Purification Of Sugar Mill Syrups For Direct Refined Sugar Production, Investigator; Day, D. LAB03727
Accession No: 0202242 Subfile: Cris
Proj No: Lab03727 Agency: Saes La.B
Proj Type: State Proj Status: New
Start: 01 Oct 2004 Term: 30 Sep 2009 Fy: 2006
Investigator: Rein, P.; Day, D.
Performing Institution:
Audubon Sugar Institute
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70893
Purification Of Sugar Mill Syrups For Direct Refined Sugar Production
Classification
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KA |
Subject |
Science |
Pct |
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501 |
2020 |
2020 |
100 |
CLASSIFICATION HEADINGS: R501 . New and Improved Food Processing Technologies; S2020 . Sugar cane; F2020 . Engineering
BASIC 000% APPLIED 100% DEVELOPMENTAL 000%
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This project will provide the technical knowledge to design cane sugar mills that can produce refined sugar directly. Presently, this sugar is produced in two steps: from sugar cane to raw sugar, in sugar mills; and from raw sugar to refined sugar in cane sugar refineries. The purpose of this project is to identify and remove impurities present in cane syrups with high affinity to sugar crystals in order to obtain direct refined sugar in mills.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this project is to identify and remove impurities present in cane syrups that impede direct refined sugar production in cane sugar mills.
APPROACH: To attain the objectives of this project the following approaches will be made: 1. Characterize sugar colorants and other high molecular weight (HMW)compounds present in cane and beet juices. 2. Study colorant affinity for sugar crystals. 3. Purify sugar syrups using different techniques such as precipitation (carbonatation,phosphatation); adsorption (granular carbons, resins); oxidation (hydrogen peroxide, ozone); ion-exchange (anionic, cationic resins) and charged macromolecules. These techniques will be evaluated according to their capacity to remove colorants/HMW compounds with higher affinity for sugar crystals. 4. Perform purified syrup crystallization in the Audubon pilot plant.
KEYWORDS: color; sugars; syrups; purification; food production; food processing; raw materials; food engineering; sugarcane; impurities; molecular weight; food chemistry; precipitation; adsorption; oxidation; ion exchange; macromolecules; crystallization
PROGRESS: 2006/01 TO 2006/12
Research was extended on the extraction and identification of colorants in sugarcane juice. Depending on the polarity of the solvents used, different colorants are removed after adsorption on granular activated carbon. The colorants obtained were identified as variously substituted phenolic acids, primarily cinnamic and benzoic acid derivatives. These colorants represent a potential source of food grade anti-oxidants. Separation with various solvents represents a method for fractionation. A pilot plant to decolorize juice was constructed at Raceland sugar mill in order to treat clarified juice with granular carbon and/or cationic and anionic resins. The plant was commissioned during the season, but experienced equipment and operational problems. Extensive redesign and continual monitoring will be required in the future for this operation. This research will need to be revisited in the 2007 sugar season to confirm validity of the process. Attempts to crystallize sugar on a large scale from treated juice were plagued by operational problems at the mill and with the pilot equipment.
IMPACT: 2006/01 TO 2006/12
The project is at the stage of collecting design data prior to establishing the economic benefit of producing white sugar directly in a raw sugar mill, and redesigning the equipment to demonstrate practicality during the 2007 sugar season. The ability of a raw mill to produce white sugar directly will increase the profitability of this industry by at least 30%. Direct benefit to the industry would be in the range of $75 million per annum.
PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2006/01 TO 2006/12
1. Bento L.S.M (2006): Activated carbons: adsorption of sugar colorants and chemical regeneration. Proc Sugar Ind. Technol. 65
2. Madsen, L.R.(2006): Phenolic Compounds: Effect of Iron and pH. ISSCT Processing Worksop. Baton Rouge, La. June.
3. Madsen, L.R. (2006) From Arrhenius to You: Sucrose Incersion, Kinetics and Inhibition. 36th ASSCT Joint Meeting, St. Petes Beach, Fla, June 16.
4. Madsen, L.R. (2006) Simulated Multiple Effect Evaporation of Clarified and Decolorized Sugarcane Juices and Accelerated Storage Tests of Syrups: Evolution of Color and the Behaviour of Carbohydrates and Related compounds. SPRI Conference on Sugar Processing Research, Aguas de Sao Pedro, Brazil. Sept 17-20.
PROGRESS: 2005/01/01 TO 2005/12/31
1. COLORANTS STUDY One objective of this Project is the characterization of sugar colorants present in sugar mill syrups. The first step to complete this objective was to separate colorants in sugar products for further analytical work in order to identify the chemical nature of colored compounds, especially those with more affinity for sugar crystals. The approach used to this study was the following: 1. Fix the colorants compounds in granular adsorbent carbon and 2. Remove the colorants from carbon with solutions of different hydrophobicity and alkalinity. The relative composition of colorants was evaluated by their absorbany at t 330 nm. According to our results, colorants from extracts B1, C2, D1, E1 and E2, are present at a higher percentage in affined sugar than in the raw sugar from which it originates, indicating a higher affinity for sugar crystals. The same experiment executed with colorants present in cane refined sugar, indicates that extracts B1 and D1 are majority present in white sugar. 2. DECOLORIZATION OF SUGAR MILL JUICE The main objective of this Project is to purify syrups or juices from sugar mills in order to produce white sugar directly in the mills. An experiment using a pilot plant installation was performed in one Louisiana sugar mill during 2004 season. This installation comprises three columns: two columns with granular activated carbon and one column with ion exchange resins, reaction tanks, sensors and pumps. The system worked during 10 cycles of 6 days, including decolorization, carbon washing and regeneration. Clarified juice was fed to the carbon columns in a down flow way at a flow rate between 30 and 60 liters/hour. In the reaction tank, juice was heated at 85 C and mixed with a solution of hydrogen peroxide at a rate of 1,000 ppm on solids. After each decolorization cycle, carbon was washed with hot water in up-flow before regeneration. A chemical regeneration was made in down-flow with the two columns in series, from the second column to the first column. A new regeneration process (NRP) was developed and applied in these tests. This process removed more colorants fixed to the carbon than other chemical regeneration processes, as using NaOH or NaOH and ethanol. After each cycle, resins were washed with condensate water followed by regeneration with NaCl and NaOH. The average color removal obtained with this installation was 81.4%, with a clarified juice color of 9,703 IU. Conclusions - The proposed decolorization process (granular activated carbon and resins) proved to be efficient to treat clarified juices (81% of decolorization was obtained). The chemical regeneration process proved to be efficient to maintain the decolorization efficiency higher than 50% during eight cycles. After that period, fresh carbon must be added or thermal regeneration must be executed.
IMPACT: 2005/01/01 TO 2005/12/31
The implementation of this technology in Louisiana sugar mills will allow the production of white sugar directly in the mill and industry profitability will increase.
PUBLICATIONS: 2005/01/01 TO 2005/12/31
No publications reported this period
PROGRESS: 2005/01/01 TO 2005/12/31
1. COLORANTS STUDY One objective of this Project is the characterization of sugar colorants present in sugar mill syrups. The first step to complete this objective was to separate colorants in sugar products for further analytical work in order to identify the chemical nature of colored compounds, especially those with more affinity for sugar crystals. The approach used to this study was the following: 1. Fix the colorants compounds in granular adsorbent carbon and 2. Remove the colorants from carbon with solutions of different hydrophobicity and alkalinity. The relative composition of colorants was evaluated by their absorbany at t 330 nm. According to our results, colorants from extracts B1, C2, D1, E1 and E2, are present at a higher percentage in affined sugar than in the raw sugar from which it originates, indicating a higher affinity for sugar crystals. The same experiment executed with colorants present in cane refined sugar, indicates that extracts B1 and D1 are majority present in white sugar. 2. DECOLORIZATION OF SUGAR MILL JUICE The main objective of this Project is to purify syrups or juices from sugar mills in order to produce white sugar directly in the mills. An experiment using a pilot plant installation was performed in one Louisiana sugar mill during 2004 season. This installation comprises three columns: two columns with granular activated carbon and one column with ion exchange resins, reaction tanks, sensors and pumps. The system worked during 10 cycles of 6 days, including decolorization, carbon washing and regeneration. Clarified juice was fed to the carbon columns in a down flow way at a flow rate between 30 and 60 liters/hour. In the reaction tank, juice was heated at 85 C and mixed with a solution of hydrogen peroxide at a rate of 1,000 ppm on solids. After each decolorization cycle, carbon was washed with hot water in up-flow before regeneration. A chemical regeneration was made in down-flow with the two columns in series, from the second column to the first column. A new regeneration process (NRP) was developed and applied in these tests. This process removed more colorants fixed to the carbon than other chemical regeneration processes, as using NaOH or NaOH and ethanol. After each cycle, resins were washed with condensate water followed by regeneration with NaCl and NaOH. The average color removal obtained with this installation was 81.4%, with a clarified juice color of 9,703 IU. Conclusions - The proposed decolorization process (granular activated carbon and resins) proved to be efficient to treat clarified juices (81% of decolorization was obtained). The chemical regeneration process proved to be efficient to maintain the decolorization efficiency higher than 50% during eight cycles. After that period, fresh carbon must be added or thermal regeneration must be executed.
IMPACT: 2005/01/01 TO 2005/12/31
The implementation of this technology in Louisiana sugar mills will allow the production of white sugar directly in the mill and industry profitability will increase.
PUBLICATIONS: 2005/01/01 TO 2005/12/31
No publications reported this period
PROJECT CONTACT:
Name: Day, D.
Phone: 225-642-0135
Fax: 225-642-8790
Email: dday@agcenter.lsu.edu
SUPPLEMENTARY DATA: Institution Type: SAES Region: 2 Process Date: 2004/10/29 Progress Update: 2007/04/02
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