PRODUCTION OF TORULA YEAST AND XYLITOL BY EXTRACTING JUICE FROM FILTERS, A BASIC STEP IN BIOREFINERY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Introduction:
In the Cuban sugar industry it is strategic to study the possible development as a biorefinery, obtaining alcohol, torula yeast and xylitol.
Objective:
To determine the optimal proportions of juice extraction from filters to obtain torula yeast and the use of leftover bagasse in the production of xylitol in the biorefinery concept.
Materials and Methods:
Statistical analysis is used to obtain the models of each stage of the process of obtaining raw sugar, using data in harvest period. The models that represent intermediate streams, such as the juice from the filters, are studied in depth, analyzing different extraction percentages of this stream, its benefits in the purification stage and in the amount of bagasse left over. Economic indicators are determined for the alternatives studied.
Results and Discussion:
The optimum percentage of juice extraction from the filters, in the purification stage, is 21.9%. This value allows a reduction in steam consumption in the sugar process. Sugar and molasses losses are in the order of 545322.43 USD per year and are exceeded by gains in xylitol and torula yeast production.
Conclusions:
The amount of filter juice extracted in the sugar process, guarantees the production of molasses to obtain torula yeast, throughout the year. The economic losses, caused by the decrease in the production of sugar and molasses, when extracting juice from the filters, are surpassed by the profit from the xylitol and torula yeast production.