Gloria Carolina Prieto Correal, Miguel Angel Ramos Galeano, Jorge Humberto Morales and Daniel Mauricio Ramírez Landinez #
Ingenio Providencia, Palmira-El Cerrito Highway Km 17, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Microbial activity causes significant sucrose losses during clarification and filtration in sugar mills, impacting product quality and production costs. This study aimed to reduce these losses by implementing an innovative cleaning system in rotatory vacuum filters. Two cleaning approaches were evaluated: a conventional manual cleaning system and a clean-in-place (CIP) system. In the conventional setup, periodic manual cleanings were performed, whereas the CIP system used continuous cross-flow cleaning with hot water through internal filter pipes. Microbial metabolites, such as volatile acidity (titration), D-lactic acid (enzymatic Kit) and mannitol concentrations (HPLC), were measured for each scenario. The collected data were statistically analyzed to the determine the effectiveness of each cleaning system in reducing microbial activity and a mannitol balance estimated sucrose losses across scenarios. The CIP cleaning system demonstrated a substantial reduction in microbial metabolites, with a 47% decrease in D-lactic acid and a 14% decrease in volatile acidity compared to the conventional system. Additionally, sucrose losses were reduced from 1800 kg to 600 kg per day with the CIP system. Indeterminate sucrose losses also decreased from a range of 14–35% under the conventional system to 2–9% with the CIP system. This approach improved filter juice quality and generated annual economic benefits of approximately USD230,000 for the mill. Implementing a CIP cleaning system in rotatory vacuum filters reduces microbial activity, improves product quality and significantly lowers sucrose in sugar mills. The economic advantages underscore this system’s potential for industrial application.