Optimisation of Water Use Efficiency in a Sugar Cane Processing Factory in Kwara State

This study optimises water use efficiency in a sugarcane processing factory in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria, applying water pinch analysis and process integration techniques to identify the minimum freshwater requirement and maximum water reuse potential within the facility. Water scarcity is an emerging constraint for industrial operations in Nigeria's middle belt region, and sugar processing, which requires large volumes of water for juice extraction, evaporation, crystallisation, and equipment cleaning, faces increasing pressure to reduce freshwater abstraction and effluent discharge. This research applies the water pinch methodology, constructing a water source and sink composite curve from process stream characterisation data collected during a twelve-week water audit. Maximum permissible contaminant concentrations for each water-using operation are established through laboratory analysis and operational consultation. The pinch analysis identifies opportunities for direct reuse, regeneration reuse, and water recovery through process integration, with a targeting model determining the theoretical minimum freshwater requirement. A network design algorithm is then applied to generate a water reuse network satisfying all water quality constraints. Implementation of the proposed water network is projected to reduce freshwater consumption by forty-one percent and effluent discharge volume by thirty-seven percent relative to current consumption levels. Keywords: water pinch analysis, water use efficiency, sugar processing, Kwara State, process integration