ESTIMATION OF pH OF SUGAR CANE JUICES A . T HIGH TEMPERATURE
A Philips digital pH-meter (PW9422) equipped with a Philips high temperature pH-electrode (CH 85D-SD) and platinum 100 thermometer was used in the autocalibrate mode to standardise itself using 2 NBS-buffers (phthalate and borax solutions). The instrument automatically identifies each buffer and uses the current temperature to select the exact buffer value from its look-up table. Temperature compensation for electrode slope changes due to temperature changes was also automatic.
MATLAB ® modelling of a sugar mill : model development and validation
The Sugar Milling Research Institute NPC in Durban, in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal, is undertaking broad techno-economic modelling of the sugarcane biorefinery as a basis for selecting products and processes with the highest potential for successful implementation. A case study modelling of pre-selected plant configurations involving mass and energy balances of individual units constituting a generic sugar mill as basis for a biorefinery was adopted. The presented study reports on a MATLAB model of a raw sugar mill. A plant configuration with mud filtration, five-effect evaporation and a three-boiling partial remelt scheme for the boiling house was selected. Special emphasis was placed on the method of boiling house modelling. The MATLAB model was successfully verified against calculation results obtained from the SugarsTM simulation program for the same input data. The model validation task included over 50 factory performance indicators taken from the 90 Annual Review of the Milling Season in Southern Africa (2014-2015) (Smith et al., 2015). An optimal set of model parameters that produced a data fit within the mean standard deviation of factory figures from several South African mills, was obtained. A new solubility coefficient equation, specific to sugar streams encountered in the South African sugar industry, was also proposed.
Water Quality Aspects of Irrigation and Drainage: Past History and Future Challenges for Civil Engineers
This paper presents a brief history of irrigation and drainage related to ASCE activities on its Jubilee. This paper discusses legislation and policies that affect irrigation and drainage practices, water quality constituents of increasing concern in irrigation and drainage practices, and presents a prognosis on the future of declining freshwater resources available for irrigated agriculture and growing water quality problems in irrigation and drainage. Civil engineers in ASCE’s Irrigation and Drainage Division have compiled an 80-year history of highly meritorious service and accomplishments. In the next millennium, civil engineers will face a formidable challenge in managing and protecting the precious freshwater resources in the U.S.