ON-LINE USE OF NEAR INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY IN A SUGAR ANALYSIS SYSTEM (SAS)

Near infrared spectroscopy has been used to analyse raw sugar on-line in two sugar mills and in two bulk sugar terminals over two seasons. The installation using a configuration based on the Cane Analysis System has delivered real time measurements of the raw sugar at the scanning point and provides a measure suitable for use in process control, storage management and payment situations. The paper will describe the processes in place in the mills and terminals, the constituents for which suitable calibration equations have been developed and the results obtained.