Design of Jaggery Furnace Plant Using Biomass

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Design of jaggery-plant-furnace

Design of jaggery making plant

  •  Designing a jaggery making plant involves a detailed understanding of the process of converting sugarcane juice into jaggery, including extraction, clarification, boiling, molding, and packaging
  • Here’s a breakdown of a typical jaggery making plant design suitable for small to medium-scale production (1–5 tons per day), including layout, equipment, and technical considerations

Process Flow for Jaggery Production

  1. Sugarcane Feeding & Washing

  2. Juice Extraction (Crusher/Mill)

  3. Juice Filtration/Clarification

  4. Boiling & Concentration (Furnace + Pan)

  5. Molding/Cooling

  6. Packaging & Storage

Jaggery furnace design standards
Jaggery furnace design standards

Plant Layout Design

A. Area Requirements (for ~2 TPD capacity):

  • Total: ~3000–5000 sq ft

  • Segmented into:

    • Sugarcane storage and feeding area

    • Crushing & juice collection

    • Boiling/furnace area (chimney + pan)

    • Cooling & molding platform

    • Storage & packing area

    • Fuel storage (biomass or bagasse)

    • Wastewater drainage system

 Equipment and Machinery

Section Equipment Description
Feeding Conveyor or manual feeding Optional automation
Extraction 3-roller mill / crusher Powered by motor or engine
Clarification Juice tank, lime dosing Settling tank for impurities
Boiling Mild steel or SS pan (3-part or 4-part) Direct heating by biomass, bagasse, or gas
Furnace Brick or metal biomass furnace With flue gas chimney
Cooling Wooden/mild steel trays Manual or semi-mechanized
Packaging Molds, scales, wrapping Manual or auto-packing

Furnace Design

A good boiling furnace is key for fuel efficiency and smokeless operation.

Options:

  • Traditional chula (high fuel use, more pollution)

  • Improved biomass furnace (20–30% more efficient)

  • Bagasse-based system (saves cost if bagasse is used)

  • CFD-designed furnace (optional for high-end efficiency)

Fuel used: Bagasse, wood, or biomass briquettes.

 Chimney and Ventilation

  • Chimney height: 25–30 ft (above roof level)

  • Diameter: 9–12 inches (for natural draft)

  • Should have:

    • Spark arrestor

    • Rain cap

    • Baffle plate (optional)

Design of Jaggery Furnace Using Biomass Pellets

The jaggery furnace is a crucial component in jaggery production, traditionally fueled by bagasse (sugarcane residue) or firewood. However, the adoption of biomass pellets as a fuel source enhances efficiency, sustainability, and reduces environmental impact.

Jaggery making processes
Jaggery making processes

1. Advantages of Using Biomass Pellets in Jaggery Furnace

  • Higher Efficiency: Biomass pellets have a higher calorific value (3500-4500 kcal/kg) than bagasse, resulting in better combustion.
  • Low Emissions: Produces less smoke, ash, and particulate matter, improving working conditions.
  • Consistent Heat Supply: Uniform pellet size allows controlled combustion and steady heating, leading to better jaggery quality.
  • Reduced Waste: Unlike bagasse, which contains moisture, pellets are dry and have higher energy conversion efficiency.
  • Sustainability: Pellets are made from agricultural residues, sawdust, and other biomass waste, making them eco-friendly.

 

Biomass briquette or pellet which one is better
Biomass briquette or pellet which one is better

2. Design Features of a Biomass Pellet-Fired Jaggery Furnace

a) Furnace Structure

  • Material: Built using fire-resistant bricks with insulation for heat retention.
  • Dimensions: Designed based on capacity requirements, with a firebox to accommodate pellet-based combustion.

b) Combustion Chamber

  • Equipped with a grate system for pellet feeding and controlled burning.
  • Uses an air supply system (forced draft fans or blowers) to enhance combustion efficiency.

c) Fuel Feeding Mechanism

  • Manual Feeding: Small-scale furnaces may use manual feeding of pellets.
  • Automated Feeding: Larger units can have an automatic pellet feeder with a hopper, ensuring a continuous and controlled fuel supply.

d) Heat Transfer System

  • Boiling Pans: Iron or stainless steel pans placed strategically over the fire chamber to ensure even heat distribution.
  • Flue Gas Pathways: Designed to maximize heat utilization before gases exit through the chimney.

e) Chimney and Emission Control

  • High-efficiency chimney for proper smoke exhaust.
  • Cyclone dust collectors or wet scrubbers can be added to reduce particulate emissions.
Jaggery furnace design
Jaggery furnace design

3. Working Mechanism of Biomass Pellet Jaggery Furnace

  1. Pellet Feeding: Biomass pellets are fed into the combustion chamber either manually or automatically.
  2. Combustion Process: Air is supplied to ensure complete combustion, generating high heat.
  3. Heat Transfer: The heat is transferred to the boiling pans, where sugarcane juice is concentrated into jaggery.
  4. Exhaust & Heat Recovery: Waste heat is used to preheat air or juice, increasing overall efficiency.
  5. Jaggery Collection: Once the juice reaches the desired consistency, it is cooled and molded into jaggery blocks.

4. Efficiency and Performance Comparison

Parameter Traditional Bagasse Furnace Biomass Pellet Furnace
Fuel Efficiency ~20-30% ~40-50%
Emissions High smoke & COâ‚‚ Low smoke, eco-friendly
Heat Control Inconsistent Uniform, controlled
Maintenance Frequent ash removal Minimal ash formation
Fuel Availability Seasonal (bagasse-dependent) Year-round (pellets)
CFD Modeling of Jagery furnace
CFD Modeling of Jagery furnace

CFD Modeling  for Design of Jaggery Furnace

  • CFD Modeling for Design of Jaggery Furnace is an innovative and valuable approach to improve energy efficiency, optimize combustion, and reduce emissions during jaggery (gur) production.
  • This process traditionally uses biomass or bagasse as fuel in rural setups, often with inefficient furnace designs.

Why Use CFD in Jaggery Furnace Design?

  1. Optimize Furnace Geometry:

    • Analyze how furnace shape affects heat transfer.

    • Improve air-fuel mixing for better combustion.

  2. Improve Thermal Efficiency:

    • Reduce fuel consumption by identifying heat losses.

    • Ensure uniform heat distribution for better sugarcane juice concentration.

  3. Reduce Emissions:

    • Model flue gas composition and reduce CO, NOx, and unburned hydrocarbons.

  4. Enhance Safety:

    • Analyze hotspots and prevent overheating.

  5. Economic Benefits:

    • Lower operating costs by reducing fuel and enhancing output.

Key Aspects Modeled in CFD:

  1. Combustion Modeling:

    • Biomass/bagasse combustion with proper air supply.

    • Models: Eddy Dissipation, Finite Rate, or Non-premixed combustion.

  2. Heat Transfer:

    • Conduction through furnace walls.

    • Convection in flue gas flow.

    • Radiation modeling from flame and hot surfaces.

  3. Fluid Flow:

    • Air and flue gas velocity distribution.

    • Draft behavior and chimney effect.

  4. Pollutant Emission:

    • Soot, COâ‚‚, CO, and NOâ‚“ estimation.

  5. Evaporation:

    • Simulation of juice concentration using energy balance.

Advantages Over Traditional Design:

Traditional Approach CFD-Based Approach
Trial-and-error design Simulation-guided precision
High fuel use Optimized combustion
Uneven heating Uniform heat distribution
No emissions control Emission analysis & reduction

Conclusion

  • A jaggery furnace using biomass pellets offers higher efficiency, cleaner combustion, and sustainable fuel utilization compared to traditional furnaces. Implementing automated feeding and air control systems further enhances productivity, making it a viable alternative for modern jaggery production.
  • Would you like a 3D model or schematic diagram of the furnace design?
  • CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) allows for virtual testing and optimization of these designs
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