Factory Engineering Papers
A modern energy efficient sugar complex on 26% steam consumption – concept to commissioning
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025A modern sugar complex with a crushing capacity of 7500 t cane/d with a steam demand of 26% on cane and steam consumption (260 kg of steam/t of cane) to save bagasse. The purpose of bagasse saving was to utilize it for paper production.
An improved electric drive for sugarcane preparation machines
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025An improved electric drive is presented for coupled motor-run sugarcane preparation machines in the sugar industry. The conventional slip ring induction motor (SRIM) drive has shortcomings of huge slip power loss, high drop in the rated speed, less flexibility for realizing optimum knife/hammer tip speed, low power factor, and unequal load sharing.
An innovative way for steam economy and capacity expansion by integrating an MVR in an evaporation scheme
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025The sugar industry is an energy-intensive industry, with significant energy costs associated with the evaporation process. A novel energy saving scheme is introduced by integrating mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) technology into the evaporation stages of sugar production as the syrup concentrator.
Automatic handling of soft cane in the factory
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025This study was undertaken to address concerns that many cane varieties in the development pipeline in Australia have fibre quality classified as soft, with some soft enough to cause processing problems in the factory. Where soft canes have been approved for production, the factory has to have a strategy to process them.
Bagasse drying using boiler flue gas – waste heat recovery
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025The concept of drying bagasse with flue gas was introduced to improve the utilization of waste heat from sugar mill boilers, thereby improving boiler performance and fuel saving. A demonstration project of a flash-drying system with a 10.0 t/h capacity was tested in 2009 in India, where bagasse was dried in a co-current flow in the flash tube with part flue gas from a 70 t/h boiler and then passing through cyclonic separators.
Enhancing efficiency in the sugar industry: the role of mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) technology in optimizing energy consumption
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025Energy efficiency involves reducing the amount of energy consumed to achieve the same outcome. Mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) has long been recognized as a key technology for reducing primary energy consumption, by using electrical power, in steam-reliant processes across various industries.
Innovative technology based on mechanical vapour recompression for energy-efficient sugarcane processing
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025Development of innovative technology based on mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) for sugarcane processing is explained. The reuse of thermal waste heat using a compressor allows high heat economy and eliminates the need for external heat generation and rejection units such as boilers, turbines, cooling towers and condensers.
Integration of tribological analysis and machine-learning models to increase the useful life of hammers in sugarcane shredders
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025The cane shredder is one of the most maintenance-intensive and costly machines in the preparation and milling process, requiring hammer replacements every 15-25 days, taking approximately 2-4 hours for that work and causing up to 20 annual stoppages.
Reliable and accurate valve selection for pre-lime and milk of lime
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025This paper presents a comprehensive engineering review focused on the accurate and reliable selection of control valves for milk of lime (MOL) and calcium saccharate applications within the sulphitation, defecation and carbonation sections of sugar-processing plants.
Updates to the design of high-pressure traveling-grate boilers to fire challenging biomass and vinasse
Last Updated: junio 11, 2025Biomass (including bagasse) is acknowledged as a renewable and eco-friendly energy source, gaining traction on a global scale. Combustion of some biomass has always been a challenge in traveling-grate technology because of the highly fouling and corrosive nature of ash.