The effect of trash on the operation and performance of a raw sugar factory

Since 1949, a considerable amount of work has been published describing the results of factory experiments to measure the effect of trash in cane on factory throughput and performance. This paper has attempted to review all of those studies, summarise the results and draw conclusions from them. Trash in cane reduces the crushing rate for both milling trains and diffusers, although the mechanisms for the reduction in rate are different. Considerably more experimental work has been conducted on milling trains and it is clear that the major effect of trash in reducing crushing rate results from its higher fibre content. In diffusers, it is expected that the lower bulk density of trash is responsible for reducing throughput. The effect of trash on extraction is not clear but is small. There is a stronger effect on bagasse moisture content and it is reasonably clear that trash increases bagasse moisture content. There is no doubt that trash reduces juice purity. While it has not been measured experimentally, it is reasonably certain that this result implies lower sugar production and higher molasses production.