Tons Of Sugarcane Research Articles

Energy Efficiency of Biorefinery Schemes Using Sugarcane Bagasse as Raw Material

The use of biomass to obtain value-added products has been a good alternative for reducing their environmental impacts. For this purpose, different studies have been carried out focused on the use of agro-industrial waste. One of the most commonly used raw materials has been bagasse obtained from the processing of sugarcane in high quantities in countries like Brazil, India, China, Thailand, Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, Indonesia, Philippines, and the United States. From 1 ton of sugarcane, 280 kg of bagasse can be obtained. Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) is a waste that is rich in polysaccharides, which makes it a promising raw material for obtaining products under biorefinery concept. The objective of this work was to analyze from the energetic point of view, different biorefinery schemes in which SCB is employed as a raw material. The design and simulation of the different biorefinery schemes is performed in Aspen Plus software. From this software, it was possible to obtain the different mass and energy balances, which are used in the technical and energetic analysis. Exergy is used as a comparison tool for the energy analysis. These analyses allowed for the selection of the best biorefinery configuration from SCB.

Spatial assessment of sugarcane (Saccharurn spp. L.) production to feed the Komenda Sugar Factory, Ghana

Ghana imports about US$ 2 million worth of sugar annually. To address this huge import bill and to take advantage of a growing demand for sugar in the West African sub-region, the Government of Ghana initiated a Sugar Policy. The Government of Ghana, therefore, re-constructed and commissioned the Komenda Sugar Factory in 2016 at a reported cost of US$ 35 million. The Komenda Sugar Factory can process 1,250 tons of sugarcane per day (or 225,000 tons per annum), but was shut down soon after the test run and commissioning. This raised considerable public outcry. Among the numerous reasons that were given, it was widely believed that the factory faced feedstock deficits. This study therefore applied satellite remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems to quantify the potential feedstock supply from current production within the immediate catchment of the factory. Supervised classification was applied to Landsat 8 images, using QGIS, to quantify sugarcane production in the study area and at specified buffer distances from the factory. The results showed that the factory could mobilize only 7% of its feedstock requirement within the industrially recommended radius of 40 miles and 13% within the entire catchment area in the 2016/2017 season. Thus, under current scale of production and production conditions, the Komenda Sugar Factory faces large deficits in feedstock supply. National production data suggests that total national sugarcane production in 2016 would only meet 68% of the factory's requirement if it were operational. The results suggest an urgent need to establish a plantation for the factory and to commit out-growers to production to support and sustain the factory if it is to become operational soon. There is also a need for high-yielding, high-brix, and early maturing varieties, coupled with good agronomic practices, to bridge the quantity and (potentially) quality gaps.

COMPARATIVO DOS CUSTOS INDUSTRIAIS E ADMINISTRATIVOS NAS USINAS DE AÇÚCAR E ÁLCOOL DA DR-10: REGIÃO DE PRESIDENTE PRUDENTE

The present study had as general objective to investigate and analyze the composition of the production cost of the sugar cane in a plant in the Paulista high. The research was thus characterized: as to its nature, as applied; as to the objective, as exploratory; regarding the quantitative approach with modeling and qualitative method with case study method, using the interview method with the responsible for the accounting of the Plant. To validate the case study, a bibliographic survey will be carried out, helping to define the collection instrument and data analysis procedures. The results showed that the total cost per ton of sugarcane in the Region was R $ 86.64 considering partnership / lease and R $ 94.70 considering partnership / supplier.

Adaptability and Phenotypic Stability of the Sugarcane RB Genotype by the AMMI Method

The objective of this work is to evaluate the adaptability and phenotypic stability of the RB sugarcane genotype using the AMMI method. The experiments were performed in five production units in the state of Pernambuco, in cultivars of sugarcane soca and ressoca, using 14 RB sugarcane genotypes—11 RB clones of series 2004 and three cultivars as controls. Each combination of production unit × cutting was considered as environment, for a total of 13 environments. The experimental design was with random blocks, and four repetitions. We estimated the parameters tons of sugarcane per hectare (TCH) and tons of pol per hectare (TPH). The genotype G12 displayed general adaptability, phenotypic stability and high productivity for the two parameters. The genotypes G10, G13 and G14 had the highest yield, largest contribution of G×E, indicating specific adaptability. The environments A12 and A13, in Primavera, are recommended for preliminary selection trials.

IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE OPERATIONAL CAPACITY OF SUGAR CANE HARVESTERS

ABSTRACT Several studies determined the theoretical and effective capacity of sugarcane harvesters. However, in field conditions, some variables affect sugarcane production and their effect on machine productivity is difficult to measure. The objective of this study is to analyze the correlation of the operational capacity of sugarcane harvesters with property size, sugarcane yield, total operation time of harvesters, and lost productive time. This correlation will be used to construct models that estimate machine capacity under different working conditions. Harvest data were collected from 41 farms with different sizes and rates of productivity, with the harvesting of 412,207 tons of sugarcane by eight harvesters. Property size was the variable that, in isolation, better represented the operational capacity of harvesters in both mg day−1 and mg h−1, with a positive and strong correlation between these two variables.

Study of Steel Scrap Reinforced Concrete with Partial Replacement ofCement with Bagasse Ash

According to the report published by United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization in 2017, it is estimated that India presently produces 341.2 million metric tonnes of sugarcane, proving the fact that India is the second largest sugarcane producer on the globe. Sugarcane bagasse is a fibrous waste product recovered from the Sugar milling industry. There is an increasing threat of disposing the bagasse ash, as it causes serious environmental hazards. Hence, there is an immediate need to find an alternative solution to use the waste product in the form of bagasse ash, in an effective manner. Thus, this paper dealt with the replacement of cement using the bash in concrete. Furthermore, there has been numerous research made, into using steel fibre in concrete. Similar to steel fibre is steel scrap, which is a waste material from Lathe machines. Thereby, this paper will also deal with addition of steel scrap to the concrete, as the latter is much cheaper than steel fibres, which are normally used. Hence, a comprehensive study is made in the research, where concrete is prepared by partially replacing cement by bagasse ash and adding steel scrap to the volume of concrete, as a whole. Here, cement is partially replaced by bagasse ash by 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% by weight of cement in concrete. Similarly, steel scrap is added at dosage of 0%, 1% and 2% to the volume of concrete. The studies were conducted on 12 different combinations of bagasse ash and steel scrap being used in M20 grade of concrete. The parameters studied include compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength of concrete. The results are compared with conventional concrete and, the optimum combination of using both bagasse ash as a partial replacement material for cement and addition of steel scrap to the concrete, is determined.

Environmental Impact Study of Bagasse Valorization Routes

India is the world’s second largest producer of sugarcane and a major manufacturer of molasses-derived ethanol. The sugarcane produced is widely used in the production of sugar and 1G ethanol, leaving behind a huge amount of bagasse as waste. However, sugarcane bagasse also has some end-use value, for example, its utilization for the production of methanol, 2G ethanol, and electricity. Although the technologies for the production of these value-added products are well established, it is important to analyze the social, economic, and environmental impacts associated with their production processes. This work compares the environmental impacts of various sugarcane conversion processes on the life cycle basis. The functional unit used is 1 Ton of sugarcane cultivated on field. Four routes were identified for bagasse utilization: (i) conversion to methanol (route 1), (ii) conversion to ethanol via a two-stage dilute acid process (route 2), (iii) conversion to ethanol via an enzymatic process (route 3), and (iv) electricity generation (route 4). The comparison of bagasse management scenarios to obtain various products is made based on midpoint indicators, such as global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, ozone depletion potential, and photochemical ozone creation potential. It was observed that methanol production had the highest environmental indicator values. Ethanol production processes and cogeneration process have nearly similar impacts, although it can be said that cogeneration is more eco-friendly.

Reliability-Centered Maintenance: Analyzing Failure in Harvest Sugarcane Machine Using Some Generalizations of the Weibull Distribution

We considered five generalizations of the standard Weibull distribution to describe the lifetime of two important components of sugarcane harvesting machines. The harvesters considered in the analysis harvest an average of 20 tons of sugarcane per hour and their malfunction may lead to major losses; therefore, an effective maintenance approach is of main interest for cost savings. For the considered distributions, mathematical background is presented. Maximum likelihood is used for parameter estimation. Further, different discrimination procedures were used to obtain the best fit for each component. At the end, we propose a maintenance scheduling for the components of the harvesters using predictive analysis.

Early selection of sugarcane using path analysis.

The aim of this study was to analyze sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) biometric and technological data, obtained at different timepoints, using path analysis. The experiment was conducted in União, PI, Brazil, and evaluated 12 sugarcane genotypes (RB036066, RB9438, RB935744, RB021764, RB021754, RB021534, RB966229, RB977540, RB863129, and RB987935, and the varieties RB92579 and RB867515 as controls) in a randomized block design with four replications. Data were collected at six timepoints that were spaced 30 days apart (90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 days). Direct and indirect effects of the following production components were compared: stalk length, stalk diameter, internode length, number of tillers, number of green leaves, and stalk dry matter. The technological variables evaluated were total recoverable sugar, degrees Brix, tons of polarization (pol, apparent sucrose content) per hectare, juice purity, fiber, juice pol, and tons of sugarcane per hectare. The coefficients of determination were high in all path analyses, suggesting that the components evaluated explained a large part of the variation in stalk production and in the technological variables. Stalk diameter was the trait that best correlated with stalk dry matter yield at all timepoints, with positive values that were higher than the residual effect. This demonstrates the possibility of obtaining significant gains via indirect selection for stalk dry matter yield via stalk diameter or via stalk diameter and number of tillers. The technological variables degrees brix and juice pol were the traits that best correlated with total recoverable sugar production, indicating that they could be used to indirectly select for total recoverable sugar.

Comportamento de genótipos de maturação precoce de cana-de-açúcar na Zona da Mata de Pernambuco

In sugarcane commercial cultivation the knowledge related to genotypes performance in different harvest seasons are essential for the identification of early genotypes which, when selected, will contribute to a significant increase in agroindustrial productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the agroindustrial performance of 26 sugarcane genotypes and to select genotypes that stood out for early maturation and a consequently early harvest. The experiments were conducted at ‘Olho D’gua’farm in the ‘Zona da Mata’ region, north of Pernambuco state. A randomized block design with four replications was used and the evaluated variables were: tons of pol per hectare (TPH), tons of sugarcane per hectare (TCH), fiber (FIB), adjusted pol% (PCC), soluble solids content (BRIX) and total recoverable sugar (ATR). The variance analysis and estimationof the genetic parameters were carried out, grouping the genotypes according to Scott-Knott´s test and a total economic analysis was realized. The average heritability for TPH and TCH indicates high possibility of success in the selection of early and highly productive genotypes. It was observed that the genotypes RB92579, RB867515, RB75126, RB942991, SP81-3250, RB93509, RB72454 and RB863129 presented better performance for an early harvest.

Impact of agricultural practices on energy use and greenhouse gas emissions for South African sugarcane production

The environmental footprint of agricultural production can vary significantly both between countries and within a country based on regional conditions and agricultural practices. A life cycle assessment approach was used to model primary fossil fuel energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of sugarcane in South Africa. Results were calculated for sugarcane produced in two distinct regions, the irrigated North and the non-irrigated North Coast. Regional differences also include terrain, soil, and use of mechanization. Models were adapted to estimate the impacts of burning prior to harvest, leaving a biomass mulch blanket with green cane harvesting, and increasing the level of mechanization for harvest and other field operations. Irrigation contributes to a higher energy input in the irrigated North but differences are mitigated by the lower fertilizer, agro-chemical, and diesel use per ton of sugarcane produced there. Despite higher energy inputs in the irrigated North, greenhouse gas emissions are similar for sugarcane produced in each region. Green cane harvesting reduces energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions by 4% and 16%, respectively, in both regions. Impacts of mechanization on soil compaction and stool damage result in lower yields and proportionally higher energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions. Results demonstrate the potential for variability in LCA results based on regional differences in production practices within a country.

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) and Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) as Sugarcane Cover Crops

<p>A Louisiana sugarcane field is typically replanted every four years due to declining yields, and, although, it is a costly process, it is both necessary and an opportunity to maximize the financial return during the next four year cropping cycle. Fallow planting systems (FPS) during the fallow period prior to replanting sugarcane have the potential to influence not only the following sugarcane crop, but the economics of the production system as a whole. A 2 year experiment was conducted at the USDA, ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit at Houma, LA to determine the impact of unique FPS on sugarcane production. The experiment included seven treatments; two cover crops, kenaf (<em>Hibiscus cannabinus</em> L.) and cowpeas (<em>Vigna unguiculata</em> L. Walp.), three FPS harvest treatments for each FPS crop, and a control. The experiment had four replications. Kenaf was selected as a potential cover crop due to interest in its commercial by-products and cowpea was selected due to its potential to facilitate climate friendly soils. The kenaf and cowpeas were planted on 8 May 2013. The three FPS harvest treatments included the removal of the FPS crop at 50 days after planting (DAP), the removal of the harvested FPS crop at 100 DAP, and lastly, cutting the FPS crop at 100 DAP and incorporating the plant material into the soil prior to sugarcane planting. The control treatment did not have a cover crop. Unlike kenaf, the cowpea leaf, fresh and dry weight yields (50 DAP), 19.4 and 2.5 mt/ha, respectively, decreased to 17.0 and 2.4 mt/ha (100 DAP). Although the sugarcane total recoverable sucrose (TRS) (kg/mt) was greater with the kenaf cover-crop treatment 50 DAP (120 kg/mt) compared to the cowpea treatment 50 DAP (111 kg/mt) and the cowpea 100 DAP with the residue incorporated (112 kg/ha), none of the FPS crop treatments were significantly better or worse than the control (no cover crop). The average values for the sugarcane production factors across all treatments were 95,700 stalks/ha (millable stalks), 112 mt/ha (sugarcane yield), 114 kg/mt (sugar yield per metric ton of sugarcane), and 12,841 kg/ha (sugar yield per hectare). The results demonstrate the potential use of these alternative cover crops during the fallow period prior to planting sugarcane without adversely affecting the plant cane yields.</p>

Technical, Economic and Environmental Assessment of Ethanol Production Using a Biochemical-thermochemical Hybrid Route

The present work proposes, in the context of a Biorefinery, to assess the biochemical-thermochemical hybrid route through the recovery of the residual cellulignin from pre-treatment and hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse and straw in an integrated first- and second-generation ethanol plant (1G2G plant), by means of residual cellulignin gasification in a thermochemical ethanol plant. In this assessment, a decentralized plant concept is considered, in which four first- and second-generation ethanol biochemical plants (1G2G biochemical plants) processing 4 million tonnes of sugarcane per year (4 MTC/y) each and producing first- and second-generation ethanol supply residual cellulignin for a central standalone feedstock flexible thermochemical plant, configuring an 1G2G biochemical-thermochemical ethanol hybrid scenario. As base scenario, four 1G2G autonomous plants with residual cellulignin burned in the boilers is selected. For the routes comparison, main technical, economic and environmental aspects of each scenario are assessed. Results showed an increase in total anhydrous ethanol production for 1G2G biochemical-thermochemical ethanol hybrid scenario, besides higher alcohols that are also produced in this scenario. An increase of capital investment is observed for the 1G2G biochemical-thermochemical ethanol hybrid scenario justifying the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) lower than the base scenario, yet with a positive net present value (NPV). Environmental results showed similar impacts for both scenarios.

Fungal communities in pressmud composting harbour beneficial and detrimental fungi for human welfare

Pressmud is a substrate derived from sugarcane juice filtrate, and around 26-40 kg of this residue are produced per ton of sugarcane. It is mainly used as fertilizer in crops, and its application in the field is often made without any prior treatment, but, in this research, it was studied for the risk this practice poses for human health. This research was stimulated by previous results indicating the presence of opportunistic pathogens in residues used in various composting systems and the extensive use of fresh pressmud in agriculture. Here, It was assessed the fungal diversity present in both fresh and composting pressmud using 454 pyrosequencing. In addition, heat-tolerant fungi were isolated and surveyed for their enzymatic repertoire of biomass-degrading enzymes (cellulase, xylanase, laccase and polygalacturonase). A wide range of opportunistic pathogens was found among the most abundant taxa in the fresh pressmud, such as Lomentospora prolificans (43.13 %), Trichosporon sp. (10.07 %), Candida tropicalis (7.91 %), and Hormographiella aspergillata (8.19 %). This indicates that fresh pressmud might be a putative source of human pathogenic fungi, presenting a potential threat to human health if applied as fertilizer without any treatment. With regard to the heat-tolerant fungi found in this substrate, all the 110 isolates screened were able to produce at least one of the tested enzymes. The pressmud composting process not only effectively reduces the load of pathogenic fungi, but also creates an interesting environment for fungi able to produce thermostable hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes with biotechnological applications.

Simulation Studies on Ethanol Production from Sugar Cane Residues

Ethanol is generally considered to be a renewable energy source and is in principle a greener alternative to conventional fossil fuels. During the last few decades production of ethanol on a large scale has achieved remarkable escalation mainly due to its flexible application and high demand. Nevertheless robust technologies are yet to be established focusing on the exploitation of lignocellulosic material and waste. Sugar cane processes for ethanol or sugar production provide—as waste bagasse—approximately 250–280 kg of bagasse per ton of sugar cane. This solid residue of the cane milling process has, in most cases, been misused so far. If it is not disposed to land, it is either sold as animal feed or used in a rather inefficient way to cover the domestic energy needs of the local residents. Thus, the proper exploitation of bagasse will enhance the sustainability of existing biorefineries and give an important economic boost to local communities.

Selection in sugarcane based on inbreeding depression.

This study aimed to evaluate the gene action associated with yield-related traits, including mean stalk weight (MSW), tons of sugarcane per hectare (TCH), and fiber content (FIB) in sugarcane. Moreover, the viability of individual reciprocal recurrent selection (RRSI-S1) was verified, and the effect of inbreeding depression on progenies was checked. The results were also used to select promising genotypes in S1 progenies. Eight clones (RB925345, RB867515, RB739359, SP80-1816, RB928064, RB865230, RB855536, and RB943365) and their respective progenies, derived from selfing (S1), were evaluated. Several traits, including the number of stalks, MSW, soluble solids content determined in the field, stalk height, stalk diameter, TCH, soluble solids content determined in the laboratory, sucrose content, and FIB were evaluated in a randomized block design with hierarchical classification. The results showed that the traits with predominant gene action associated with the dominance variance of MSW and TCH were most affected by inbreeding depression. The FIB, with predominant additive control, was not affected by selfing of the clones, and the RB867515⊗, RB928064⊗, RB739359⊗ and RB925345⊗ progenies performed best. Therefore, the use of S1 progenies for RRSI-S1 in sugarcane breeding programs is promising, and it should be explored for the future breeding of clones with high FIB levels.

Growth and yield of sugarcane as a function of phosphorus doses and forms of application

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate sugarcane growth and its agricultural and industrial yield influenced by phosphorus (P) sources and forms of application. The experiment was carried out at the Paisa Sugar Mill, in Penedo-AL, Brazil, from February 2012 to February 2013. The adopted experimental design was a randomized block in a factorial arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of five doses of triple superphosphate applied in the planting furrow (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1 of P2O5), and three doses of Bayóvar reactive phosphate rock (0, 100 and 200 kg ha-1 of P2O5) applied in the total area. Phosphorus applied in the planting furrow improved sugarcane quality through the reduction of fiber and increases in purity, corrected pol, total recoverable sugar, ton of pol per hectare (TPH) and ton of sugarcane per hectare (TSH). The Bayóvar reactive phosphate rock promoted increases in stem diameter at 120 days after planting (DAP), TPH and TSH. For the interaction triple superphosphate applied in the planting furrow x Bayóvar reactive phosphate rock applied in the total area, there were significant differences in the number of tillers at 30 DAP, stem diameter at 120 DAP and TSH.

Challenges in Bioenergy Production from Sugarcane Mills in Developing Countries: A Case Study

Worldwide energy policies are moving towards a reduction of fossil fuels’ share in the energy mix and to invest in renewable and green energy sources. Biomass is one of these, and it represents, in the form of sugarcane, a strategic source in Colombia, especially in the Valle del Cauca. In this region, the sugarcane industry is able to convert the energy content of the cane into different energy products, such as ethanol, electricity, and high-pressure steam, which are cogenerated via bagasse combustion. In this work, the case of a sucrose and ethanol production plant, which mills ten thousand tons of sugarcane per day, is considered. A tailor-made computational model was developed to assess the energy and material process balances in order to estimate the effect of different operating conditions on cogeneration boilers and turbines, and to optimize the overall process efficiency. The current situation was modeled with good precision from the developed model. Likewise, the concept of “Renewable Efficiency” was introduced to explain the degree of green power, which a process plant is able to produce. Consequently, new innovative solutions and process layouts were proposed in order to increase their renewable efficiency. With the new configurations, a convenient energy surplus of up to 33 MW can be reached, which could be sold in the national electricity grid, representing long-term interesting economic benefits for the company.

Optimization of sugarcane farming as a multipurpose crop for energy and food production

AbstractSugarcane is a multipurpose crop whose components may be used, in addition to sugar production, for various energy carriers or end‐products (electricity, liquid biofuels and heat) which enhance its economic potential. For many years, plant breeders and agronomists have focused on increasing sucrose yields per hectare and millers on increasing recoverable sucrose per ton of sugarcane in sugar mills. Attempting to exploit the energy potential of sugarcane more fully, calls for a more holistic approach focusing on both sucrose and lignocellulosic components of sugarcane biomass, and gaining some insight into the management practices required to optimize sugarcane cropping systems in these respects. Such options include genotype selection, harvest date with respect to the crop's growing cycle, crop type (plant crop vs. ratoon crops) and harvesting systems (mechanical vs. manual). The effects of these factors are strongly modulated by climate and soil properties, and these interactions are overall poorly known. Here, we set out to examine sugarcane infield management × environmental interactions with respect to (i) sugarcane yield and partitioning of the aboveground biomass; and (ii) sugarcane milling products (recoverable sucrose yield and amounts of coproducts) and their derived energy carriers. Three Saccharum cv. cultivars (R570, R579 and R585) were planted in three locations on La Reunion Island with contrasting management practices and climatological conditions. Quality characteristics of the samples were assessed by conventional and near infrared spectroscopy methods. Product, coproducts and potential energy production were measured and computed using transfer equations and a mill‐operating model. Yields and quality characteristics from cultivars and harvesting systems were affected differently by environmental factors – low temperature and radiation, and water stress. The current study also provides valuable information on how combinations between environments, genotypes and practices affect yield and partitioning of the aboveground biomass, and food and energy production.

Impact of Flood on Sugarcane Industry of Pakistan

Abstract During the current season 2010-11 most of the Sugar Mills of the Sindh started crushing late October-2010 and up to 31st December, 2010 Crushed 2,165,625 metric tons of sugarcane as against 2,691,769 metric tons crushed in the same period last year. The sugar produced was 167,159 metric tons as against 224,626 metric tons last year and same situation in other provinces. A major issue pertains to sugarcane crushed is more or less the same but production of sugar decreased due to reduction in the recovery percentage. During the current period recovery percentage was 7.72 as against 8.34 % last year. The main cause of reduction in the recovery rate was the excess water due to devastating flood in the country and rain. As a result excessive water was absorbed by the sugarcane crop which reduced the sugar contents in the cane and increased in the weight of the same. This result in dual loss to the mills in the shape of more payments to the growers and less recovery.