Harvesting Solutions: The Role of NIR in Sugarcane Production

Chapter 63
📂 Case overview:The food detectives prepare a detailed portfolio about the benefits of NIR technology and how it can optimize the various stages of sugarcane cultivation and production. Can the detectives help their clients ensure a sweeter yield?

Somewhere, deep in the heart of Brazil, a sugar cane producer is planning to modernize his operation and invest in new technology. His concerns regarding market share are increasingly important in his business plan. However, the increased workload and business demands also require higher profitability, and he must ensure a return on his investment. His attention turns to how he can optimize the sugarcane yield and automate his processes to increase profits. He has heard about NIR spectroscopy and wants to learn more about this technology and how it can be used in his sugarcane business. He, therefore, decides to call in the help of the food detectives.

Meanwhile, back in the office, Miss Mapple has prepared the detectives a delicious meal using Poppa Passarelli’s unique shaped pasta that she was given as a reward for solving her last case . Everyone is having a great time, especially Cornlumbo, who is digging into his second bowl of pasta. As they are all sat eating, Shallot Homes receives a call. He stands up and answers the phone, and the detectives can all hear the desperate sugarcane producer. Not wanting to startle the detectives, Shallot takes the call into another room.
 

A sugar cane producer is planning to modernize his operation and invest in new technology for higher profitability, a faster return on investments, and more market share

 

As Holmes leaves the room, Cornlumbo immediately dives into his third bowl of pasta. “You’re terrible, Cornlumbo; poor Shallot seems so distressed, and all you can do is stuff your face,” says Miss Mapple. No sooner had she spoken when Holmes re-entered the room looking red and flushed. Miss Mapple asks what the matter is, and Holmes explains the situation.

He tells the detectives about the client’s business plan and his questions about NIR technology. “He asked me to help. So, I explained to him the benefits of NIR technology for the various stages of their production,” says Holmes. “What a good idea,” says Nancy Beef, who had experience helping a sugarcane producer save thousands with their bioethanol production . “Well, that’s what I thought, but as soon as I mentioned the cost-intensive investment of NIR, the client declared that it was too expensive and that he had already spent a lot of money expanding his business. We’ve never failed to solve a case before, and I don’t know how to proceed. I think I’m going to leave now; thanks for the pasta, Miss Mapple, it really was delicious,” said Homes. And with that, Holmes left.

“Ooh, Holmes didn’t finish his pasta,” says Cornlumbo, leaning over and grabbing Holmes’ bowl of pasta and devouring what was left. “How can you possibly still eat after seeing Shallot looking so upset? We must formulate a plan to see if we can help,” says Miss Mapple.

The detectives rack their brains until Miss Mapple has an idea. “Why don’t we put together a portfolio of all the ways NIR can help the client, specifically tailored to their production, showing every conceivable way NIR could assist them and ensure profitability!” says Miss Mapple. She explains to the detectives how important Industry 4.0 is to processing facilities. It refers to the current trend of automation and smart factories whereby systems can monitor physical processes and help make decisions. The goal is for flexible, efficient, and sustainable processes to produce high-quality goods at reduced costs. NIR would be ideal for such an implementation, so the detectives take one step of the process each and get to work.
 

Industry 4.0 refers to the current trend of automation and smart factories whereby systems can monitor physical processes and help make decisions

What are the uses of NIR for Sugarcane Cultivation?

 

  • Soil Analysis: Determine soil composition, organic matter levels, nitrogen level, and nutrient content to optimize fertilization and irrigation.
  • Fertilizer analysis: Monitor the quality of fertilizers used to fertilize the soil.
  • Pre-harvest analysis: Monitoring sugarcane development to determine the correct time to start harvesting by determining key Brix and Pol parameters.


What are the uses of NIR for Sugarcane Processing?

  • Raw Materials Quality Control: Determine incoming sugarcane regarding sugar recovery/content and impurities, ensuring the correct payment to suppliers.
  • Cane Crushing: Analysis immediately after the crusher allows the process to be optimized for energy efficiency, maximum sucrose extraction, and minimal wear. Peeling can also be optimized to assist the sugarcane grinding stage. Increase the sampling percentage of defibrated sugarcane and optimize the industry’s yield calculation by analyzing Brix, Pol, and Fibre in 100% of the product.
  • Sugarcane Grinding: Analyze the press juice and bagasse Pol to improve extraction yield and efficiency. Continuous measurements allow a feedback loop for the preparation step as well as the grinding stage. Imbibition rate, chopped cane rate, and mill speed can all be optimized. A feed-forward loop circuit also helps when adjusting the addition of flocculants to the clarifier.
  • Evaporation, Crystallization, and Separation: Monitor the juice concentration and the formation of crystals, reduce the loss of sucrose, and control the color in real-time. This guarantees the ideal separation of sugar crystals and molasses. The cooked mass produced during crystallization goes through an additional centrifugation step to separate the sugar crystals from the molasses; NIR is used to control fermentation and obtain the highest sugar yield with the highest quality.
  • Drying and Storage of Raw Sugar: Analyze the color during the drying stage to quantify the color classification according to ICUMSA (International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis). Moisture content, ash, and pol analysis ensure the final product meets specifications.


What are the uses of NIR for Bioethanol Production?

  • Fermentation Monitoring: Analyze Brix, sugar concentration, and alcohol content to optimize the distillation, rectification, and dehydration to ensure the highest possible ethanol yield.
  • Product Quality: Can be accurately determined and documented before storage and delivery.
  • By-product Analysis: The composition and quality of by-products can be assessed to evaluate subsequent uses.


What are the uses of NIR for the Utilization of Byproducts?

  • Bagasse for Energy: Analyze bagasse for its calorific value and moisture content before using it as a biofuel for power generation.
  • Bagasse for Paper Production: Assess the fibre quality for potential use in paper and board production.
  • Molasses for Animal Feed/ Rum Production: Evaluate the nutritional content of molasses to assess whether it can be used as an ingredient in animal feed or for rum production.
  • Vinasse Analysis: Analyze the composition of vinasse, a by-product of ethanol distillation, for potential use as a fertilizer or in biogas production.


The detectives explain the type of benchtop NIR that can be used for the cultivation step and where to place NIR-Online sensors for the subsequent steps. They include numerous graphs and charts, including a Return-on-Investment (ROI) analysis explaining how the money spent on NIR would be recouped in time and eventually turn a healthy profit. After a long day of work, the detectives send the portfolio to the client before going home for a well-deserved rest.
 

Benchtop NIR can be used for analysis during the cultivation step, and NIR-Online is invaluable to the production process and the utilization of byproducts.


The following week, the detectives reconvene in the office. Shallot Holmes is still looking decidedly glum when, all of a sudden, his phone rings. Shallot answers the phone, and again, the sugarcane producer speaks very loudly, but this time, he is ecstatic. “HOOOOOOLMES, you’re a genius, you’ve done it, how can I ever thank you enough… That report you sent… I was so stressed I ignored it, but one of my colleagues saw your report on my desk and … and… well, they loved it… they waited till I had a quiet moment, and we worked through the ROI analysis you suggested. I am now convinced that as long as I follow the advice in your report…I’m sure we can become one of the most profitable sugar cane facilities in Brazil, Holmes; I don’t know how to repay you,” says the client before abruptly hanging up. Holmes turns to face the clients, and his confused face turns to one of realization as he sees the cheeky grins on the faces of the detectives. “You… oh my detectives, what would I do without you?” says Holmes. “Well, you’d have to eat your own pasta for starters,” says Cornlumbo as the detectives roll about laughing and celebrating a job well done.