A simulation to compare single-loop and double-loop sugarcane transportation protocols

Abstract

A discrete event simulation model was developed to compare total profit from two transportation protocols for a small sugarcane transportation system. The conventional single-loop protocol utilizes trucks to directly carry cane between farms and the mill. The double-loop uses tractors and trailers to carry sugarcane from farms to a transshipment area and use another dedicated set of tractors to transport fully loaded trailers from transshipment area to the mill. The simulation was run for different number of vehicles to find the optimal number of vehicles for each farms. Different location of transshipment area is altered to study its effect in double­loop case. With cost and price parameters that are set similarly to what can be found in the current Thai market, the total profits of double-loop protocols can match those of single-loop when the time in mill loop is short and the suitable number of tractors and trailers are allocated.