Prediction Of Sugar Yield From Sugar Cane Using Process Modeling

ABSTRACT

A study was undertaken to developed a model that will be used to predict sugar and the

by-products from sugar cane. The model developed from MATLAB was used to predict

the sugar, bagasse, filter cake and molasses yield from sugar cane. The predicted values

from the model were compared to yield data obtained from the production of sugar cane

from the Savannah Sugar Company, Numan, Nigeria for 90 days. The analysis of

variance (ANOVA) at p ≤ 0.01 was used to determine if there were significant difference

in the yield predicted by the model and the measured factory yield. The F-LSD at p ≤

0.01 was used to separate the means. The model is validated where there was no

significant difference between its predicted yield and the factory-obtained yield. The

sugar cane input of 2,150.52 MT was obtained from the Savannah Sugar factory. The

corresponding imbibitions water pumped into the mixed juice was 673.12 MT. The

predicted sugar, bagasse, molasses and filter cake yield using the MATLAB model was

279.5MT (13%), 1,049.46MT(48%), 111.828MT(5.2%) and 101.1MT(4.7%)

respectively. The ANOVA showed that there was no significant difference between the

MATLAB model and the factory-based model. It is concluded that the ANOVA validated

MATLAB model for sugar yield prediction. Consequently, this model is recommended

for use in predicting sugar and by-products yields from sugar cane. Statistical analysis

using the F-LSD showed that the model satisfied such an invariant confidence in the

model, and provided support for its validity.

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