Modelling and Simulation of Pilot Vacuum Pan Crystallisation

摘要

A population balance based model was made for vacuum pan crystallisation ofsucrose crystals. The model was used for simulation and parameter estimation of an example case. The calculation sequence was designed so that measurement data of the pilot scale crystallizer could be used as inputs. By proper selection of inputs the model was simplified. The solution was based on the use of numerical method of lines. Experimental data was restricted and more will be needed to verify the model. In the experiments the crystals were not allowed to grow up to the normal white sugar product size. Therefore, the initial sizes for the simulation example were smaller than those for the growth period of a vacuum pan. The small initial sizes caused difficulties in the modelling as both the growth of small sucrose crystals and their dissolution due to undersaturated zones were not well known. This kind of modelling may work better for the growth period of a vacuum pan.