Sugar Processing Technology

Prepared by Getasew A.
We are going to learn
• Importance of sugar industry
• Manufacture of sugar from sugar cane
• Steps involved in the manufacture of sugar
Importance of sugar industry
Economic growth through job creation, providing a stable income for
farmers, and driving export earnings, particularly in developing
countries.
Plays a significant role in rural development by stimulating secondary
economic activity and infrastructure, and it is a key source of
employment in both agricultural and industrial sectors.
Furthermore, the industry is diversifying into renewable energy and
other products like ethanol, contributing to economic stability and
sustainability
Economic contributions

• Stable income and employment: The industry provides a steady income

for farmers and creates jobs for a large workforce in cultivation and
processing plants, particularly in rural communities.
• Export revenue: Sugar and its related products are major sources of export
income for many developing countries, contributing significantly to their
economies.
• Rural development: Sugar mills are often central to rural economies,
creating a demand for support industries and services, and leading to the
development of infrastructure like roads and schools.
• Value-added products: The industry creates value-added products beyond
raw sugar, such as ethanol, molasses, and bagasse, which can be used for
energy, animal feed, and other industrial applications.
Diversification and sustainability

• Renewable energy: Byproducts like bagasse can be used to generate

electricity, making sugar factories potential sources of renewable
energy.
• Biofuels and chemicals: Molasses can be fermented to produce
ethanol for fuel and other industrial uses.
• Co-products: Various co-products and waste streams from sugar
production can be utilized to create other valuable materials, reducing
waste and increasing revenue.
Challenges and resilience

• Market volatility: The industry can be vulnerable to fluctuations in

global sugar prices and weather-related crop damage, which impacts
farmer livelihoods and economic stability.
• Climate change: Climate change poses a threat to crop yields, making
it crucial to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices and
infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability.
• Economic diversification: Diversifying into a wider range of value-
added products helps to reduce the industry's vulnerability to
commodity price swings
Manufacture of sugar from sugar cane
• Steps involved in the manufacture of sugar
Raw materials
Extraction of juice
Purification of juice (clarification)
Concentration(evaporation)
Crystallization
Centrifugation
Drying and packaging
Manufacture of sugar from sugarcane
Sugar
Sucrose, commonly known as table sugar, is a disaccharide made of
one glucose and one fructose molecule, with the chemical formula
Cont.
• white, crystalline solid with a
sweet taste.
• Soluble in water
• It is a carbohydrate naturally
produced in plants like sugarcane
and sugar beet
Location
• It is located near the field of sugarcane
• It will minimize fuel cost/transport cost
Location
Sugar industry raw materials
• Sugarcane • Sugar beet
Sugar Factories in Ethiopia
• Tendaho sugar Factory
• Wonji Sugar Factory
• Fincha sugar Factory
• Metehara sugar Factory
• Kuraz sugar Factory
• Tana Beles Sugar Factory
Manufacture of sugar from sugar cane
Steps involved in the manufacture of sugar
• Raw materials growing and harvesting the cane
• Cane preparation milling
• Milling
• Extraction of juice
• Purification of juice(clarification)
• Concentration of juice(evaporation)
• Crystallization of juice
• Centrifugation
• Drying and packaging
Raw Material: Sugarcane/Sugar Beet
• Sugarcane: Tropical crop, high fiber (bagasse), harvested.
• Sugar Beet: Temperate crop, lower fiber, different extraction method
(diffusion).
• Mostly sugarcane harvested 8-11ft height and consists of 11-15%sugar
…
Sugar cane is highly perishable crop
Thus it cannot be transported over long distance
Hence sugar factory have to be setup within the economic distance

What is the main issue for the low productivity of sugar industry?
Important factors for the growth of sugar industry
Pertinent properties of sucrose
• Chemical formula C12H22O11 (disaccharide)
• Molecular weight 342
• Melting point 1860C
• Density 1.58g/cc
• Solubility: very soluble in water, slightly soluble in methyl and ethyl
alcohol
• Forms: granulated, powdered
Sugarcane Preparation & Juice Extraction
• Cane Preparation (Sugarcane)
• Weighing & Unloading: Tracking inputs.
• Washing & Cutting: Removing debris, cutting into small pieces
(shredding) by using knives to maximize juice exposure.
• Extraction Phase
• Milling (Sugarcane): Shredded cane passes through a series of
heavy-duty roller mills to squeeze out the juice. Mill Tandem (series of
3-roller mills) with imbibition (hot water spray).
Juice Extraction
• Triangular roller mills are a critical component of the sugar industry,
designed to crush sugarcane and efficiently extract sucrose-rich juice.
• In this three-roller setup, rollers are arranged in a triangular
configuration to apply pressure from multiple angles, which helps
achieve a high percentage of juice extraction, sometimes up to 96-
97%.
• This method is used in large-scale industrial mills to maximize yield
and is a key part of the sugar production process.
Triangular pattern roller mill
…
• In the first mill extract 60-70% of cane juice obtained and remaining
22-24% in the bagasse
• Bagasse(22-24%) containing juice pass through second, third, fourth
and fifth mill
• In the last mill water is added to the bagasse and send back to the
second mill and juice is extracted
By-product from extraction: Bagasse
• The fibrous residue (bagasse) from sugarcane. –
• Used as a renewable fuel source for the factory's boilers/co-generation.

• Which two processes are directly involved in extracting juice from

sugar cane?
• What is the name of the leftover fibrous part of the cane after the
juice has been squeezed out?
Juice Purification (Clarification )

• The cane juice from milling station is pumped into a weighing tank(8-
10 tons). After weighing the juice is sent for purification process

• Initially the weighted juice is screened to remove floating impurities

• The screed juice is (ph acidic) contains soluble impurities like soil,
proteins, coloring materials and mineral salts are eliminated by the
clarification process.
Clarification (Purification)

• The clarification process involved three important steps

Pressure filtration
Phosphitation
Sulphitation process
Carbonation process
Steps in purifications/clarification

• Pressure filtration the first step

• Add Diatomaceous earth (DE)

• Soil and other impurities removed

• Small size particles are removed

• It is filtered in 60psig pressure

• No color improvement
Filter aid

• A filter aid is a substance with fine particles added to a liquid to

improve filtration by creating a porous "filter cake" that traps
impurities while allowing the liquid to flow through. Common filter
aids include diatomaceous earth, perlite, and cellulose, and they are
used in industries like food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and
wastewater treatment to achieve a clear, pure liquid.
Phosphitation
• It involves using phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide (lime) to
form a precipitate that removes impurities and color from the raw
sugar solution (melt)
• The Phosphitation process typically involves the following steps:
• Phosphoric Acid Addition: Phosphoric acid is added to the raw sugar
solution (or cane juice if done at an earlier stage).
• Liming: Calcium hydroxide, also known as milk of lime, is then
added to raise the pH of the solution to a specific range (around 7-7.5
pH in raw sugar refining).
Phosphitation
• Flocculation and Heating: The reaction between the phosphoric acid and
the lime generates fine, insoluble flocs of calcium phosphate. The solution
is heated (e.g., to 85°C) to encourage these particles to grow and combine
into larger, more stable flocs, often with the help of additional flocculating
agents.
• Separation/Filtration: These calcium phosphate flocs trap and adsorb
impurities such as non-sugars, suspended solids, and colorants. The flocs
are then separated from the clarified liquor through filtration or
sedimentation, resulting in a clearer, lighter-colored sugar solution.
Sulphitation
• The Sulphitation process in the sugar industry is a method for
clarifying sugarcane juice by adding sulfur dioxide (SO2) to remove
impurities, which helps produce white sugar. This clarification is
achieved through a chemical reaction where the added lime first
neutralizes acids and precipitates impurities, while the sulfur dioxide
reacts with the lime to form calcium sulfite precipitate, which traps
and removes more impurities, resulting in a clearer juice.
…
• In this process, sulfur dioxide gas pass through an outlet pipe provided
at the bottom of the tank containing lime juice and heated at 750c. This
process is called first Sulphitation
• Now the first sulphitated juice is transferred to the second tank. Sulfur
dioxide is passed to maintain the ph of the juice 5.5 and heated at
1030c.
Carbonation
• In carbonation, carbon dioxide gas is passed through the solution of
sugar cane.
• Precipitates of calcium carbonate is formed
• In this process, the lime juice is heated about 50-550C in a tank and
CO2gas passed to the juice until alkalinity is reached. The juice
containing impurities are precipitated out.
Concentration
• Water has to be evaporated from the juice to allow its crystallization
• The clarified juice is obtained from the clarification method is
prepared for clarification process. The thick syrup is pumped into
multiple effect vacuum evaporator.
• The juice is concentrated under reduced pressure to get clear heavy
syrup containing65% solid crystals.
• The temperature of the first evaporator is highest than others, while the
pressure is lowest in order to achieve the maximum economy
….
• After juice purification the sugar cane juice is contain
15%sucrose
50% water

 We use multiple effect evaporator for the heating of sugar cane juice
Commonly four or five effects
Forwarded feed
…

• The principle of a multiple-effect evaporator is to use the latent heat

from the vapor produced in one stage to heat the next stage, thereby
increasing energy efficiency. By using a series of vessels (effects),
each operating at a lower pressure and boiling temperature than the
previous one, the vapor from the first effect can boil the liquid in the
second, and so on. This process significantly reduces the need for
external heating steam after the initial stage
Multiple effect evaporator
Images
…

•What is the advantage and

disadvantage of multiple effect
evaporator??
Advantages
• High energy efficiency: They are more economical than single-effect
systems because the steam from one effect is used to heat the next,
significantly reducing steam consumption.

• Lower operating costs: The reduced energy usage translates to lower

operating expenses, making them cost-effective for large-scale processes.

• Scalability: They are suitable for large-scale, continuous operations and can
be designed to handle a high volume of liquid.
….

• Ability to handle viscous liquids: Certain configurations, like the

backward feed system, are advantageous for concentrating viscous
liquids.

• Handles various materials: They have a broad compatibility with

different materials, including those that might be difficult for other
types of evaporators, like some high-boiling point rise materials.
Disadvantages

• Higher initial cost: The initial investment for capital and installation is
higher compared to single-effect systems.

• Complex operation: The process is more complicated and requires

constant monitoring, making operation and maintenance more difficult
and potentially leading to higher labor costs.
…

• Physical complexity: The systems are heavier, have more parts, and
require more effort for disassembly and installation.

• Requires significant headroom: The design often requires a large

amount of vertical space.

• Sensitivity to scaling: Issues like scaling in the tubes necessitate

frequent cleaning and descaling to maintain efficiency
Crystallization
• The process of obtaining crystals from hot concentrated sugar cane
juice.
• The thick juice is further concentrated by heating in single effect
evaporator called vacuum pan crystallizer.
vacuum pan

• A vacuum pan is a large heat

exchanger in the sugar industry
used for crystallization, the
process of extracting sugar from
clarified juice by boiling it under
vacuum pressure. This process
concentrates the sugar liquor to
encourage crystal formation, and it
is crucial for minimizing sugar loss,
as most sugar loss occurs in the
remaining molasses.
Advantages of Vacuum Pan Evaporators
• Preservation of Product Quality: Evaporation under vacuum lowers
the boiling point of the liquid, preventing thermal decomposition or
damage to heat-sensitive substances (such as sugars, pharmaceuticals,
and food flavorings).
• Improved Energy Efficiency: The use of vacuum conditions allows for
the use of low-pressure steam or vapor from previous effects (in a
multi-effect system), which significantly reduces overall energy
consumption.
• High Concentration Capability: The process can achieve high
concentrations of solids (e.g., up to 70 Brix in sugar production),
leading to a higher yield and lower purity of molasses.
…
• Enhanced Heat Transfer: Good circulation within the pan (often
achieved by design or mechanical assistance) helps ensure a high heat
transfer coefficient, improving the evaporation rate and overall
capacity of the equipment.
• Versatility: Vacuum pan evaporators can handle a range of materials,
including viscous liquids and those prone to crystallization or foaming,
depending on the specific design (e.g., forced circulation type).
• Reduced Operational Hazards: Operating at lower temperatures and
negative pressure can contribute to a safer, more reliable operation
with less vapor release into the work environment.
Disadvantages of Vacuum Pan Evaporators
• High Initial Cost: The initial investment for vacuum evaporator systems,
especially complex multi-effect or forced circulation designs with vacuum
pumps and condensers, is generally higher than for simpler atmospheric
evaporators.
• Operational Complexity: The working principle is more complicated, and
the system requires careful monitoring of temperature and pressure
conditions, often needing more specialized or trained personnel for
operation and maintenance.
• Scaling and Fouling: While vacuum operation can mitigate some scaling
issues, specific material properties may still lead to deposit formation on
heating surfaces, which can be difficult to clean (e.g., tube heat exchangers)
and reduces efficiency over time.
…
• Equipment Size and Maintenance: The machines can be large and
heavy with many parts, making disassembly and installation more
troublesome. Maintenance costs may be high due to the complexity of
the components, such as steam compressors in MVR systems or large
pumps in forced circulation systems.
• Potential for Bumping: There is a risk of sudden, uncontrolled boiling
or "bumping" if not operated correctly, which can lead to product loss.
Stages/steps in crystallization

• The general process of sugar crystallization involves the following steps:

• Preparation of Saturated Solution: A pure, thick sugar syrup is prepared
by removing impurities and evaporating excess water. Heating allows more
sugar to dissolve than would be possible at room temperature.
• Supersaturation: The solution is further heated under a vacuum (in a
vacuum pan) to achieve a supersaturated state, where there is more sugar in
the solution than can stay dissolved as it cools.
• Nucleation (Seeding): Once supersaturation is achieved, fine seed crystals
(powdered sugar or a special sugar paste) are added. These seeds provide
nuclei, or starting points, for crystal formation to begin in a controlled
manner. Spontaneous (uncontrolled) nucleation is avoided as it results in
poor quality crystals of irregular shape and size.
…
• Crystal Growth: The process continues as more water evaporates and
the temperature decreases, allowing sugar molecules to leave the
solution and attach themselves to the introduced seed crystals, causing
them to grow to the desired size.
• Separation: The resulting mixture of sugar crystals and the remaining
liquid (molasses) is called massecuite. The crystals are then separated
from the molasses using centrifugal force and dried
...

• To obtain the maximum yield of the sugar in crystallization usually

carried out introducing external sugar crystals in the syrup to introduce
the crystallization. The seed is now finely pulverized and this process
is called seeding or graining .
Centrifugation

• The sugar crystals are removed from the mother liquor by whirling in
a centrifuge machine, which is composed of perforated basket
revolving with speed 1200-1450rpm.

• The sugar crystals easily separated.

• The mother liquor known as molasses drains out.

• Molasses which is main by product of the sugar industry.

Images of CM
Sugar handling and packaging

• The wet crystals are discharged through a rotary drum into which hot
air is continuously blown to remove moisture and dry crystals.

• At the exit of the dryer the crystals are cooled and passed through a
sieve to grade the crystal size.

• Any dust formed during the process is removed by vacuum and the
sugar then conveyed to the packing area for the final packaging.
….

•Thanks