Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1955 The tU ilization and Mechanical Separation of Sugar Cane Bagasse. Robert Marius Hansen Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Hansen, Robert Marius, "The tU ilization and Mechanical Separation of Sugar Cane Bagasse." (1955). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 104. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/104 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE UTILIZATION AND MECHANICAL SEPARATION OF SUGAR CANE BAGASSE A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in p a r tia l fu lfillm e n t of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Chemical Engineering by Robert Marius Hansen B.S., Louisiana State University, 1950 M .S., Newark College o f E ngineering, 1953 June, 1955 EXAMINATION AND THESIS REPORT r Candidate: Robert M. Hansen Major Field: Chem ical Engineering Title of Thesis: The U tilization and Mechanical Spcaration of Sugar Cane Bagasse Approved: Major Professor and Chairman adunto School EXAMINING COMMITTEE: ■ ■ T/ -7T Date of Examination: May 11, 1955 PIRC SUROIN IIBEHI I l l CF I B S 11, Furfural from B agasse ............ Page ho, 12, C attle Feed fro i B ag a sse ......... H e author wishes to thank h r, Arthur 5, Keller, without vhose 1 ), Hisccllancous Ises of Bagesse • ■ > • • ■ran ..................................... i i pidance tliij lisaertation would to e hew wth nore difficult. Dr, P, II, IK ( M U .................................. ii M i l , E M U .................. Horton contributed to the original desip of this apparatus, therelj set* IMF* ................................... v iii 1, S olution of the Bagasse Separation Plant ■ ting the patten for fotiiro vorh in the field of bagasse separation. I, Apparatus......................... MUMI ................................................................. * t a b are alio expressed to Hessrs, E, E, Snyder, 1.1, Stciart I l f .......................................... x ii 1, Bagasse Separation P l a n t ......... and 1 1. Clark, vho assisted is conducting tie experimental work for ■ H I .................................. 1 2. Small Hamer H i l l................ this project. cm. niisui.............. i J, Rotary Digester ■ - .............. Appreciation is also extended to Hiss I. larlste, of tie lefereatc U i y i n j k r ................... 1, historical............................... 8 Departient, Krs, 1 . 1. C o k r , fro i tie h i s t i j Library, and Mrs. K, C, Cperatioi of the Bagasse Separation Plant > Early Evidence of Bagasse U til is a ti o n 6 Hanchey, f r a ti e Agricultural-Biology Library. I, Procedure for P ulping . Reviev of Several Conprthensive Studies of Hany students contributed to the success of this project; I, E, Bagasse U tilita tio n ................. ! E, A n aly ses......................... M r , H. F, 1, Fontaine, S. ! , Knapp, and n itro n s senior cheaical rocuring and U tilising Bagasse F, R e su lts.......................... engineering students. Production T re n d s ...... C, Biscussion of R esu lts ............... 1, YariablesAffectin; Amount of Separation se ■ 2, Variables Affecting Power Consaption • Louisiana Purchase Contract for Bagasse 1, Ash Contents of Bagasse, Fiber and Pith I , Properties of Bagasse, Fiber and Pith > 5, tra in V ate r.................... Ii, Evaluation of Fiber Product ........ 1, Bagasse Flow Problems ............ E, Conclusions ....................... iii Page No. APPENDIX I; Economics of a Dagasse Separation Plant ------ 160 APPENDIX II. Definitions and Abbreviations ---------- 165 APPENDIX I I I . Summary o f C a lc u la tio n s -------- -- 168 A. M ate rial Balance - - - - - - - - ---- -- - - - - - - 168 B. Sample Data and Calculations ------------ 172 C. S t a t i s t i c a l C a lc u la tio n s -------------- 177 VITA------------------------------------------------------- 193 v LIST OF TABLES Table No. Title Page No. I Recapitulation of Final Manufacturing Reports of Louisiana Sugar Cane Factories, Crop 1952-53 14 II Data for Power Consumption and Feed Rates of the Bagasse Separation Plant 81 III Instantaneous Power Consumption for Individual Hammer Mills of the Bagasse Separation Plant 83 IV Load Factor on Hammer Mills and Accessories of the Bagasse Separation Plant 84 V Ash Analyses of Feed and Fiber Product for Dry Operation of the Bagasse Separation Plant 85 VI Ash Analyses of Feed and Fiber Product for Wet Operation of the Bagasse Separation Plant 8b VII Ash Analyses of Fiber and Pith from Each H ill of The Bagasse S ep aratio n P la n t 87 V III Summary o f P er Cent Ash in th e Bagasse Feed and Per Cent Ash in the Fiber Product for Various Operating Conditions of the Bagasse Separation P la n t 88 IX Analyses of Bagasse and Fiber Ash for Si02 and Fe203 89 X P er Cent o f Feed Removed a s P ith from th e No. 1 Mill Only (Dry Basis) 90 XI Total Pith Removed/Feed Ratio (Dry Basis) 91 X II P ith from th e No. 1 M ill/T o ta l P ith Removed From the Bagasse (Dry Basis) 92 XIII Data for Power Consumption and Feed Rate for Various RPM o f the Sm all Hammer M ill 93 XIV Per Cent Solids and Per Cent Mud in Water from Strainer Tanks of the Bagasse Separation Plant 95 v i Table No. Title Page No. XV Particle Size Analyses of the Fiber Product fro® the Bagasse Separation Plant 9b XVI Bone Dry Density vs. Pressure for Fiber and Pith 97 XVII Results of Analyses of Fiber for Desirables and Undesirables 100 XVIII Properties of Kraft Pulp Produced from Dry and Wet Separated Fiber and Bagasse 101 XIX Identification of Samples Sent to Celotex Corp. 105 XX Yield of Pulp from Dry and Wet Separated Fiber Using a N eu tral S u lf ite Cook 10b XXI Summary o f the A nalysis o f V ariance fo r th e Yield of Pulp from Dry and Wet Separated Fiber 107 XXII Permanganate Numbers of Pulps from Dry and Wet S ep arated F ib er Using a N eu tral S u lf ite Cook 108 XXIII Summary o f th e A n a ly s is o f V ariance fo r the Permanganate Number of th e Pulp from Dry and Wet Separated Fiber 109 v i i LIST OF FIGURES F igure Ho. T itle Page No. 1 Location of World's Sugar Producing Areas 11 2 World Production of Cane and Beet Sugar, 1910 to 1952 12 3 Effect of Pith Contention Pulping and Bleaching Bagasse 37 4 Flov Sheet for Production of Pith and Fiber 62 5 Bagasse Separation Plant 63 6 Bagasse Drying Tower 69 7 KWH/Lb. Wet Feed v s. Wet Feed Rate 110 8 KWHt/Hr. v s. Wet Feed Rate 111 9 KWti/Hr. v s. Water Rate 112 10 Per Cent Ash in Bagasse vs. Per Cent Ash in Fiber for Dry Operation 113 11 Per Cent Ash in Bagasse vs. Per Cent Ash in Fiber for Wet Operation 114 12 Per Cent Ash in Fiber vs. Pounds of Water per Pound of Ash in Feed x 10*2 1 1 5 13 Per Cent Feed Removed a s P ith from th e No. 1 H ill v s. Screen Size, Dry Basis 116 14 KWH per Pound of Feed vs. Feed Rate for Various RPH of Small Mill, Dry Basis 117 15 Pounds of Pith/Pound of Feed vs. Feed Rate, for 1135 RPH of Small Hill, Dry Basis 118 16 Pounds of Pith/Pound of Feed vs. Feed Rate for 795 RPH of Small Hill, Dry Basis 119 17 Per Cent Solids in Drain Water vs. Pounds of Water per Pound of Feed, Dry Basis 120 v i i i Table No, Title Page No. 18 Weight Per Cent Solids in Drain Water vs. Per Cent Mud 121 19 Average Particle Size Distribution 122 20 Pressure vs. Density for Fiber and Pith 123 21 Feet of Bagasse, Fiber, and Pith vs. Pressure Drop 124 22 Typical Plot of Temperature vs* Time for Pulping F ib e r 125 ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS P la te No. T itle Page No. I Section Through Outer Part of Cane Stem 27 II Structure of the Vascular Bundle and Surrounding S to rag e C e lls 28 III Parenchyma or Pith Cells 29 IV M ill No. 1 , Lid Removed 64 V Mill No. 1, Assembled 64 VI M ill No. 2, L id Removed 64 VII Mill No. If Assembled 64 V III M ill No. 3 , Lid Removed 64 IX Mill No* 3, Assembled 64 X Control Panel, Bagasse Separation Plant 65 XI Water Meter and Water Control Valves, Bagasse Separation Unit 65 XII Spencer Rotary Digester 65 XIII Moisture Tellers 65 XIV Apparatus for Determining Ash in Bagasse 65 XV Saccharimcter 65 XVI Main Feeder Scroll 66 XVII Mill No. 3 Feeder Scroll 66 XVIII Mill No. 2 Feeder Scroll 66 XIX Bucket £ le v a to r bb XX Fiber Strainer Tanks 66 XXI Pith Discharge Scroll and Fiber Product Tank 66 x haulers in each of the three mills, I portion of tbe pith is forced apart F lat! Do, T itle Page lo . f r a tie f ile r in each m ill and passes through a screen which is located SHI Fiber attd Pith Strainer lankj, Plan licia 66 AHS1C1 directly beneath the hammers.