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Neltec Real-Time Colour |
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Measurements in raw and affined Sugar
Author Michel Mabillot, Beghin/Say Nantes Refinery.
Presented at Sugar Industry Technologists Conference, New Orleans, May 2000.
Abstract Application of ICUMSA measurement at 420 nm is commonly used in laboratory to the washed sugar coming out of the affination centrifugals.
Works carried-out at BEGHIN/SAY Nantes refinery, aimed to establish an accurate measurement and rapid communication of colour characteristics.
A basic laboratory colorimeter was firstly used for stationary samples of different raw sugars and brown dry affined sugars. Laboratory works were done with a wide range of colour from very low coloured washed sugar to raw sugar entering into the refinery.
Absolute colour measurements were performed with values expressed by the L*a*b* and L*C*H* colour-coordinate systems, and statistical correlations with ICUMSA method have been determined.
Secondly, an on-line colour instrument, based on real-time reflectance measurement, was tested on a dry washed sugar, on which the colour control in solution form doesn’t match perfectly with visual specifications. Currently, the continuous measurement of colour is used to monitor affination centrifugals with a good accuracy.
Details of operational procedures and results obtained are reported. |
