK granulation plant in India, where the lack of proper transition between product bucket elevator and a conveyor belt caused material to suffer trajectory segregation. As a result, the granulometry distribution profile on belt was increasingly coarser along its width moving away from elevator’s discharge. When that conveyor fed a pair of screening machines through a stream splitter, one was receiving an excess of undersized particles whereas the other an excess of oversized ones. Even though same flow was being achieved on both machines, a more segregated and homogenous mixture fed to them decreased overall screening efficiency. Poor sieving results in excess of feed to oversize grinders and reduced recycle back to granulator, destabilizing recycle control system and overall granulation process. Given the impossibility of revamping or replacing the existing transition, in this case an inclined chute, palliative measures showed necessary and enough to reduce segregation, increasing screening efficiency to as high as 96% and stabilizing recycle control

Industrial Maltodextrin Production and Impacts on Dryer and Product Performance

Maltodextrins are products of partial hydrolysis of starch and have been widely used in many types of processed foods. They are classified according to the degree of hydrolysis of the starch and have several properties such as sweetness, solubility, and viscosity. It also consists of a product with wide applicability, such as energy supplements. The product density is very important, since its variability may not meet the specification of some customer companies. This causes problems in the storage of the final product, causing a possible safety risk in storage. The product will not be positioned on the pallets or there will be damage to the packaging due to due storage, generating financial losses or product returns. The decision to conduct current research on maltodextrin quality control has matured after realizing that the final density has an impact on storage and on the customers’ satisfaction. This work aims to verify the influence of spray drying parameters on the apparent density of maltodextrin in six batches. After the evaluation, it was identified that the vacuum variation in the spray dryer caused deviations in the final product density. In addition, the mass and executive energy balance is calculated when drying the maltodextrin batches. The process losses and the thermal efficiency of the spray dryer were calculated in this study for future knowledge and actions. The glass transition temperature was evaluated in the spray dryer operating conditions and considerations were made for studies. The study showed that among the quantified parameters, the vacuum applied in the spray dryer that influenced the apparent density of maltodextrin and the operation of the dryer should operate with an average vacuum of 44 mmCa, since the other drying parameters presented similar values and, therefore, without influence on apparent density. The mean porosity of maltodextrin was 0.7018±0.017. According to manufacturer information (NIRO-GEA), the evaporation capacity is 1200.00 kg·hˉ¹ and the average of the evaporated water mass rate in the system is 876.66 kg·hˉ¹, which leads to the conclusion that the spray dryer was operating at 73% of the design capacity during the production phase. The density of the liquor is 1310.62±2.81 kg·mˉ³. The mean mass rate of maltodextrin not recovered in the process calculated by mass balance is 269.53±122.90 kg·hˉ¹. The drying system showed an energy loss rate of 1,792,962 ± 55,349kJ·hˉ¹, which consists of a loss of 17%. The thermal efficiency of the system was 0.27±0.01, which means that 27% of the energy is used for drying the product. The value of the glass transition temperature (Tg) calculated for this drying system is between 150.0°C to 151.8°C, the output temperature of the dryer chamber between 106.12°C to 107°C and the air inlet temperature in the dryer between 192.08°C to 196.43°C. The internal operating temperature of the dryer is below the glass transition temperature of the final product. This makes it possible to classify the product as vitreous

A importância do tratamento do caldo de cana-de-açúcar para a produção de açúcar e etanol/ The importance of sugar cane treatment for sugar and ethanol production

O caldo de cana obtido da extração realizada na moenda apresenta-se como uma mistura complexa que contém além dos componentes comuns da cana-de-açúcar, matérias estranhas incorporadas acidentalmente ao caldo, provenientes: do corte de cana, colheita, transporte e das operações realizadas durante a etapa de moagem. O objetivo geral deste trabalho é mostrar a importância do tratamento do caldo em usina de açúcar e etanol que tem por objetivo eliminar a maior parte das impurezas (terra, bagacilho e materiais corantes) que interferem na qualidade do açúcar (cor, resíduos insolúveis, cinzas), para evitar o crescimento bacteriano na fermentação. O caldo purificado para fabricação de açúcar, apresentou um pH inferior ao especificado e o caldo purificado para fabricação de etanol teve um pH superior em cerca de 0,2 ao especificado. O valor de 5,37.102 UFC/mL obtido no caldo purificado foi muito inferior a 107 UFC/ml, valor limite superior especificado para o caldo

Estudos da produção de etanol anidro por destilação azeotrópica, extrativa e adsorção/ Studies on the production of anhydrous ethanol by azotropic, extractive and adsorption

O álcool hidratado, produto final das etapas de destilação e retificação, resulta em um teor alcoólico da ordem de até 96°GL. Essa limitação ocorre devido à formação de uma mistura azeotrópica. O álcool hidratado pode passar por um dos três processos de desidratação que são: azeotrópica, extrativa e adsorção. O objetivo geral deste trabalho é descrever a produção de etanol hidratado e anidro usando ciclohexano, monoetilenoglicol e peneira molecular. Comparam-se os resultados do etanol hidratado e do etanol anidro por peneira molecular obtido em uma indústria sucroalcooleira com os exigidos em normas da ABNT. O etanol hidratado apesentou densidade de 809,7 kg/m3; e o etanol anidro 791 kg/m³. O INPM do etanol hidratado e anidro foram, respectivamente: 93,0% e 99,4%. Todos os outros parâmetros atenderam a normalização da ABNT

Desenvolvimento de um secador de leito vibro-jorrado

Orientador: Theo Guenter KieckbuschTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de AlimentosResumo: A configuração do leito vibro-jorrado (LVJ) é semelhante a do leito de jorro convencional, mas a taxa de circulação dae partículas é controlada por uma vibração vertical imposta as mesmas. Como conseqüência, todo o leito escoa era regime de fase densa e a velocidade do ar no leito ê definida de acordo com a exigência da secagem. Um secador com capacidade para 6,5 litros de material foi concebido e desenvolvido neste trabalho. Ele consiste em uma cama ra cilíndrica com fundo cônico (diâmetro 145 mm, altura 390 ms ), com opção de fixação de um tubo interno central, e equipado com uma base perfurada móvel, que vibra a amplitudes definidas ( 2, 3, 4 e 5 mm) e freqüências na faixa de 0 a 18 Hz. Ensaios indicaram que o escoamento interno das partículas seguia o modelo pistortado com baixo grau de dispersão e que a taxa de circulação das mesmas tornava-se máxima sob condições de ressonância. 0 secador de LVJ foi ensaiado com dois materiais de elasticidade diferentes: cubos de batata e grãos de soja. Estes experimentos definiram os parâmetros geométricos e as condições de vibração mais favoráveis em termos de perda de pressão, taxa de circulação das partículas e cinética de secagem. Foram feitas comparações com sistemas não vibrados. A soja também foi ensaiada no secador LVJ equipado com um aquecedor elétrico de forma cilíndrica (50 mm DI), imerso no leito (aquecimento indireto). Uma análise do consumo de energia total do secador de LVJ com e sem aquecimento indireto, comprovou a maior eficiência do mesmo, comparado com um secador de leito estático. Foram desenvo1vidos modelos específicos visando simular a cinética de secagem através de curvas características. Estes modelos correiacionaram com sucesso, os resultados de secagem da batata e da soja. Este trabalho foi complementado com uma formulação de mudança de escala, baseado em correlações provenientes de um balanço de tensões no leitoAbstract: The configuration of the vibro-spouted bed dryer (VSB) ressembles that of a conventional spouted bed, but the rate of circulation of the particles is controlled by a vertical vibration imposed to them. As a consequence all the bed flows in a dense phase regime and the air velocity inside the bed is defined according to drying requirements alone. A 6,5 liters capacity dryer was conceived and developed in this work. It consists of a cylindrical chamber with conical botton (diameter 145 mm, height 390 mm), with optional fixation of a central draft tube, equipped with a perforated movable base, chat vibrated at defined amplitudes (2, 3, 4 and 5 mm) and frequency ranging from 0 to 18 Hz. Tests indicated that the internal flow of the particles follows a plug-flow mode 1 with low degree of dispersion and the rate of circulation passes through maxima at resonance conditions. The VSB dryer was tested with two materials of different elasticity: potato cubes and soya beans. These experiments defined the most favorable geometrical and vibration conditions in terms of pressure loss, rate of circulation of the particles, and drying kinetics. Comparisons with non-vibrating systems were made. Soya beans were also dryed in a VSB dryer equipped with a cylindrical electrical heater (50 mm ID), immersed inside the- bed (indirect beating). Analysis of the total energy consumption in the VSB dryer, with and without indirect heating, pointed out its bigger efficiency, compared to static bed dryer. Specific models were developed in order to simulate the drying kinetic through characteristics curves. These models correlated the drying results for potatoes and soya with success. This work was complemented with a scale-up formulation, based on correlations derived from tension balances inside the bedDoutoradoDoutor em Engenharia de Alimento

Pilot Design of a Distillation Column to Obtain Isoamyl Alcohol from Fusel Oil

Brazil stands out internationally in the production of biofuels, especially ethanol, and its importance is commonly the subject of several studies. In the sugar-alcohol sector, the distillation process is essential for the good quality of the final product. However, from this operation, a residue that does not have high economic value in its natural state, the fusel oil, is also produced. The present work aims to design a pilot distillation column to obtain the isoamyl alcohol present in this by-product to add economic value to it. The McCabe-Thiele method was selected for dimensioning the distillation column, and the main results consisted of a distillation efficiency of 36%, using 8 trays, and a purity of isoamyl alcohol analyzed by chromatography of 92,2 %. Therefore, the work presents an alternative for the use of this important by-product