Low-Cost Sensor for Continuous Measurement of Brix in Liquids

Area of Science:

• Instrumentation and Measurement
• Food Science and Technology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate monitoring of sugar content (Brix level) is crucial in food and beverage production.
• Traditional Brix measurement methods can be time-consuming or unsuitable for continuous monitoring.
• Developing cost-effective and reliable sensors is essential for industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel Brix sensor design based on differential pressure measurement.
• To validate the sensor's performance through laboratory testing and a pilot-scale fermentation experiment.
• To assess the feasibility of the sensor for continuous Brix monitoring in industrial settings.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two piezoresistive silicon pressure sensors to measure liquid specific gravity.
• Developed custom water-tight housings and connected sensors via metallic tubes.
• Compared sensor readings against a commercial hydrometer (Tilt) in laboratory tests.
• Conducted a 7-day fermentation experiment in a 1000 L tank for real-world validation.

Main Results:

• Observed a strong linear correlation between sugar concentration and Brix levels in laboratory tests.
• The sensor performed adequately during the fermentation experiment, despite encountering residue buildup.
• Identified potential challenges such as sensor fouling in real-world applications.

Conclusions:

• The differential pressure-based Brix sensor demonstrates significant potential for continuous sugar content monitoring.
• The system's low cost, due to the use of affordable pressure sensors, makes it suitable for large-scale industrial deployment.
• Further development may be needed to address issues like residue buildup for enhanced long-term stability.