Operating conditions

Sugar Cane Mill Section

The exiting juice from the milling section should be heated until the temperature of 70℃ before
it proceeds any further. The juice in the direct juicer is then reheated to 80-85℃ to enhance the removal
of proteins and other organic components that is in the juice.

Microfiltration Section

The microfiltration section will consist of the cross-flow filtration unit and is equipped with two
ceramic membranes having filtration area of 2 × 0.2 𝑚2 , mean pore size of 0.2—5 µm. The operating
conditions will be within: temperatures up to 85◦ C, pressures up to 0.6 MPa with pH in a large range of
0.5—13.5. Tangential velocity is 5 m 𝑠 −1 at the pressure 0.1 MPa.

Evaporator Section

The evaporator section is the one responsible for the removal of the water content that is
retained after the filtration section. Therefore, it is vital that the operating conditions be kept constant at
the range of 65-70 °Brix. If the operating conditions is not sustained properly, the excess water content
that should be removed during the evaporation staged will then be removed in the vacuum pan section
resulting to less efficiency in the evaporator.

Vacuum Pan Section

Temperature has a profound effect on the process of crystallization. The operating temperature
in vacuum pans during evaporative sugar crystallization typically varies in the 62 to 82 ⁰C range. The color
formation of crystals highly depends on the temperature and residence time (time spent at elevated
temperatures). Therefore operating temperature is varied depending on what type of sugar is being
produced.

Crystallization

Sugar will decompose (caramelize) at high temperatures (above 70-80°C), so

evaporative crystallization is carried out under vacuum, typically at about 65°C. Since the crystallization is
faster and the vacuum required is softer at higher temperatures, the highest practical operating
temperature is required.

The vacuum pan is a refinery white pan. The strike level above tube is about 1300-1400 mm, with
a heating surface to volume ratio of 7.0 𝑚−1 . This is operated at 660 Torr to lower the boiling point to
58℃.

Centrifugal Station

This is where the crystals in the massecuite are separated from the surrounding molasses or
syrup using centrifugal force. For each battery of centrifugals, a “U” shape vessels are used, fixed in the
centrifugal staging with drive. These pug mill are equipped with heavy duty agitator to keep the
massecuite at constant motion. The level of massecuite in pug mill is always kept full so as to provide
positive massecuite head when charging to centrifugal machine. Ideally, all massecuites should be
centrifuged at the temperature of saturation of the molasses because the molasses to be separated then
has minimum viscosity in low grade work, the difference between viscosity of saturation and 1.15
saturation may be 400-500 poises. It is very important that this saturation be destroyed by heating before
spinning especially because the molasses nearest the crystal is completely exhausted.
Overall Mass Balance

Parameters Value Unit

Sugarcane crushed per year 2,1600,000 Tons/year

Sugarcane crushed per day 7200 Tons/day

Amount of bagasse produced 1969.92 Tons/day
LHV of bagasse 7500 KJ/kg
Steam for raw juice heating for 141.12 Kg/s
sugar production
Steam demand for juice 234.72 Kg/s
evaporation
Steam for sugar boiling 151.2 Kg/s
Steam for sugar drying 1.44 Kg/s
Steam for crystallization 290.88 Kg/s