IMPACTO DE LA MATERIA EXTRAÑA EN LA CALIDAD DE LOS JUGOS DE CAÑA Y EN LOS INDICADORES DE EFICIENCIA DE UN CENTRAL AZUCARERO.

In Cuba more than 85 % of cane available for sugar production is currently harvested either green or burned by an integral harvesting system. Green harvesting increases the amount of extraneous matter and the concentration of non-sugar elements in juice. The analysis of the behaviour of mixed juice quality and process efficiency indicators of a sugar factory with extraneous matter increments is described in this paper. The analysis was based on available information about extraneous matter characteristics and its composition (fiber, pol, brix, purity and humidity) and according to Cuban sugar season's typical results. The results obtained from material balances done in Excel spreadsheet models show, as most relevant impact, a 7,9 % sugar production reduction due to 5 percentage units of extraneous matter rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]