Parameters optimization investigation on Non-Centrifugal Cane Sugar (NCCS) unit for jaggery processing

The experimental investigation has been conducted on a non-centrifugal cane sugar (NCCS) unit using an annular cooking bowl (ACB), a heat recovery unit, and food-graded heat transfer fluid (FHTF). The heat recovery unit makes up a spiral fin tube heat exchanger in a crossflow direction. The experiments involved varying the hot air inlet temperature from 450°C, 500°C, 550°C, and 600°C with a constant FHTF mass flow rate of 20 lpm. During experiments, the temperatures of sugar cane juice, the inner bowl surface at various locations, and the HTF outlet with time are measured. Results show that the inner bowl surface temperature of 118°C with Total Soluble Solvents (TSS) of 85°Brix value was achieved in 7680 s when the hot air inlet supply was 600°C, a minimum value compared to other cases. An orthogonal array of Taguchi, the signal-to-noise ratio, analysis of variance, and regression analysis have been employed to find the optimal parameter values and the effect of parameters on the duration of boiling time. More assertive response prediction and a good fit of the model with the experimental data are indicated by the boiling time duration’s coefficient of determination (R 2 ), which is 97.57% using Analysis of variance method. According to Taguchi’s study, the optimum parameter values are 600°C, 20 lpm for the hot air inlet, and the FHTF mass flow rate, in that order. ANOVA and regression testing were also performed to determine which inflow parameter was the most important among the parameters employed.