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Narrative

This document provides information about sugarcane processing. It discusses that sugarcane is a grass grown in tropical regions that is propagated vegetatively. Sugarcane's major component is sucrose, a disaccharide formed from glucose and fructose. Sugarcane contains both juice, which is an aqueous solution of sucrose and other substances, and fiber. When sugarcane arrives at a processing plant, it is weighed and unloaded using a crane or bulldozer before further processing.

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Romel Leo
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270 views2 pages

Narrative

This document provides information about sugarcane processing. It discusses that sugarcane is a grass grown in tropical regions that is propagated vegetatively. Sugarcane's major component is sucrose, a disaccharide formed from glucose and fructose. Sugarcane contains both juice, which is an aqueous solution of sucrose and other substances, and fiber. When sugarcane arrives at a processing plant, it is weighed and unloaded using a crane or bulldozer before further processing.

Uploaded by

Romel Leo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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University of San Agustin

College of Technology
Chemical Engineering Department

Narrative Report

Sugarcane is a grass grown in tropical and sub-tropical countries. It is a complex hybrid


of various species, derived largely from Saccharum officinarum and other Saccharum
species. It is propagated vegetatively by planting pieces of can stalk. New growth
emanates from buds on the cane nodes ensuring uniform progeny (Rein, 2007).

The major reason for processing cane is to recover sugar, which in its pure state is
referred to by its chemical name sucrose. It is formed in the plant by a complex process
but essentially consists of a combination of the two monosaccharide sugars, fructose
and glucose. Sucrose is termed as disaccharide since it comprises two monosaccharide
units. The monosaccharide sugars are six carbon sugars or hexoses, products of the
process of photosynthesis. The reverse of this reaction is termed inversion, when under
the right conditions, sucrose will be hydrolyzed, and together with a molecule of water,
will lead to the formation of the two component monosaccharide sugars (Rein, 2007).

Sugarcane is essentially a combination of juice and fiber. The juice is an aqueous


solution of sucrose and other inorganic and organic substances. Fiber is defined as all
the insoluble material in cane and so includes any dirt, soil or any other foreign material
(Rein, 2007).

The sugarcane to be milled is carefully prepared because it is subject to different kinds


of impurities and foreign materials. The composition of the cane will also depend on a
large number of factors, including the age of the cane, the cultivar, the growing
conditions, use of ripeners and disease.

The sucrose content of milled cane can vary between 8 and 17 g/ 100 g cane. Thus,
the good, clean, and fresh quality cane can have a purity in juice at around 90 and
dissolved solids can vary from about 10 to 19 g/ 100 g cane. The balance of cane is
water which constitutes 70 g/ 100 g cane.

Sugarcane does not only contain pure sucrose but also it constitutes some nonsucrose
compounds like monosaccharides, ash, polysaccharide, starch, color, and organic acids.
Glucose and fructose are the most abundant monosaccharide in cane which are also
known as reducing sugars. The ash content of the cane is also higher in the tops and
the leaves and is affected by cane variety.
University of San Agustin
College of Technology
Chemical Engineering Department

In the sugar processing plant, the factory takes delivery of the cane. The truck is first
weighed in the weigh bridge station, then the truck proceeds inside the factory for
unloading the cane. After unloading the cane, the truck passes again the weigh bridge
station to get the actual weight of the cane delivered. The bulk density or weight per
unit volume, of cane in the truck depends on the manner in which it is loaded. This bulk
density depends on the stand of the cane. Straight and erect stalks will give a more
compact loading than curved or lodged canes (Hugot, 1986).

The unloading of sugarcane is carried out using crane, a tipper, and a bulldozer. The
cane is often loaded in "packets" or bundles, bound by three chains or "slings". At one
end these slings slide in a special hook fitted with a pawl, while a ring is attached to the
other end. The unloading device at the factory, generally a crane, lifts the bundle of
cane with the aid of a "swingle-bar" or steel bar fitted with three hooks. The crane lifts
the bundle and deposits it on the heap of cane. The catches of the sling-hooks are then
released, and the crane lifts the swingle-bar with the slings hanging.

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