Progress 07/01/99 to 06/30/04
Outputs
There was no activity in the period mentioned above. Rolando Flores, who initiated the project and had the expertise in conducting the research resigned and left the department. Ekramul Haque took over the project as a stop gap arrangement until the M.S. student hired by Flores graduated. The student graduated in May 2002, and is no longer pursuing any further degree
Impacts
Results from this study will assist in the optimization of the milling operations and in the estimation of flour outcomes from its wheat lots processed. The results could be used by the milling industry in improving the efficiency of the mills. Also the model developed could be used as tools for training milling students, future millers, and upgrading milling knowledge base.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
The EXTEND software had the capability to simulate many other distribution functions in addition to normal distributions; and many of these functions were used for the mill stream simulation. The software was further developed to obtain better visual aid of the effect of 'what if' simulation. The model and system results were compared by performing verification and validation analyses, and evaluated the model performance using control limits technique. To test the model's worth, sensitivity analysis was performed consisting of four different scenarios. The model simulated the actual data well and produced results closer to the real system. The model was flexible, reliable, user friendly, and sensitive to the feasible variations studied. A Masters of Science Thesis was written from this project entitled 'Evaluation of Flour Milling Process Using Computer Simulation' by Praveen Kumar Jella. Kansas State University, 2002.
Impacts
Results from this study will assist in the optimization of the milling operations and in the estimation of flour outcomes from its wheat lots processed. The results could be used by the milling industry in improving the efficiency of the mills. Also the model developed could be used as tools for training milling students, future millers, and upgrading milling knowledge base.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Under this project, a study is being conducted to simulate the performance of wheat flour milling systems using Kansas State University Pilot Flour Mill. The specific objectives were to develop a simulation model to determine the effects of milling parameters on the total mass, moisture, ash, and protein of various mill streams of ground products; and to use this model to gain insights as to how the system works; to understand which variables are most important for desired performance of the mill; and to experiment with new and unfamiliar situations and predict the outcome of "what if" scenarios when mass flow, moisture, ash and protein parameters at certain mill streams are varied. In the earlier phase of this study, a software packaged model named ARENA was used. This software had some limitations, such as it could handle only normal probability distributions. However, distributions of mass, moisture, ash, and protein at different milling streams might not
necessarily follow normal density functions. To make the analyses more robust and versatile, a new software model named EXTEND was used. Using this software many other distribution functions in addition to normal function were used to analyse the mill stream data. The software was further developed to present better visual aid of the effect of what if simulation. The preliminary data indicate better simulation fit than earlier phase.
Impacts
Results from this study will assist in the optimization of the milling operations and in the estimation of flour outcomes from the wheat lots processed. The results could be used by the milling industry in improving the efficiency of the mills. Also, the models developed will be used as tools for training students, future millers, and upgrading milling knowledge base.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00
Outputs
Two studies were concluded under this project. The first study models the blending of flour from different wheat sources, such as soft and hard wheats. This study evaluated the fundamental parameters that determine the uniformity of a blend of wheat flours such as: particle size, angle of repose, tensile strenght and particle morphology of the flours. The second study consists on the conclusion of a preliminary simulation model of a wheat flour mill. The simulation model of the wheat flour mill follows a stochastic approach based on experimental data taken from a pilot flour mill. This model was developed using normal distributions for the flour mill subsystems and implemented in Arena simulation software.
Impacts
Fundamental information to evaluate flour mixing uniformity was found. This information will be valuable to the milling, baking and premixing industries. An anlytical tool consisting of a wheat flour model that simulates a mill was developed. This a tool that would set the basis for milling optimization, optimization that could lead to operation improvements and cost savings.
Publications
- Loza-Garay, M. and R. A. Flores. 2000. Computer Simulation of a Flour Mill as a Stochastic Model. Proceedings of the FOODSIM'200, 1st International Conference on Simulation in Food and Bio Industries, Nantes, France, ed. Daniel Thiel, p. 228.
- Loza-Garay, Mariano A. Flour milling flow characterization using computer simulation. Master's Thesis. 2000. Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.
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Progress 01/01/99 to 12/31/99
Outputs
A model of the KSU mill is being developed using the Arena software. The model was based on the flow rate characteristics of the system. Six sets of complete data from the KSU mill were used to develop the model. Four Arena blocks were used in the development of this model: create, station, count and branch. The verification of the accuracy of the model results is being done comparing the average of the five sets of data obtained from the KSU mill with the modeled results. Comparing the modeled and experimental values, the differences were measured with respect to the value of the standard deviation of each flour mill stream. Corresponding models to estimate the mill output are being developed for moisture, protein, ash and particle size.
Impacts
Results from this study will assist in the optimization of the milling operations and in the estimation of flour outcomes from the wheat lots processed. These results can be used by the milling industry in increasing competitiveness of their business by improving the efficiency of their mills. Also, the models developed will be used as training tools to students, future millers, and refreshing courses for current millers.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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