UltraBrix: A device for measuring the soluble solids content in sugarcane

Abstract

Human interference in production systems becomes feasible through the use of specific devices that, among other functions, allow the monitoring, control and optimization of processes. One of the drawbacks encountered in the sugar and ethanol industry is the lack of instruments for the measurement of the °Brix concentration in sugarcane that are low-cost and non-destructive. The measurement and monitoring of the °Brix concentration in the cane are necessary to identify the appropriate time for harvesting in order to reach the peak sucrose content in the cane, obtaining maximum yield from a given crop. Based on several measurement devices available in the current market that involve non-destructive technologies for the monitoring of physical-chemical properties of food, this paper proposes a new low-cost meter to measure °Brix in sugarcane. The device uses the continuous wave technique consisting of two piezoelectric transducers (signal transmitter and receiver), a pulse generator, an instrumentation amplifier with a bandpass filter and an amplitude meter. The developed measuring instrument is feasible and represents a promising alternative for the sugar and alcohol industry.