CLARIFICATION

REVISITED
 INTRODUCTION

Technology of Juice clarification is one of the

neglected areas of sugar processing in Pakistan. No
change or modification has been made/ adopted in
our practices which were introduced along with
the defecation process itself in 1980s.
 INTRODUCTION-II
 The current practice is heating the juice,
adding some lime, heating it again, adding the
best available Juice Flocculant and allowing it to
settle in a copy cat clarifier.

 The end result is that both the parameters

showing efficiency of clarification i.e FM purity
and Pol % mud are not up to the mark.
 INTRODUCTION-III
 It is clear that we are standing still while the
world has moved ahead and has covered a long
distance.

 That is the reason for this revisit.

 In this presentation we will try to have a look at
what has been missed.
PRE-CONDITIONING THE JUICE
 Preconditioning or the incubation of Juice is
the first step in modern clarification.

 Polysaccharides especially the Starch can be

hydrolysed in this step without addition of
any chemical.
 PRE-CONDITIONING -II
 Mixed Juice which is acidic in nature, is allowed
to stand for about half an hour in a continuous flow
tank after the first heating (70-75°C). This hydrolyses
most of the starch present in the juice.

 If there is still some starch left, a suitable

enzymes can be added to remove that.
 PRE-CONDITIONING-III
 Removal of starch from the juice helps in
better boiling at the pan station, which inturn helps
to reduce the final Molasses purity.

It is almost a standard practice in many countries

including Australia and South Africa.
 QUALITY OF SUGAR
 In Pakistan, preconditioning of Juice is
particularly important for the mills making bottling
or Pharmaceutical grade sugar.

 The bottlers floc. which is a major quality

parameter, is due to the presence of polysaccharides.

 Removal of starch will reduce formation of

bottlers floc.
 A NEW CONCEPT ?
 No. This reaction tank was provided by the
plant manufacturer (Fletcher) in KHOSKI in early
seventies .
 It was used for some time. Later on the
system was abolished and the tanks were used as
surge tanks.

 Walkers recommended installation of this tank

for the sugar mills at sangla in 1992.
 USE OF CATIONIC
POLYELECTROLYTE
 Cane Juice being a natural product contains
both cationic and anionic particles.

 In our current system we try to convert all these

to cationic particles with the addition of lime.
Then add anionic polyelectrolyte to neutralize and
settle these particles.
 CATIONIC
POLYELECTROLYTE-II
 In some countries like Brazil special cationic
polyelectrolyte is added to the juice before liming.
In this way anionic particles are neutralized before
the addition of lime.

 The aim is to remove ash (silica ) from the Juice.

Silica combines with amide ion and gets
precipitated.
 CATIONIC
POLYELECTROLYTE-III
 We in Pakistan, facing high percentage of
ash, in Juice and consequently in F.M. should pay
attention to this technique and try to find its
suitability to our juices.
 USE OF LIME SACCHARATE
 Use of lime Saccharate instead of milk of
lime is a long overdue change.

 Lime as sacchacrate can react with the juice

instantly, which ensures better precipitation/
removal of impurities.

 Consequently clarity of Juice and porosity of

mud improves significantly
 LIME SACCHARATE-II
 The technology is well known. We are using
it for melt clarification as a matter of routine.

 However, volume of mud increases with Lime

saccharate, which is the main barrier in adopting
this technique .

 It should be considered as welcome sign of

better clarification instead of a problem.
 LIME SACCHARATE-III

I think, use of Lime Saccharate for juice

clarification should be adopted immediately at
least where the capacities of the equipment
permits.
 PREPARATION OF
JUICE FLOCCULANT
 This is one the most neglected areas of
clarification.

 To obtain best results from your Juice

Flocculant, It should be prepared very carefully.
 DISSOLVING THE FLOCCULANT
 CONDENSATE: Only condensate should be used for
dissolving flocculants. Raw water reduces its
effectiveness.

 TEMPREATURE: Only water of recommended

temperature should be used for preparing juice
flocculant.
 DISSOLVING-II

 Please remember, all Juice flocculants are not

the same. Normally 30-40 °C is good enough, but if
it is a high molecular weight product you may need
to dissolve it at 40-50 °C.

 Needless to say if it does not dissolve properly

it can’t perform properly.
 DISSOLVING-III
 MIXING: Method of mixing the Flocculant with
water should be though a water sparge. Then
bubbling air though the mixture.

 If a stirrer is being used for dissolving the

flocculant its RPM should not be more than 250.
 CURING
 Curing means allowing to stand, with low
stirring. Best practice is bubbling air through the
mixture.

 Curing time of 4-6 hrs is recommended, 4 hrs is

considered essential. Mills curing for 6 hrs achieve
better results.
 CURING-II
 Two large s.s. tanks each having a capacity of
holding flocculant for 4-6 hrs should be used.
When curing is being done in one tank, supply
should be done from the other tank.

 Mills using only one tank for curing and supply

can’t achieve proper curing.
 METHOD OF APPLICATION
 Cured, Juice flocculant is a very thick gel like
material. It does not mix well with the defecated
juice in a pipe mixer (of about 10-12 feet), which is
normally the feeding pipe of the clarifier.

 The best practice is diluting it with clarified /

evaporator supply juice, in a separate mixing tank.
Mixing should take place with swirling motion.
Stirrer should not be used.
 APPLICATION-II

 This mixture is then can be added to the

Defecated juice in much the same way as we are
doing.
 DOSAGE

A dosage of 3.5 - 4 ppm is considered normal.

 CLARITY
 Clarity is the essence of clarification. Clarity
should be measured regularly in the laboratory.

 On line measurement of clarity is much better .

 If it is not up to the mark. addition of Phosphoric

acid in the mixed juice should be started immediately.
 Fluctuations in clarity can be controlled by the
addition of Phosphoric Acid.
 CLARITY-II

 A loop should be provided, linking the addition

of Phosphoric acid to the clarity.

 In some countries, this loop is considered

essential for a clarification station.
 THICKNESS OF MUD
 In our country a good clarification is supposed
to produce tight thick mud. Unfortunately tight thick
mud results in high pol % mud.

 Water which can be added to reduce the thickness

is usually not added due to fuel considerations.

 Porosity of mud should be given due importance.

It is better with Lime Saccharate.
 POL% MUD
 Pol % mud in Pakistan is about double than
others.

 The correct thickness of mud should allow it to

come out, flowing freely from the clarifier

 Otherwise mud should be diluted with muddy

Juice.