A COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT CAPACITY CANE TRANSPORT TRUCKS IN FUEL CONSUMPTION IN KENANA SUGAR COMPANY, SUDAN

Abstract

Fuel consumption is an important issue that people are discussing around the world, because, of its high price and it is a primary factor that affect the economy of the nations. The present study focuses on the fuel consumption that used in the transportation of sugar cane, in Kenana Sugar Company. The objective of this study is to evaluate the fuel consumption of cane transport trucks (Rigid Trucks and Articulated Trucks) in Kenana Sugar Company, with reference to cane transported and distance covered by each group of trucks. The focus will be on evaluating the improvements that can be realized on truck capacity, (30 ton for articulated trucks and 15 ton for rigid trucks); however, the benefits on fleet wide level as well as trucks group. It is also determined the fuel consumption of trucks based on gallon per kilometer and gallon per ton of sugar cane. The calculation assumes that the fuel tank was full. Secondary data collected for six seasons, 2000/2001-2005/2006, from the data available in cane transport department and harvesting division in Kenana Sugar Company, a simple descriptive statistics analysis was used mainly the average fuel consumption in gallon per kilometer and average fuel consumption in gallon per metric ton of cane per truck. The results showed that the rigid trucks were the highest in fuel consumption that consumed in transportation of sugar cane in comparison to the articulated trucks. The study recommended that the cost of sugar production would be lower if the trucks loaded to the maximum capacity to keep down the cost of transportation and to maintain sugar cane quality. It also, recommended that the trucks capacity is proposed as possible solution to the problem, because, the trucks capacity and operation efficiency were the more parameters that most contribute to cost reduction. The study also, recommended that the delivery system using loading capacity has the potentiality to reduce transportation cost significantly and ensure better management of cane supply to the factory. It also, recommended that the budget fuel of cane transport trucks can be based on average fuel consumption, gallon per ton per kilometer of each group of trucks. Recommendation for further study can be held for increasing the power of the hydraulic pumps of the tippers that off load the trucks in the factory, to increase the amount of cane transported per truck, because, the horse power of the truck is very high compared to the cane transported per truck. This can reduce the number of trips from the factory to the field and reduce the amount of fuel consumed per kilometer and fuel consumed per ton, because the operational characteristic of the system and trucks determine the quality of sugar cane transported per truck. Asphalted roads are recommended to facilitate the transportation from the field to the factory, because, the driveline specification and roads quality will influence the fuel consumption. The results and subsequent recommendations could be considered for reducing sugar production cost and increasing the efficiency of the sugar industry and may also be applied to other sectors facing similar problems.