A REVIEW ON

SUGAR REFINERY PROCESS

Subhash Chandra
What is refined sugar:
 Refined Sugar is produced by sugar cane or beet via
raw sugar. (i.e. From sugar cane or beet, first produced
raw sugar by ordinary process known as Defecation
process. Then raw Sugar is following further process
like melting, clarification and decolourization to
produced refined sugar.
Refined sugar Vs White sugar:
 Refined sugar is better than plantation white
sugar because it contain less impurities, less
colour value of ICUMSA. As well as it is suitable
for long time storage.
 alone refinery.
Types of Refined Sugar manufacture:
 There are two types of sugar refineries.

 Refineries operating in conjunction with raw

sugar factory.

 Independent refineries which purchase raw

sugar from raw sugar factories. Independent
refinery called stand
Basic Steps in Refined Sugar Making Process:
1. Affination:
It is a process for higher colour Raw Sugar. For good quality raw
sugar there is no need to doing this process. The main aim of
affination process is to obtain affinated sugar over 99 purity &
containing minimum colour and ash. In this process above 60% colour
is removed mechanically depending on input colour of raw sugar.
2. Melting:
Raw sugar (low colour & good quality) or Affinated raw sugar
is melted to 60 to 65o Bx in a special melter.
3. Clarification:
Clarification process helps to removing impurities and
eliminates maximum colour of melt. Generally refineries are
following two types of clarification processes. They are

a ) Melt Phosfloatation
b) Melt Carbonation
Defecation Process:
 This is the oldest & cheapest method of juice
clarification
 In this process lime & heat are two basic agents.
 The lime and heat treatment forms a heavy
precipitate of complex composition.
 Contains in soluble lime salts, coagulated
albumin, and varying proportion of the fats,
waxes and gums.
 Phosphoric acid is added to increase
P2O5 content of juice to 300 ppm.
 Then lime added to neutralize organic acids,
 Besides insoluble tricalcium phosphate
[Ca3 (PO4) 2] is also formed which occludes
colloids & suspended impurities.
 SPECIFICATIONS OF RAW SUGAR

Sr.No. Characteristic Requirement

1 POL ( min in %) 95.6
2 R.S. by mass ( max in %) 1
3 Sulphited ash % by mass (max %) 0.8
4 Ash % by mass ( max in %) 0.8
5 Safety factor ( min in %) 0.3
6 Crystal size ( material to be retain on 0.5mm IS sieve %) 95
7 Sulphur dioxide ( max in ppm) 20

SPECIFICATION OF VHP(very high pol) RAW SUGAR

Sr.No. Characteristic Requirement
1 POL ( min in %) 99.0 to 99.5
2 Moisture (Max in %) 0.08 to 0.15

3 R.S. by mass ( max in %) 0.1 to 0.12

4 Ash % by mass ( max in %) 0.1 to 0.13

5 Colour in ICUMSA 800 to 1200 IU
6 Starch ( max in ppm) 200 to 250
7 Dextran ( max in ppm) 100 to 150
 Specification of Refined Sugar:

Refined Sugar Specifications (II REVISION) In INDIAN STANDARD IS 1151:2003

Sr.No. Characteristic Requirement

1 Loss on drying %by mass (Max) 0.05%

2 Polarization (Min.) 99.7

3 RS% by mass (Max) 0.04

4 Conductivity Ash% by mass (Max) 0.04

5 Color ICUMSA unit (Max) 60 IU

6 SO2 Content mg/kg (Max) 15 PPM

7 Lead mg/kg (Max.) 0.5

8 Chromium mg/kg (Max) 20

Specifications of Plantation white Sugar as per IS 5982:2003

S.No. Description Unit Values

1 Polarization % min. 99.5

2 Colour IU max 150

3 Moisture % max 0.1

4 Conductivity Ash, percent by mass % max 0.1

5 Reducing sugar percent by mass, % max 0.1

6 Sulphur dioxide, max. ppm 70

7 Lead max. ppm 5

Moisture % Sugar
Safety factor =
100 – Pol % Sugar
 Buffer tank Capacity

 It is required holding capacity of 30 to 40 minutes retention time. Buffer tank

helps to maintain the constant flow of liquor (syrup or melt).
Syrup or Melt heater
 The material heated up to 80 to 85oC by using tubular heater or direct
contact heater.
 Heating surface calculation for tubular juice heater
 Formula:
 Where
 S = Heat transfer surface area in m2
 M= Quantity of material to be heating kg/hr
 Cp = Specific heat of material in Kcal/kg/oC.
 ΔT = Temperature difference from inlet to outlet of the heated material in oC
 ΔTm = LMTD = Log Mean Temperature Difference.
 K = Overall heat transfer Coefficient Kcal/m2/hr/oC = 6 x Tv x [U / 1.8] 0.8
 Tv = Heating vapour temperature
 ti / to = syrup or melt inlet/outlet temperature.
 U = velocity of syrup in tubes.
 Reaction and Aeration Vessel : The retention time of the
reaction vessel consider 4 to 5 minutes retention time with
agitator for uniform mixing. The RPM of the agitator
maintained 60 to 90.

 Flotation Clarifier :

 The Flotation clarifier holding volume calculated on the basis

of retention time. It will be provided 35 minutes and height of
the clarifier having 1.7 to 1.75 Mtrs. Center well of the
clarifier height having 150 mm to 200 mm less then the
clarifier height.
 Liquor outlet coil Dia. calculate on the basis of velocity 0.3 to
0.4m/sec. Perforated holes to be provided below the coil and
its number calculated on the basis of coil cross sectional area
(To be take 100 to 120% on coil cross section area).

 LIME SUCRATE COLOR
PHOSPHORIC ACID PRECIPIENT

REACTION TANK FLOCCULATION AGENT

AERATION TANK

FLOTATION
CLARIFIER
HEATER SCUM
CLEAR MELT
SCREENING FILTRATE
MULTI BED FILTER CLARIFICATION
REFINERY MELTER
SYSTEM
FILTERED MELT
RAW SUGAR 3-STAGE
ION EXCHANGE COLUMN
SCUM DESWEETENING
DECOLORISATION
SYSTEM
HOT WATER
FINE FILTERED MELT
REFINERY PAN SCUM DILUTE WATER
FOR R-1 BOILING WASTE
MELTING
 FINE FILTERED MELT

REFINED R1 PANS REFINED R2 PANS

CENTRIFUFAL CENTRIFUFAL

R1 SUGAR R1 HEAVY R1& R2 LIGHT R2 MOLASSES R2 SUGAR

DRYNING DRYNING
ABOVE 3000 IU

GRADING GRADING

R3 MASSECUITE
SILO
CENTRIFUFAL

R3 SUGAR R3 MOLASSES
BAGGING
REFINERY MELTER MELT TANK
 Decolorisation:

The Clarified melt passed through adsorption columns which

are made up of different types of colour absorbents like
granular activated carbon namely lead & trail column. The
liquor coming out from leaf column is known as intermediate
liquor which pumped again to top of trail column. The liquor
coming out from trail column is termed as decolouried or fine
liquor . The following colour absorbents also used in
decolourization process. For further decolourisation &
demineralization after filtration this melt treated with
different types, such as
•Granular Activated Carbon
•Powdered carbon
•Bone char / Bone black
•Ion exchange resins
COLOUR IN RAW & REFINED SUGAR:-

IT IS THE COLOUR OF NON SUGAR

CONTAMINANTS THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE “COLOUR” OF RAW SUGAR AND THAT OF
REFINERY PRODUCTS.
 ION EXCHANGE RESINS ARE POLYMERS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF
EXCHANGING PARTICULAR IONS WITHIN THE POLYMERS WITH ION
IN A SOLUTION THAT IS PASSED THROUGH THEM.

TYPES OF ION EXCHANGE RESIN

 BASED ON NATURE OF IONS:-

1. ANIONIC OR BASIC RESINS TO

REMOVE COLOUR.

2. CATIONIC OR ACIDIC RESINS TO

REMOVE CERTAIN INORGANIC
CONSTITUENTS.
 WEAKLY BASIC TYPE

ANIONIC RESINS
STRONGLY BASIC TYPE
(LIKE AN INSOLUBILIZED QUATERNARY
AMMONIUM COMPOUND)

RESIN USED IN DECOLOURISATION

STRONG BASE ANION TYPE RESIN IS MOST USEFUL FOR DECOLOURISATION

AS MOST OF THE COLOURANTS PRESENT IN SUGAR MELT ARE OF
NEGATIVELY CHARGED.

THE RESIN IS USED IN THE CHLORIDE FORM TO AVOID PRODUCING

STRONGLY ALKALINE OFF-LIQUORS
BASED ON POROSITY:-
1. GEL TYPE.
2. MACROPOROUS TYPE.
GEL TYPE HAVE HIGHER EXCHANGE CAPACITY BUT ARE
MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FOULING AND OSMOTIC SHOCK IN
COMPARISON TO MACROPOROUS.
 BASED ON TYPE OF MONOMER :-
1. STYRENE TYPE.
2. ACRYLIC TYPE
ACRYLIC RESINS ARE ARE MORE RUGGED AND RESISTANT
TO FOULING BUT ARE LESS EFFECTIVE DECOLOURIZER THAN
THE STYRENE TYPE
CHARACTERISTIC STYRENE ACRYLIC
1. MATRIX POLYSTYRENE POLYACRYLIC
2. FUNCTIONAL GROUP QUATER. AMMONIUM QUATER. AMMONIUM
3. MOBILE ION CHLORIDE CHLORIDE
4. EXCHANGE CAPACITY MIN.1.0 eq/ltr MIN.0.8 eq/ltr
(Total cap. Of chloride form)
5. MOISTURE 58-64% (Cl- FORM) 66-72% (Cl-
FORM)
6. DENSITY 1.05-1.08 1.05-1.08
7. AVG. SIZE 0.6-0.8 MM 0.65-0.85 MM

ACRYLIC RESIN HAVE LESS HYDROPHOBIC INTERACTION WITH

NON-POLAR PART OF COLORANTS AND MORE RESISTANT THEN
STYRENIC RESIN TO HIGH COLOUR FEED LEVELS.
STYRENIC RESIN HAVE HIGH DECOLOURIZATION RATE AND BETTER
CAP. WITH LOWER COLOUR FEED LEVELS
 8
9
RESIN TRAP
(0.3MM) 10
5 6 7 OPENNING

1= DECOL.LIQUOR OUTLET
2=SWEET WATER OUTLET
3= RECOVERED WATER OUTLET
4= BRINE OUTLET
5= FILTERED MELT FEED
6= BRINE FEED
7= H.W FEED
RESIN LEVEL
8= RECOVERED WATER OUTLET
9= SAFETY DISC VENT
10= AIR RELEASE VALVE

1 2 3 4 1.5 M

RESIN TRAP
(0.26MM)
OPENNING

BACKWASH
AIR
 IN REGENERATION COLOURING MATTERS
ARE DETACHED FROM RESIN ‘S ACTIVE SITES
TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER
DECOLOURISATION IN NEXT CYCLE.

 IN THIS PROCESS 2.5 BED VOLUME OF

ALKALINE BRINE SOLUTION (10 % NaCl+1%
NaOH) IS PASSED THROUGH CELL.
 CONTENT

 DEEP BED FILTER.

 WORKING OF D.B.F.

 REGENERATION CYCLE.
 DBF IS INSTALLED BETWEEN CLARIFIER AND
IER TO ARREST THE SUSPENDED PARTICLE
COMING WITH CLEAR MELT, TO FACILITATE
LOW PRESSURE WORKING OF I.E.R CELL.

 DBF ARRESTS THE PARTICLES >50 Micron

To make the best use of all the bed, the solids

should be entrapped throughout the bed
interstices.
 1
3 2
4 1= Melt feed
2= Air release valve
3= Back wash out
4= Safety disc
5= Air for backwash
6= Melt feed for backwash
7 7= Drain down
Anthracite 550 mm 8= Melt outlet
9= Drain
Sand 550 mm
G3 180 mm Gravel size
G6 180 mm
G12 180 mm
G18 = 9.25-19.1mm
370 mm G12 = 6.35-9.25mm
G18
G6 = 2.54-6.35mm
8
G3 = 1.0-2.0mm
Sand=0.5-1.0mm

6 5
9
 DBF RUNS UNDER PRESSURE AS IT’S BED GETS
LOADED WITH IMPURITIES IT’S PRESSURE RISES
AND WHEN PRESSURE EXCEEDS 10 Psig , IT
UNDERGOES TO REGENERATION.

 CYCLE TIME OF DBF DEPENDS ON WORKING OF

CLARIFIER,GENERALLY IT’S CYCLE TIME IS 4-6
Hrs .