The sugar industry faces complex challenges - from the efficiency of the juice clarification process, to scale formation in evaporators, to quality control of the final product. The right chemical treatment solution can improve production efficiency, reduce operational costs, and maintain sugar quality in line with international standards.
This article summarizes comprehensive chemical solutions for each stage of the production process in sugar mills, both sugarcane and beet-based.
1. Clarification and Purification of Juice
The early stages of the sugar production process determine the final quality of the product. The use of appropriate chemicals helps to accelerate the settling of impurities, reduce color, and minimize sugar losses.
Key solutions:
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pH adjustment and liming: Lime (CaO/Ca(OH)₂) maintains pH stability and aids sediment formation.
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Coagulants and flocculants: PolyDADMAC (0.5-2 ppm) and anionic PAM (1-5 ppm) accelerate separation of impurities.
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Food-grade antifoam: Reduces foam formation during the heating process.
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Dextranase enzyme: Decomposes dextran which increases the viscosity of the juice.
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Decolorization: Use of activated carbon or ion-exchange resin to lower ICUMSA value.
2. Evaporator and Crystallization
Scale and corrosion are the two main enemies at this stage. Chemical solutions help maintain heat transfer efficiency and sugar crystal quality.
Main solutions:
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Polymer/phosphonate antiscalant (5-20 ppm): Prevents the formation of calcium and silica scale.
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Corrosion inhibitor: Keeps condensate pH in the range of 8.5-9.2.
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CIP descaling: Phosphoric acid and non-ionic surfactant for descaling.
3. Boilers and Condensate
Boiler water quality greatly affects energy efficiency and equipment life.
Main solutions:
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Oxygen scavenger: Sodium sulfite or DEHA to remove dissolved oxygen.
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Phosphate/alkalinity control: Trisodium phosphate + NaOH maintains alkalinity and prevents scaling.
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Condensate treatment: Amine neutralization maintains pH and reduces corrosion in condensate pipes.
4. Cooling Tower and Cooling System
Control of scale, corrosion, and microbial growth is critical for cooling systems.
Main solutions:
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Scale and corrosion inhibitors: Combination of phosphonates and dispersant polymers.
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Biocide: Isothiazolinone or DBNPA for microbial control.
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Automatic control: pH monitoring and cycles of concentration for water efficiency.
5. Process Water and RO
Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems require precise chemical control to prevent rapid membrane damage.
Key solutions:
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RO antiscalant: Prevents salt deposition.
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Dechlorination: Sodium metabisulfite removes free chlorine.
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CIP RO: Organic acid and alkali for membrane cleaning.
6. Sanitization and CIP (Cleaning in Place)
Equipment hygiene is critical for food safety and sugar quality.
Key solutions:
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Food-grade disinfectants: Peracetate (PAA) and hydrogen peroxide.
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Alkaline detergents: NaOH or Na₂CO₃ for organic cleaning.
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Food-grade H1 lubricant: Safe for areas with potential indirect contact with the product.
7. Waste Water Treatment (WWTP)
Efficient sewage treatment helps maintain environmental compliance and lower operational costs.
Key solutions:
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Coagulants: PAC or iron salts.
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PAM flocculant: Accelerates settling of solids.
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Additional nutrients: Urea/DAP to maintain stability of the biological process.
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Defoamer: Reduces foam in the aeration system.
Performance and Monitoring
Some important parameters that should be monitored regularly:
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Sugar quality: ICUMSA, turbidity, purity.
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Evaporator: ∆T, scale thickness, CIP frequency.
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Boilers: Dissolved O₂, pH, phosphate, conductivity.
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Cooling tower: Corrosion, deposits, and microbiology.
Effective Implementation Steps
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Process audit: Identify trouble spots (color, scale, foam, losses).
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Laboratory tests (jar tests): Determine optimal chemical type and dosage.
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Field trial: 1-2 weeks with daily KPI monitoring.
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Automatic dose optimization: Based on online parameters such as turbidity or conductivity.
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Compliance: Ensure all chemicals are food-grade and halal certified.
Conclusion
Implementing the right chemical solution in a sugar mill provides significant benefits: increased efficiency, reduced downtime, and higher sugar quality. With a data-driven approach and measured trials, every factory can achieve a sustainable balance between technical performance and cost efficiency.
