Attributes of an excellent cane sugar factory

Exposure to sugar cane operations around the world has led to conclusions about what distinguishes an excellent operation from an average or mediocre one. This article evaluates the hallmarks of a mill that lead to efficient performance, from cane harvesting through the individual unit operations to the production of sugar, ethanol and energy. The process of cane harvesting and transport impacts the juice purity, which has a major impact on sugar recovery. Conditions in processing affect losses and color formation and the aim is to minimize temperatures and residence times in the process steps, while also minimizing the opportunities for any micro-biological losses. High massecuite exhaustions in the pan house are vital in this respect and affect steam requirements due to lower recycling in the pan house. The requirements for maximum export power include reducing process steam usage and low processing energy requirements.