The factory - Import export

De Smet Engineers & Contractors’ expertise in beet sugar starts at the beets reception yard, including feedstock analysis, storage, handling, washing and slicing before Sugar extraction of the juice by diffusion. DSEC pays particular attention to agronomic specificities, climatic and local environmental aspects so as to optimize the installation performances. DSEC plays an important role in the definition of the most appropriate type of diffuser, often preceded by a prescalder (juice-cossettes heat exchanger) and also selects the best available technology to be applied for juice purification - with or without decalcification - as well as the selection of units such as milk of lime preparation and anhydrous carbonic gas production. Further to diffusion, the juice has to be filtered and processed into syrup in a multiple effects evaporation installation. This syrup is then treated in the crystallization unit that generates sugar and allows concentrating the remaining impurities in the molasses. DSEC’s simulation program is of paramount importance at this stage so as to define the most efficient energy set-up as well as to precisely size any single equipment of the line.

Cane sugar is produced by means of technologies rather similar to those used in a beet sugar plant that are also fully mastered by DSEC. Sugar cane is however a totally different plant compared to sugar beet: whereas sugar beet is sowed and can be harvested after +/- 6 months, cane takes longer to grow but grows back after it has been cut and can therefore be harvested several consecutive years (4 to 6) before being replanted. Cane can be cut either manually or mechanically before being directly processed in the mill. Cane plantation location in relation of the plant is of paramount importance so as to reduce sugar losses by the degradation of the plant after cutting as well as to minimize logistic costs. DSEC will select the most appropriate methodology for extracting the juice from the cane after its first shredding. The extraction operation will be performed using mill tandem or cane diffusion while additional mills will press the residual solid (bagasse) in order to increase its fiber content while additional mills will press the residual solid (bagasse) in order to increase its fiber content. Pressed bagasse will be used as fuel for the plant combined heat and power generation that will generally export electricity on the public grid. The choice between mill tandem and diffuser will be highly dependent on plant capacity, cane characteristics, expected extraction performances and plant general concept.