Investigations to mitigate the effects of juice degradation in factory evaporators on sugar recovery and quality, corrosion and effluent organic loading

This project aims to examine degradation reactions that cause significant sucrose loss and corrosion issues across the evaporators and develop strategies to mitigate these issues. Sampling of juices, condensates and vent streams was undertaken at numerous sugar factories to obtain an understanding of the sources, levels and fate of impurities present in juices as they are processed.

The results were found to differ between standard and steam efficient factories and overall mass balances were developed for a number of factories.

A customised laboratory boiling test apparatus has been designed and constructed to allow simulation of a wide range of evaporator juice boiling conditions. The impurities measured in the factory sampling program are used to define the juice composition to be tested in the lab apparatus to enable a greater understanding of the causes of sucrose degradation and acid formation reactions occurring during processing and test potential mitigation strategies.

A PhD program is embedded in the project.