Addressing molasses sugar losses, understanding the contributing factors

and role of automation.

Sanaullah1
sanaullah.arain@mehransugar.com

Abstract
Sugar loss in Final Molasses is the biggest loss for any sugar factory. It contributes about 50
to 75 % of total sugar losses or 7.0 to 12 % of sugar in cane. There are many factors
affecting these losses, mainly cane juice composition, extraction of sugar and non sugar at
mills, processing practices, equipment design, operator’s skill, extent of reliable and logical
automation, managements perspective, etc. it’s a very long and detailed subject, however
in this paper we have constrained our studies and discussions to the parameters related to
the processing of material at pan station. Among the various parameters, Non Sucrose to
Water ratio of the massecuite is the prime stricture affecting sugar losses; it will be
discussed in detail with the methods to achieve an optimum value. Role of automation, for
this particular aspect, is very important, it has also been discussed. Our experience, at
Mehran Sugar Mills Limited (Pakistan), is shared with the recommendations for the best
operation.
Paper presented at 21st CSI conference held at Bangkok (Thailand) 5th to 6th July 2017.
1 Sanaullah, General Manager Production & Planning, Mehran Sugar Mills Limited, Tando
Allahyar, Sindh, Pakistan.

1- Introduction.
The world Sugar industry is struggling hard for maintaining competitiveness, disparity in
lower sugar prices and higher cost of production has threaten the survival of sugar
industry. Further, linkage of sugar prices with fuel price, has also affected the sugar
industry, as the fuel prices are declined for last many years. In such adverse conditions the
only way of continued existence is reducing cost of production by improving the
efficiencies of the sugar plant, especially the efficiencies of sugar recovery at process
house. Among the known sugar losses the highest contribution is the loss of sugar in final

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 molasses, which alone furnishes about 50 to 75 % of total sugar losses or 7.0 to 12 % of
sugar in cane. There are many other sources of sugar losses; however this study is confined
only to sugar loss in final molasses, considering the theme of the conference.
There are many factors which determine the sugar loss in molasses, like nature of
impurities in molasses, processing conditions, equipment design and efficiencies, skill of
operators, massecuite boiling strategies, etc. among them the most important and
controllable factor is Non Sucrose to Water ratio of the massecuite. This is because it is the
water which is ultimately the cause of sugar loss in final molasses.
In the following paper we will briefly discuss the importance of massecuite final conditions
before discharging from pan, its significance, and ways to achieve best optimum
conditions. Role of automation for this particular aspect with pan boiling control logic will
also be discussed. Our experience at Mehran sugar mills limited will also be shared with the
distinguished colleagues.
2- Importance of massecuite final conditions, before discharging from pan.
Whatever is the pan boiling scheme, researchers have identified that high Non Sucrose to
water ratio in massecuite leads to the high level of massecuite exhaustion and thus lowest
final molasses purity. LOVE DJ and MUZZELL DJ, 2009 “Lionnet & Rein (1980) highlighted
the critical importance of achieving high non-sucrose to water ratios in the massecuite
discharged from pan.” F S Mncube and D J Love, 2003 in their work has emphasized the
importance of N.Sucrose/Water ratio for achieving high level of low grade massecuite
exhaustion.

There are two ways to get higher NS/Water ratio, one by reducing pty of massecuite and
other by increasing massecuite brix. Researcher’s experimental results have revealed that
the higher ratio is best achieved by high massecuite brix than the lowering massecuite
purity. Following is the comparative study of NS/Water ratio for increasing 0.6 unit
massecuite brix and reducing massecuite purity by 6.0 points;

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(Table-1) NS/Water ratio at different massecuite Brix

Massecuite Brix
Description
95.00 95.60

Massecuite Weight 100.00 99.37

Massecuite Purity 58.00 58.00

Solids 95.00 95.00

Sucrose 55.10 55.10

Non Sucrose 39.90 39.90

Water 5.00 4.37

N.S/Water Ratio 7.98 9.13

Increase in NS/Water ratio 1.15

% increase in NS/Water ratio 14.35

(Table-2) NS/Water ratio at different massecuite Pty

Massecuite Pty
Description
58.00 52.00

Massecuite Weight 100.00 100.00

Massecuite Brix 95.00 95.00

Solids 95.00 95.00

Sucrose 55.10 49.40

Non Sucrose 39.90 45.60

Water 5.00 5.00

N.S/Water Ratio 7.98 9.12

Increase in NS/Water ratio   1.14

% increase in NS/Water ratio   14.29

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 Interestingly 0.60 degree increase in massecuite brix gives the same impact on NS/Water
ratio for 6.0 points decrease in massecuite pty. NS/Water ratio is much influenced by brix
than it is by pty. G.R.E Lionnet in his work presented at SASTA congress 1978 has given
similar findings and shown that 1-0 unit change in total solids is equivalent to 6-0 unit
change in massecuite pty.
Considering the above comparison and researchers work it is evident that maintenance of
higher massecuite brix is of much value than maintaining massecuite pty for increasing
massecuite exhaustion and thus lowering loss of sugar in molasses. G.R.E Lionnet in his
same experiment has revealed that an increase of 2.0 units in Ns/Water ratio decreases
molasses pty by 2.4 units, which is very significant. It is observed that this 2.0 unit increase
in NS/Water ratio could be achieved by increasing massecuite brix by only 1.0 degree.
3- Role of automation for maintaining massecuite brix.
Significance of maintaining higher massecuite brix has augmented the need of automation
at pan boiling stage. Though the entire massecuite boiling phase requires careful operation,
however to achieve consistent higher final massecuite brix there is no need of complete
automation of continuous pan, which is a very costly project. Initially auto control of last
three chambers of continuous pan may give consistency in massecuite brix, which is a low
cost proposition. For a better control of massecuite boiling in continuous pan maintenance
of calandria vapor pressure is at core. Usually shell pressure of pan remains constant if
condenser operation and leakages in pan are controlled; therefore a constant vapor
pressure at calandria ensures constant evaporation in the pan. This aspect of constant
evaporation gives an ease to the operator for a better control on the pan and thus
automation of last three chamber of continuous pan for brix control gives the desired
results at low cost. Only two brix probes and three auto valves on molasses or water
addition lines are required for three chambers. Brix probes installed at chamber No 11
controls molasses feed to the chamber No 10 & 11. Whereas brix probe installed at last
chamber controls the water addition for maintaining the desired massecuite brix.

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4- Scheme for complete automation of continuous pan (mass balance base automation).
This system of control provides complete control and monitoring system based on mass
flow. Hence a controlled final massecuite flow with target brix and purity is achieved. The
control logic is as follow.
1. Mass flow meter is installed at magma line, main molasses feed line, condensate
line and water feed main line.
2. Brix probes are installed at all the 12 chambers of pan, main grain flow line and
main molasses feed line, for on-line brix measurement.
3. Simple calculation program is incorporated in software designing to calculate the
total solid flow of magma and molasses by inputting the purity of magma and
molasses and from online brix of magma. Following will be the outcome;
I. Magma flow T/h Online value
II. Molasses flow T/h Online value
III. Water flow T/h Online value
IV. Condensate flow T/h Online value
V. Massecuite brix % Online value
VI. Magma brix % Online value
VII. Molasses brix % Online value
VIII. Solid in magma T/h calculated value
IX. Water in magma T/h calculated value
X. Solid in molasses T/h calculated value
XI. Water in molasses T/h calculated value
XII. Sucrose in magma T/h calculated value
XIII. Sucrose in molasses T/h calculated value
XIV. Non sugar in magma T/ h calculated value
XV. Non sugar in molasses T/ h calculated value
XVI. Solids in final massecuite T/ h calculated value
XVII. Water in final massecuite T/ h calculated value
4. For a given massecuite outflow of desired purity and brix the software calculates
the required flow of magma and molasses.

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 5. Require magma flow is controlled by VFD of metering pump.
6. Required flow of molasses to desire chamber is controlled by operating auto control
valves of the chamber. It is important to introduce molasses to chamber No 1 to 11
and for the last chamber water is fed for exhaustion of massecuite.
7. Calandria vapor pressure is auto controlled to maintain the required massecuite
brix in the chambers. If brix is lowering the calandria vapor pressure will increase
and vice versa. For this purpose average of all chambers actual brix is compared
with the average of all chambers required brix.
8. Total water evaporation is calculated by adding the water in magma +water in
molasses + movement water (chamber No 12) and subtracting it from the water in
massecuite (Note: use refractometer brix for calibration of brix probe). The input
water is cross checked by totaling the output water of massecuite and condensate
flow.
9. The Jigger steam quantity is measured by subtracting the total evaporation of pan
from the total quantity of vapor condensed. ( As Jigger steam is not condensed in
the pan and it vents as it is . however theoretically, a higher temperature Jigger
steam, say 1st or 2nd vapor contributes in slight evaporation of water of materials
but this is negligible and is not considered). Jigger steam, once measured, is then
controlled by giving the ratio of total vapor condensed / total evaporation. This
ratio varies between 1.1 to 1.5.
4.1- Benefit of mass flow base automation:
1. Better control of C massecuite brix and purity.
2. Minimum loss in molasses.
3. Improved sugar quality.
4. Steam economy.
5- MSM Experience.
Realizing the benefits of automation for lowering molasses pty, MSM incorporated the
minimum automation for maintaining C massecuite brix to the optimum level. We have a
continuous pan of 102 m 3 capacity, which is quite sufficient for our cane crushing capacity
of 12,000 tcd. We installed microwave type massecuite brix measuring probe at last

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 chamber of the C continuous pan for season 2016-17. This contributed to maintain
massecuite brix to the desired optimum level.
6- Results & Discussions.
Comparison of C massecuite brix, purity and final molasses pty for two seasons, i.e. season
2015-16 (when no monitoring based control of C massecuite Brix) and season 2016-17
(when C massecuite brix monitored and controlled) for the same period, reveals the
decrease in Final Molasses pty due to improved N/S water ratio. Following Table-3
describes the massecuite discharge conditions and final molasses pty for different periods
of pan operation;

Table-3 Comparison of two seasons for C-massecuite Pty, Brix and Final molasses Pty

Description Season 2015-16 Season 2016-17 Difference

C- massecuite Pty 55.01 51.88 -3.13
C-massecuite Brix 95.76 96.33 0.57
N/S water ratio 10.16 12.63 2.47
Final molasses Pty 37.92 35.61 -2.31

7- Conclusion.
Understanding of contributing factors, for increase or decrease in final molasses Pty and
then subsequent control by automation, substantially decreases loss of sugar in final
molasses. Automation provides an excellent tool for continuous online monitoring and
better control on the process.
8- Acknowledgement.
I am grateful of Mr. Javed Sher Bukhari, Deputy Chief Chemist Mehran Sugar Mills Limited
for his valued contribution for compiling the data. I am also thankful of Resident Director
and Managing Director of my company (Mehran Sugar Mills Limited) for their support and
encouragement. Last but not least, I am also appreciative of Mr. Emmanuel M. Sarir – CEO
and president of CSI, for his invitation of this conference as guest speaker.

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9- References.
- D J LOVE and MUZZELL DJ, 2009. Minimizing sucrose loss in Final Molasses: The three
laws of Final Molasses. Proceedings of the South African Sugar Technologists
Association 2009.
- F S Mncube and D J Love, 2003. C-Massecuite processing in the laboratory: some
preliminary results. Proceedings of the South African Sugar Technologists Association
2003.
- G.R.E.Lionnet, 1978. Preliminary studies on exhaustion of low grade massecuite.
Proceedings of the South African Sugar Technologists Association June 1978.

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