SUGAR PROCESSING ANTISCALANTS
Evaporator section is the heart of sugar manufacturing process and is directly related to the efficiency of the plant. Clear juice contains high percentage of scale forming cations and anions that can form hard scales inside the calendria tubes and hinder heat transfer.
In evaporator mixed juice from extraction is preheated prior to liming so that the clarification is optimal. The milk of lime, calcium hydroxide or Ca(OH)2, is metered into the juice to hold the required ratio and the limed juice enters a gravitational settling tank: a clarifier. The juice travels through the clarifier at a very low superficial velocity so that the solids settle out and clear juice exits.
The mud from the clarifier still contains valuable sugar so it is filtered on rotary vacuum filters where the residual juice is extracted and the mud can be washed before discharge, producing sweet water. The juice and the sweet water are returned to process.
The clear juice has probably only 15% sugar content but saturated sugar liquor, required before crystallisation can occur, is close to 80% sugar content. Evaporation in a steam heated multiple effect evaporator is the best way of approaching the saturated condition because low pressure water-vapour can be produced for heating. The greater the number of effects, the less steam is required to drive the first effect. Each subsequent effect is heated by the vapour from the previous effect so has to be operated at a lower temperature and therefore lower pressure.
KL Solutions antiscalant retards this scale formation and improves heat transfer. The product functions as a threshold inhibitor and crystal distorter which effectively increases the solubility of the dissolved salts. Any crystals that form are modified and dispersed so that adherent scale formation on the heat transfer surfaces is prevented. The use of antiscalant helps to reduce evaporator cleaning frequency and substantially reduces the amount of chemical required for such cleaning. KL Solutions antiscalant retards this scale formation and improves heat transfer. The product functions as a threshold inhibitor and crystal distorter which effectively increases the solubility of the dissolved salts. Any crystals that form are modified and dispersed so that adherent scale formation on the heat transfer surfaces is prevented. The use of antiscalant helps to reduce evaporator cleaning frequency and substantially reduces the amount of chemical required for such cleaning.
Sugar processing antiscalants also contains surfactants having high dispersing power towards inorganic salts. In the evaporators, they inhibit scale formation by modifying the crystals, improving heat transfer and crushing capacity between cleanings.
Benefits
- Improved heat transfer through clean evaporating surfaces
- Reduced steam/fuel consumption
- Minimum number of cleaning per season
- Prevention of over-loading of vacuum pans
- Enhanced equipment life
KL Solutions manufactures complete range of sugar processing chemicals. For more details and literature visit our download section.