Reduced Maintenance and Downtime in Sugar Carbonation using an Automatic Cleaning System & Pre-calibrated pH Sensors
Liquid analytical measurements in sugar refineries are challenging. This is due to the processes needed to convert the sugar contained within the sugar beets into a concentrated liquid called thick juice.
Critical steps in the sugar purification process are 1st and 2nd carb. Continuous pH monitoring ensures the efficiency of the sugar carbonation stage. Because of the potential for excessive lime buildup, it’s not uncommon for technicians to manually remove pH probes multiple times a day for cleaning with de-liming acid and recalibration. This process is very maintenance intensive. It becomes a battle to stay ahead of the lime buildup. This is especially true in the 2nd carbonation phase. The stage has elevated temperatures.
The Solution
M4 Knick’s CL-90 automatic retraction and cleaning system is the ideal solution for the sugar carbonation process where heavy calcium buildup occurs. When combining the CL-90 with a Stratos Evo transmitter and pneumatically driven SensoGate WA 131 holder, the fully programmable cleaning system provides an automated solution that extends sensor life and significantly reduces preventative maintenance costs and time.
The SE 554 pH sensor is designed especially for applications with suspended solids. This low-maintenance sensor is constructed using 2 open junctions, a solid polymer electrolyte & a Silamid® reference system. These features provide stable performance and long life in the most difficult applications. In addition, the SE 554 utilizes Memosens smart digital technology. The diagnostics provided by Memosens give greater visibility of the current health of the pH probe as well as remaining life based on actual process conditions.
A microprocessor in the head of the pH electrode allows for offline calibration and provides real-time diagnostics. The Portavo 907 Multi portable analyzer allows technicians to calibrate and troubleshoot in the shop or lab instead of in the field. This minimizes measurement errors due to contamination of calibration buffers.
The technician can simply carry out the pre-calibrated sensor to the transmitter and disconnects the Memosens inductive cable. They can then “hot-swap” the sensor with no additional calibration or configuration. They can install a newly calibrated Memosens pH probe in a matter of a few minutes. As a result, there is minimal interruption to the measurement.
What was this Customer’s Return on Investment?
- Reduced downtime and maintenance costs:
The CL-90 automated cleaning system eliminated manual sensor cleaning. The open junction design of SE 554 minimizes plugging which equates to less frequent cleaning and calibration. - Increased sensor life:
Automating the preventative maintenance process ensures that sensors are not inadvertently left in the process for long periods due to missed manual cleaning cycles. The Silamid reference system utilizes a secondary junction on the end of the reference electrode which slows poisoning. - Optimized production campaigns:
M4 Knick’s automated cleaning system paired with the SE 554 provides higher accuracy and more stable measurements throughout the campaign. This results in consistently high finished product quality and less re-work.
