Section 2 - Sugar Research and Development Corporation

58
PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT
Individual Capacity Building Projects (CBPs) completed during 2010–2011
Project
number
People development
Key
Performance
Indicator
Researcher and Organisation Project objective
UQ046 Kimberley Tilbrook, UQ To attend the meeting of the International Symposium
on BioPolymers in Stuttgart, Germany and present PhD
research.
BSS340 Nader Sallam, BSES Limited To participate in the 8th Entomology Workshop of the
International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists in
Mauritius and visit research sugarcane centres and industry
establishments in Mauritius and Reunion.
SRD032 Mark Whitten and Amanda
Vickers
Enhanced effectiveness
of partnerships and networks
contributing to the sugarcane
industry
Measure Demonstration of improved
capability and capacity of
regional groups, networks, and
industry sectors and researchers
to collaborate and innovate to
benefi cially change the operation
of the industry.
Pre-treatment of sugarcane
This project was conducted primarily by three
James Cook University Bachelor of Engineering
students as their fourth-year projects.
Of the total energy expended in a typical sugar
mill, about 30 per cent is used to prepare cane
for crushing using high-speed shredders that
release the juice from cells. Shredders require
considerable maintenance because of their
high-wear environment. This project examined
microwave energy to open the sugarcane cells
rather than relying on shredders.
SRDC Annual Report 2010–2011
Scholarship for two people to attend the Training Rural
Australians in Leadership 2010 course.
BSS337 Dr Priya Joyce, BSES Limited To visit two leading sugarcane research institutes in China
and to present two talks at the Gaungzhou Sugarcane
Industry Research Institute and three talks at Fujian
Sugarcane Genetics and Breeding Laboratories in Fujian.
Microwave treatment signifi cantly reduced the
compressive strength of sugar cane making it
easier to crush and as result around 60 per cent
of energy can be saved during the crushing
process.
The students were successful in showing that
there could be considerable savings in energetic
cost of extracting juice by pre-treating sugarcane
using microwave energy, compared to the
conventional shredding and milling processes.
The new technology will assist to reduce the
amount of electricity needed for processing
and thereby maximise the available bagasse for
energy co-generation. This will have a signifi cant
impact on the sugarcane industry and sugarcane
growers as the burning of bagasse as a fuel is a
green house positive process (JCU030).