SeedMaster 2 | Process Control Kft

The SeedMaster 2

Batch vacuum pan farm

SeedMaster 2 and K-PATENTS process refractometer

SeedMaster 2

Sugar production

Sugar manufacturing dates back to over one and a half century. World sugar production rose to 134 million tons in year 2000, and it was twice as much as it was 30 years before. Sugar is probably the product manufactured in the largest quantity in crystalline form. It is therefore of utmost importance to manufacture it according to the newest achievements in instrumentation and process control.

Changes in crystallization technology: a brief history

1. Instrumentation and control

No instruments, the skilled “artisan” pan-man rules (for 100 years or so, in some places even today).
The first steps in instrumentation: starting with the conductivity probe, continuing later on with different types of massecuite density and solids content transmitters. Manual control (starting about 50 years ago).
The first steps in automatic control (pneumatic, later electronic): only simple control problems (like level, temperature, flow etc.) are solved with the traditional PID controllers. Boiling control remains the territory of the pan-men (starting about 50 years ago).
First examples of computer-based crystallization control (starting about 25 years ago). The instruments provide the same type of data: conductivity, massecuite density or solids content. The only change is in the principle of operation: increasing signal frequency (from a few kHz to radio frequency (RF)), or from nuclear to microwave radiation.
Appearance of the completely digital in-line process refractometer to measure syrup / mother liquor concentration pioneered by K-PATENTS Oy, Finland (about 20 years ago).
Development of the SeedMaster optional software to be run in the PR-01-S refractometer of K-PATENTS, capable to monitor supersaturation on-line and to implement reliable automatic seeding of the vacuum pans (9 years ago).

2. Crystallization know-how

It is well known since the origins of the industry, that crystallization can be carried out only in saturated (or rather: supersaturated) solutions.
While it is recognized, that supersaturation is the most important parameter of crystallization, even today it deserves only lip service: most of the instruments in use still measure conductivity, or density or solids content (a single parameter), that is: anything but not supersaturation.
It is also recognized that seeding is a very important step in crystallization, but it is still shrouded in mystery. It is therefore highest time to relieve it of human error and eventual neglect, that is it should be carried out under automatic control based on supersaturation.
Besides supersaturation, advanced control of crystallization requires the on-line monitoring of some other parameters, like crystal content or mother liquor purity, not available today from anyone of the common single-parameter sensors.

3. SeedMaster 2: fresh wind in a conservative industry

Sugar manufacturing of our times is characterized by concentration (plants and vacuum pans alike have large production capacities). The success of survival of the plants depends more and more on product quality and on the cost of production, both of which are closely connected to the level of instrumentation and control.
Continuing in the footsteps of SeedMaster, SeedMaster 2 is a significant further step to meet the requirements of advanced sugar crystallization control. It relies on the use of K-PATENTS process refractometers, capable to provide on-line data on syrup / mother liquor concentration all over a strike. It provides the really vital data on-line during crystallization (not a single one, but 6 per pan) simultaneously for 2 pans.
SeedMaster 2 can carry out reliable automatic seeding of 2 crystallizers based on supersaturation or density set-point (the former one is advised) selected by the local technologist.
SeedMaster 2 has a wide range of advanced features never provided by a single instrument. Its “Strike history” feature for example is a very effective diagnostic tool in improving local crystallization control practice.

SeedMaster 2 is backed by experience and know-how acquired in several countries over 25 years in automation projects in the industry.

The many (and much more) faces of a unique device


Main Display	Supersaturation and solids content (brix)

Supersaturation and crystal content	Strike history for 4 strikes (supersaturation)

Trending supersaturation and cyrstal content	Trending supersaturation and mother liquid purity

Learn more about SeedMaster 2 and make the right decision to sweeten your profits.

SeedMaster 2 is a logical further development on the way pioneered by the SeedMaster optional software. Both rely on the realization, that

supersaturation is the most important parameter to be controlled all over the process of crystallization, and
reliable, automatic seeding based on supersaturation is absolutely necessary in advanced crystallization control.

While the SeedMaster software provides on-line data on supersaturation only, SeedMaster 2 was designed not only to meet every requirement, what the common practice of sugar crystallization might pose, but also to inspire quite new approaches and methods to drastically improve present control practice, unthinkable until now because of the lack of appropriate equipment.

Field s of application:

SeedMaster 2 can be used in beat and cane sugar plants and in refineries with

traditional vacuum pans,
continuous crystallizers and
cooling crystallizers

as well.

Equipment base:

SeedMaster 2 consists of dedicated

hardware and
software

specifically designed to result in a unique instrument with no comparable equipment in sight. It relies on the use of liquid concentration and temperature data monitored on-line by refractometers from K-PATENTS OY (Helsinki, Finland) and on data acquired by an already existing density, solids content or stirrer motor power consumption transmitter.
A single SeedMaster 2 can serve two independent crystallizers simultaneously.

Main features:

1. On-line calculation of 7 massecuite / mother liquor parameters (per pan):

Supersaturation ( )
Crystal content (% by volume)
Density (kg/m3)
Solids content (%)
Consistency (%)
Mother liquor purity (%)
Mean crystal size (mm)

2. Data output:

Transmission of any 2 (per pan) calculated data selected from the available 7 as standard current (4-20 mA) output.
Transmission of all calculated and measured data for 2 pans by high-speed digital communication (Ethernet, MODBUS TC/IP) to a computer or Process Control System with compatible communication features.

3. Seeding:
Automatic:

Set-point for seeding: supersaturation.
Set-point for seeding: density (use of supersaturation is advised).

Manual :
Manual seeding is possible any time. Password is needed.

4. Local Operator’s Station:

Device configuration.
Numeric display of all measured and calculated data.
Data trends on the graphic LCD of all measured and calculated data on the current and 3 previous strikes (per pan).
Condensed numeric strike history (supersaturation) data on the current and 3 previous strikes (per pan).
Device test functions.

Major benefits:

Improved crystal quality due to:
- reliable automatic seeding based on supersaturation set-point;
- the possibility of advanced control of supersaturation to keep it safely below the critical limit of supersaturation to start nucleation;
- decreased conglomerate content.

Production cost reduction due to a smaller amount of re-circulated (re-melted and re-crystallized)
- fines (small crystals) and
- conglomerates.

The use of SeedMaster 2 can vastly improve crystallization practice even in plants, where expensive process control equipment is not available.
SeedMaster 2 is able to transmit on-line data to a Process Control System on a large number of parameters not available from any other instrument in use.

For more information on SeedMaster 2 visit “Brochure (515kbyte PDF document) ”.