Extraction of Sucrose from Sugar Cane

• Firstly, the sugar cane stalks are harvested and cut into small pieces where they are then crushed in the crusher. Water is then sprayed on them to dissolve the sugars present making bagasse (cane juice and fiber) which is then burned to supply heat for the boilers.
• Secondly, the acidic and impure cane juice enters the clarifier where precipitation occurs. Then the juice is heated and calcium hydroxide is added to neutralize the acids that make the juice impure.
• Thirdly, the juice is then moved into the rotary filter to filter the insoluble impurities which produce factory mud and clarified juice.
• Fourthly, the clarified juice (85% water) goes into 4 boilers which are under low pressure where vacuum distillation takes place. The water evaporates and the juice is concentrated forming a thick syrup.
• Fifthly, the syrup moves to the crystallizer where crystallization occurs to evaporate the syrup until it is saturated with sugar. Then small grains of sugar are added to help form crystals. This causes the syrup to become thick making molasses. When mixed with crystals it is called massecuite.
• Lastly, centrifugation separates the crystals and molasses in the massecuite by placing the massecuite in the basket which is revolved at high speeds. The molasses is forced out through the holes in the basket, while the sugar crystals are left behind in the basket. These crystals are collected and dried by being thumbled through heated air.
• Process

  A) Shredder

  B) Crusher

  C) Bagasse

  D) Clarifier

  E) Calcium Hydroxide

  F) Filter

  G) Boilers

  H) Crystallizer

  I) Centrifuge

  
• Products

  A) Cane juice

  B) Clarified cane juice

  C) Sugar

  D) Bagasse

  E) Factory Mud

  F) Molasses

  
• Main Processes:

  A) Shredded

  B) Crushed

  C) Water sprayed

  D) Bagasse

  E) Heated

  F) Dilute juice

  G) Clarifier

  H) Calcium Hydroxide

  I) Filter

  J) Clear Juice

  K) Factory Mud

  L) Concentrate juice

  M) Syrup

  N) Crystallized

  O) Centrifuge

  P) Molasses

  Q) Sugar

  R) Molasses

  S) Sugar

  T) Crushing

  U) Sedimentation

  V) Filtration

  W) Distillation

  X) Crystallization

  Y) Centrifugation