Clarificação do caldo de cana-de-açúcar por aquecimento e fosfatação auxiliado por caleação e centrifugação contínua.

Abstract

The quality and yield of the sugar produced are influenced by the raw material and administration of the operational steps. The main treatment of the broth is to eliminate the coarse particles (bagacilhos, sand) that increase the wear of the equipment and incrustations, reducing the productivity. In the clarification stage, chemical additives are used with subsequent heating which favors decantation, necessitating effective control so that the impurities are effectively removed and do not influence the subsequent steps. This work evaluated the clarification of the sugarcane juice by: calcination, addition of phosphoric acid in different concentrations, heating and continuous centrifugation, through the physico-chemical parameters. Analyzes of: pH, ° Brix, turbidity, conductivity and ICUMSA color were carried out. The clarification was performed following an experimental design 22, whose independent variables studied were: concentration of phosphoric acid (0 - 300 ppm) and temperature (75 - 105 ºC). The evaluated responses were the percentages of color reduction and turbidity. In order to evaluate the effects of the independent variables (temperature and concentration of phosphoric acid and dependents (ICUMSA color and turbidity), the effects of color and turbidity were estimated. (ANOVA). The results of the physico-chemical analyzes that indicated the best operational conditions that caused the greatest reduction of color were point 5 (90 ° C and 150 ppm of phosphoric acid) and for the reduction of turbidity was the point 2 (75 ° and 300 ppm) .The statistical analysis of the variables (acid concentration and temperature) did not present statistical significance on the reduction of color. was significant, and it was verified after analysis of variance (ANOVA). It was possible to conclude that the model fits well to the experimental data regarding re turbidity, ie at the 95% confidence level.