Sugar Processing Overview

Study Notes

Sugar processing involves the extraction of sugar from sugarcane or sugar beets, followed by purification and crystallization to produce refined sugar.

Harvesting: Sugarcane or sugar beets are harvested and transported to the processing plant.
Extraction: Juice is extracted from sugarcane or sugar beets using a machine called a juicer or through diffusion.
Clarification: The extracted juice is treated with lime to remove impurities and clarify the juice.
Evaporation: The clarified juice is heated to remove excess water and concentrate the sugar content.
Crystallization: The concentrated juice is then seeded with sugar crystals, allowing sugar crystals to form.
Centrifugation: The resulting mixture of sugar crystals and mother liquor is separated using centrifuges.
Drying: The sugar crystals are dried to remove any remaining moisture.

Raw sugar: Produced after crystallization, it contains impurities and moisture.
Refined sugar: Produced after further processing and purification of raw sugar.

Molasses: A thick, dark liquid produced during the crystallization process, used as animal feed or in the production of ethanol.
Bagasse: The fibrous residue remaining after juice extraction from sugarcane, used as fuel or in paper production.

Cogeneration: Many sugar processing plants generate electricity and heat using bagasse and other biomass sources.
Bioethanol production: Some sugar processing plants produce bioethanol from sugarcane juice or molasses.

Sugar is extracted from sugarcane or sugar beets, followed by purification and crystallization to produce refined sugar.

Sugarcane or sugar beets are harvested and transported to the processing plant for extraction.
Juice is extracted using a machine called a juicer or through diffusion.
Lime is used to remove impurities and clarify the juice.
The clarified juice is heated to remove excess water and concentrate the sugar content.
Sugar crystals are formed by seeding the concentrated juice with sugar crystals.
Centrifuges are used to separate the sugar crystals from the mother liquor.
The sugar crystals are dried to remove any remaining moisture.

Raw sugar is produced after crystallization and contains impurities and moisture.
Refined sugar is produced after further processing and purification of raw sugar.

Molasses is a thick, dark liquid produced during crystallization, used as animal feed or in ethanol production.
Bagasse is the fibrous residue remaining after juice extraction from sugarcane, used as fuel or in paper production.

Many sugar processing plants generate electricity and heat using bagasse and other biomass sources through cogeneration.
Bioethanol is produced from sugarcane juice or molasses in some sugar processing plants.