Conutrol Instrument Services have been operating in the cane sugar industry since 1986 and has a wealth of experience in the automation of cane sugar factories. We produce a range of bespoke instrumentation which is specifically designed for particular tasks, and not just use off the shelf devices. Our design philosophy is to make our equipment simple to install, simple to use, and dependable – whilst ensuring high reliability and stability in operation. Our quality objective is to understand the customer requirements and deliver a cost-effective solution based on a balance of up-front and in-service costs, the philosophy is “where the customer returns, but the instrument doesn’t”.

Our standard Simplex RF probe design has been in service for several years and comprises a separate electronics box and sensing probe which are connected via the 0.75m coaxial lead. The electronics box can be mounted in a convenient location adjacent to the probe. This design allows for easy manual removal of the light weight probe for cleaning operations. The probes are available in shorter screw fit versions for batch pan service, or longer (500mm) quick release versions for continuous vacuum pan service.

Our latest development is a self-cleaning version of our All in One Simplex RF probe system. Modified for higher temperature operation, the electronic circuit is incorporated into the probe design, removing the need for special coaxial cables. Resulting in a fixed system specifically developed for continuous vacuum pan service. It enables the probe to run for the entire crop without requiring removal from the pan. Resulting in considerable time saving, less process disturbance, and improved performance with much reduced maintenance costs. We estimate that with manual operation of the isolation valves a 12-cell pan can be cleaned in around 10 minutes by 1 man, rather than 1 to 1 ½ hours with 1 to 2 men for conventional probes. Because there is no need to remove the probes from the pan for cleaning there is no disruption to the pan vacuum control system and hence much smoother operation is possible. By simple replacement of the isolation valve with a solenoid valve, the whole cleaning cycle can be fully automated from the control system.

Our Simplex range of RF probes at 500mm insertion length, have the longest reach of any RF sugar boiling probe currently on the market. This enables the sensing tip to be located at, or closer to the point of maximum massecuite velocity and therefore obtain the best possible reading for pan control.

From experience we have found that a 30 second blast of hot water once or twice per 12-hour shift (dependent on massecuite purity) is sufficient to remove crystalisation from the tip of the probe and maintain reliable readings. The spray water pattern as shown in the photo is under atmospheric conditions. In normal operation the hot water will flash off as it reaches the probe tip, causing local turbulence and cavitation, which quickly clears any crystalisation from the measurement area without damage to the probe.

The dependability of the product has been tested in service and now in customer installs; the specially designed heatsink around the circuit head, combined with the selection of appropriate components, reinforces that reliability.

The accurate control of mill feed chute level is critical for maximizing mill extraction, minimizing sugar loses to the boilers, and maintaining the calorific value of bagasse for best combustion efficiency.

To this end we have manufacturing Mill Chute Level transducer/indicators since 1996. We have recently updated our original design to a digital based system designated the DCL6/10. This system had proved to be very popular with our customers, with several repeat orders. Our digital mill chute level transducer provides highly reliable indication of the mill feed chute level and transmits a 4 to 20mA signal for automatic cane feeding and provides a highly visible local level indication. Customers have the option of a 6 or 10 indicator display

To enhance mill automation and data collection, we have developed a Mill Roller Bearing Lift Indicator system. It is designed to be simple to install and set up. The bearing lift is measured on both sides of the roller and is displayed by a series of Red and Green High intensity LED’s which can be seen at a distance. The level is also transmitter by 2 x 4 to 20mA signals for remote trending/monitoring. The measurement range is up to 20mm.

We have recently developed an on-line bagasse moisture Indicator/Transducer to complement our range of Milling house instrumentation. The sensing head is installed at a suitable location above the bagasse discharge from the last mill. The bagasse moisture is displayed on a large Digital display and also transmitted by a 4 to 20mA signal for trending/data management purposes.