Optimization of environmental and qualitative indicators of work of sugar mills as a result of improvement of the mathematical support in the automated process control systems of sugar production

Abstract

The article considers the environmental impact of sugar production. Features of Ukrainian and global sugar factory operation were described. Authors worked out the efficiency analysis of whole sugar production and each of the production stage. They determined the influence of the most energy-consuming stages of a sugar mill which affect the environment.
In order to increase the competitiveness of sugar production the effectiveness of a sugar mill operation should be determined not only for reasons of the final product cost but for the comprehensive strategic assessment of energy efficiency of the technological process and minimization of harmful effects on the environment. An important factor of the development of modern technologies is using approaches aimed at optimizing the use of raw materials, water and energy and obtaining high-quality competitive products. Efficient using of energy resources, steam, fresh water is possible through the application of modern automated process control systems at Ukrainian sugar factory where will use the mathematical support based on intellectual approaches.
To obtain the effective mathematical support factors which influence the production process and the algorithms of the automated process control systems were identified.
The article determined environmental and qualitative factors of sugar that should be considered in the construction of the technological process models. As it is shown the main components of the environmental impact are emission into the atmosphere. Sugar mill emissions contain both toxic substances (Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen dioxides, Sulfur dioxides and Particulate matter) and greenhouse gases that cause climate change (Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen monoxide and methane). Sugar mill discharges into water objects are dangerous by the high contents of organic matter (according to the BOD5) and may cause eutrophication. For the purpose of environmental substantiation of application of the selected indicators in mathematical support of automated systems of sugar production, we determined the greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the use of electricity generated by Ukraine's unified energy system, natural gas, calcination of limestone and storage of pulp.
It was determined that the implementation of effective automated control systems of sugar production is able to reduce natural gas consumption (up to 17%) and electricity (about 4%) and lower the emissions of carbon dioxide and methane, the main greenhouse gases, significantly. The influence of application of qualitative factors in the mathematical support of the automated process control systems on the optimization of evaporation was determined.