Villarreal Albitres, William F. (2005) An experimental investigation into the effect of interface friction on bagasse compaction between grooved steel platens. Masters (Research) thesis, James Cook University.

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Abstract

Modern factory crushing units process prepared sugar cane through sets of counter-rotating grooved rolls. A typical unit in Australia would process in excess of 600 tonnes of material per hour. Throughput and extraction performance is strongly dependent on material behaviour, the geometry and surface condition at the roll bagasse interface. Factories use welding procedures to arc roughen the tips of grooves in an effort to increase friction. Although industry procedures appear ad hoc it is clear that some level of roughness is crucial to performance. A similar statement can be made in respect to roll grooving given the wide variation in adopted practice. This project involved an experimental investigation into the effects of interface friction on bagasse compaction between grooved steel platens. An apparatus was developed for use in the SOE MTS testing facility. A factorial design experiment involving 105 tests randomised in blocks was conducted to discover the interaction between friction (the dependent variable) and groove angle, compaction, and roughness (independent variables). The results indicate that roughness, groove angle and compaction significantly affect friction coefficient. While roughness and groove angle contribute to increase friction coefficient, compaction causes a marked decrease. Observations on samples of bagasse exhibiting pure shear suggest that the frictional forces generated at the interface cannot be sustained by the shear strength of bagasse. Comparisons between friction coefficient and shear coefficient showed that the friction coefficient values approach the shear coefficient values under particular geometric and loading conditions. An empirical model was developed to explore variables. The effect of groove angle, degree of roughness (location and size of roughened asperity) and sample compaction on friction has been ascertained.

Item ID:	2113
Item Type:	Thesis (Masters (Research))
Keywords:	Australia, sugar cane, bagasse, compaction, friction, roughness, rollers, platens, grooves, angles
Date Deposited:	23 Mar 2009 23:36
FoR Codes:	09 ENGINEERING > 0913 Mechanical Engineering @ 0%
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