Metodología para la evaluación energética de la estación de evaporación de ingenios azucareros / Methodology for the energy evaluation of the sugar mill evaporation station

The evaporation station is at the center of the energy balance of sugar mills. The objective was to propose a methodology for the energy evaluation of the evaporation station that complements the methods for energy management in sugar mills; in correspondence with the energy management system (EnMS) based on the ISO 50001 standard and its complementary standards. The methodology was structured according to the PDCA cycle of Continuous Improvement (Plan-Do-Check-Act), a recurrent process to improve energy performance. The methodology takes into account the contributions and overcomes limitations of existing methodologies. It incorporates methods and criteria for developing an energy review; considers the impact of evaporation station design, construction and operation on energy efficiency; and emphasises the synergy between the methods of energy analysis, exergy analysis, process integration (Pinch Analysis). It constitutes a methodological contribution that strengthens the energy review of the evaporation station, allowing the exhaustive analysis of the problem and the relevance of improvements to increase energy efficiency; and complements existing methods for energy management in sugar mills.