Sugar Beet Processing to Sugars

Abstract

AbstractThe beet sugar factory is really a sugar extraction facility where liquid or crystalline sugar, water, animal feeds, fertiliser, molasses, and other by-products are produced. Sugar beet accounts for about one-third of the sugar production in the world and most of this is done in Europe followed by the Russian Federation and the United States of America. Sugar beet entering the factory is cleaned and sliced into thin strips to afford maximum extraction of sucrose while, at the same time, minimising the extraction of non-sucrose. The pulp remaining after extraction is dried and used as animal feed. There may be an option to burn this pulp as fuel or produce biogas via methanisation, but the well-established current feed markets feed would first need to be negotiated. The sugar juice is subjected to a double carbonation process which removes a large portion of the non-sucrose. Factories often operate a lime kiln on-site to provide the active lime and carbon dioxide needed for the carbonation process. Residual soluble calcium can be removed by ion exchange. After evaporation, the white sugar product is obtained through a final purification by crystallisation. The sugar crystals are dried, cooled, and conditioned to produce a free-flowing, mature sugar product ready for packaging or distribution. The run-off syrups from crystallisation are exhausted through further crystallisation steps. These sugars and syrups are recycled and all by-products are valorised.KeywordsSugar beetDiffusionClarificationCarbonationDecalcificationEvaporationCrystallisation