Develop a blueprint for the introduction of new processing technologies for Australian factories: final report 2015/043

Abstract

Several overseas factories are using technologies that reduce their process steam consumptions to very low levels, e.g. lower than 32% on cane, which are much lower than achieved by the most steam efficient Australian factories (~40% on cane). The steam efficient technologies that are not currently being used in Australian factories include:- Falling film tube evaporators and Kestner evaporators; In-line juice heaters on vapour from the final evaporator; Barriquand juice heaters; Use of vapour from the 3rd evaporator for pan boiling; Direct contact pan feed conditioning systems; and Vapour recovery systems such as in condensate cigars.

The project has shown that Australian factories should consider the application of these technologies when planning factory upgrades or replacement of existing equipment as these technologies can provide benefits of increased crushing rate, improved sugar recovery and be suitable for reducing the process steam consumption, if and when required. This project provides a blueprint with the details of the new technologies and their recommended application into Australian factories.

A major finding from the project was that substantial sucrose losses are occurring through hydrolysis in the current evaporator stations in Australia’s steam efficient sugar factories. These losses can be reduced substantially through application of the new technologies. Follow on projects are required to determine processing solutions to reduce the impact of sucrose hydrolysis during evaporation and to determine the required design and operational changes for pan stages to allow the existing batch pans in Australian factories to operate effectively on low pressure vapour.