Optimizing Established Processes like Sugar Extraction from Sugar Beets – Design of Experiments versus Physicochemical Modeling

Abstract

Extraction of sugar from sugar beets is a process optimized over decades based on experience gathered during production. This process improvement is achieved without any systematic approach for optimization which raised the question whether such a mature process can be further optimized effectively, applying methods developed in the last decade like statistical experiment design or physicochemical modeling. Viable areas of operation for the respective approaches will be assessed and discussed using the example of sucrose extraction from sugar beet. Operating conditions are optimized regarding extraction kinetics and equilibrium behavior. Physicochemical modeling, however, requires detailed information on phase equilibria, fluid dynamics, and mass transfer effects. Here, the phase ratio can be identified as a sensitive parameter and process performance like the HETP (high equivalent of a theoretical plate) value can be enhanced. Therefore, the volumetric productivity serves as indicator. Potentials of process design and process optimization by a combination of statistical design of experiments and physicochemical modeling approaches are assessed, and respective possibilities and limitations are discussed.

Polyphenols from Red Vine Leaves Using Alternative Processing Techniques

“…In general, a typical extraction setup consists of a batch stirred vessel with temperature control and has been widely applied in the industry [39]. Even though the set-up is ubiquitous, the optimum extraction conditions which maximizes solid-liquid extraction with minimal energy input and costs has not identified [40,41]. For identifying optimal conditions of a solid-liquid extraction, a laboratory robot provides a systematic and highly reproducible process development [42][43][44].…”

Systematic Design and Evaluation of an Extraction Process for Traditionally Used Herbal Medicine on the Example of Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna JACQ.)

“…The scope of this article is to introduce the reader to a modern process engineering attempt for the manufacturing of traditionally used herbal extracts including physico-chemical process modelling and experimental parameter determination on lab-scale. The benefits of the modelling and simulation approach for phytoextraction are documented in detail by various studies of the authors [5,6,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. The cited articles focused mostly on the extraction of valuable compounds for plants in order to perform a further purification until a pure substance in pharma-grad is obtained, e.g., for 10-deacetylbaccatin III from yew [6,18] or artemisinin from annual mugworth [5].…”

Quality-by-Design (QbD) process evaluation for phytopharmaceuticals on the example of 10-deacetylbaccatin III from yew

“…Especially, the implementation of rigorous process models provides an effective method to establish the required process knowledge. They ensure comparability between process scales within rigorous models, which is why they represent the missing link, connecting process risk assessment and process characterization [17][18][19].…”