Sugar Refinery

 

Sugar Dust Puts Producer in Sticky Situation

A natural carbohydrate found in fruits and vegetables, sugar is one of the purest foods found on the kitchen pantry shelves. In addition to being used as a flavor enhancer, sugar is used as a preservative and fermentation aid, helping bread rise and preserving fruit in jams and jellies. It also provides a smooth texture to candies and balances tart flavors used in many main dishes.

Sugar refineries process refined sugar from either raw sugar or sugar beets. Bulk raw sugar is delivered to the refinery where it is then mixed with a solution of water and sugar to loosen the molasses that surrounds the raw sugar crystals. Once separated, the crystals are washed, dissolved, and filtered to remove any impurities.

A company in Malaysia was looking to capture the sugar dust created during their production processes. Malaysia’s hot and humid climate caused the sugar particles to become sticky, making it difficult to capture the dust generated from the material handling systems. This posed a significant issue for the dry dust collector, as the substance clogged the filters, making it difficult to pulse off.

Challenge

The customer was having trouble collecting the sugar dust produced by the material handling system in their production process. The humid environment caused the sugar particles to become sticky, causing it to cling to the media, preventing the captured particles from being pulsed off. Since sugar is a combustible dust, the risk of explosion was a factor that needed to be considered. Dry collector would require additional devices to safely handle the sugar dust. The company needed the process to run continuously and could not afford the down-time required for frequent filter change-out.

Solution

The use of water as a collection medium makes the RotoClone® W inherently explosion resistant and therefore, the perfect choice for the customer. With water as the primary collection medium and the absence of a fabric filter medium, the high air humidity was not an issue. This unit excels at collecting sticky dusts and the constant supply of water, coupled with the centrifugal action of the impeller, slurry build-up in the unit is avoidable.

Benefits

The installed RotoClone® W was able to capture the sugar particles produced by the material handling system, reducing the risk of explosion without other costly devices. The unit is also able to run continuously, minimizing maintenance down-time for the plant. Additionally, the company was able to use the sugary waste water generated by the unit in other processes in their facility.