Final Molasses Formation

& Its Control

Sanjay Chaturvedi
Sr. Mfg. Chemist
TSC, MSL
 What is Molasses?
• When the crystals are separated from the
massecuite, the residue is generally termed as
molasses.
• Final Molasses is the by-product obtained
from the first washing of the final massecuite,
from which further recovery of sugar is
neither economical nor practical.
• Most of the non sugars are separated through
the molasses.
 Composition of Sugarcane
Molasses
• Water : 20%
• Sucrose : 25-30%
• Reducing Sugars : 20-24%
• Other Carbohydrates : 2-4%
• Ash Content : 12-14%
• Organic Non Sugars : 10-14%
Losses in the Sugar Processing
1.Bagasse Loss : 0.58
2.Filter Cake Loss : 0.07
3.Molasses Loss : 1.35
4.Unknown Loss : 0.15
Total Losses : 2.15
Molasses loss has a significant influence on
recovery and economics of the plant.
*All figures are in % on cane.
Theory of Molasses Formation
• Chemical Composition
• Operational Conditions: Mill sanitation,
clarification efficiency, filter operation,
evaporator performance, boiling technique,
crystallization and cooling technique and
equipment availability
Final Molasses Loss=(Pol%F.M.×F.M.%cane)/100
Estimated Molasses % Cane
Molasses % Cane=
K×M.J.%Cane×(Brix%-Pol%)of Mixed Juice
Brix%Final Molasses(100-M)
Where,
K=Clarification Factor
M=Final Molasses Purity
 RESPONSIBLE FACTORS FOR FINAL
MOLASSES % CANE
• Non sugar in Mixed Juice % Cane
• Mill sanitation.
• Juice clarification
• Rotary filter operation
• Juice heating and evaporation
• Pan operation condition
• Recirculation of sugar and non-sugar
• Cooling & reheating of massecuite
• Working of Centrifugal machines
• Final molasses brix
• Final molasses purity
• Non sugar addition
 Raw Material: Cane
• Immature or over matured cane should be avoided
• Stale Cane: Delay between harvesting and milling is very
harmful
• Trashes, tops and leaves contain high coloured compounds &
non sugars so these should be avoided
• Stalk should be clean, soil free and bindings should be
removed as possibility
• Varieties containing high non sugars & polymers viz. starch &
dextran should be restricted
• Less ash containing varieties should be promoted as R.S./ash
ratio of raw material plays important role in process of sugar
manufacturing
 Mills
Poor mill sanitation influences the process
in many ways:
• Growth of microbes increases sugar loss
• Increased acidity and polymers levels are
found
• Higher lime consumption & salt levels in the
process
• Higher viscosities at each and every station
Resulting, higher molasses loss.
*Juice flow should be as steady as possible.
 Mill Sanitation
• Steam out thoroughly all juice beds including all
nooks and corners where juice likely to stagnate
• Steaming should be done until the portions get warmed up
• Blanket of crushed cane should be soaked in biocide to
prevent losses from growth of microbes.
• Juice tanks should be washed periodically
• Biocide should be added continuously at the desired dose
• Baggacillo should not go into the process
• Hot imbibition should be used to prevent losses(70-75oC)
• Very high temp. should be avoided otherwise non sugar
extraction is increased to a great extent
 JUICE CLARIFICATION
Poor clarification leads to:
• Higher non sugar gone into the process
• Higher CaO contents increases higher F.M.% cane
• pH of clear juice should be strictly 7.0+/-0.05 as
lower or higher pH causes inversion of sucrose and
destruction of R.S. respectively.
• The level of various tanks should not go higher to
avoid stagnancy.
• Optimum doses of chemicals should be added.
Excess non sugar addition should not be practiced
• Optimization of doses should be done periodically
 Vacuum Filter
• Washing of filter and tanks is necessary to prevent
growth of micro-organisms
• Biocide@4-5ppm should be added in mud tanks
• Mud should be removed continuously from clarifier
and mud tank level should not go high.(not more
than 1 cock in any compartment)
• Wash water should be of sufficient temp. 65-75oC
• Baggacillo should be in adequate quantity to
minimize non sugar recirculation
 Juice Heating and Evaporation
• Raw juice temp. should be 70+/-2oC before
treatment for better clarification
• Treated juice should be heated up to 103-105oC for
better settling and non sugar removal
• Exhaust steam temperature in between 120-125oC.
• Falling film tubes should not be dry in any case
otherwise charring of sugar is promoted at such a
higher temp.
• Evaporator level should not be high to avoid
stagnancy.
• Syrup Brix should be almost constant for better
performance of SCS as well as crystallization section.
 Pan Boiling
• Washing of pan should be proper after each srike dropped
• Steam/vapour pressureshould not fluctuate
• Non condensable gases should be removed for proper boiling
• Syrup Brix should be as constant as possible
• Reconditioning should be done efficiently of each and every
molasses
• No. of crystals should be sufficient in every strike especially in C m/c
boiling.
• Crystal size should be uniform in each strike for better drainage of
molasses
• Fluctuation in vacuum has its detrimental effect on boiling as
remelting of crystals takes place
 Pan Boiling
• Excessive water addition should be avoided otherwise boiling
time and further losses increased
• Small-small drinks of feed should be taken in the pan to
maintain concentration constant.
• Continuous pans should not be run at reduced capacity.
• Dropping of thin massecuite(less crystal content) promotes
less purity drop. Sugar solids to next boiling, m/c% cane
increased so inversion loss as well as steam consumption is
increased.
• Solubility of sucrose increases at higher temp. so temp.
should not go high during pan boiling
 Exhaustion Calculation

Exhaustion= 100 X (m/c pty – mol pty ) X Bx of m/c

m/c pty X ( 100 – mol pty)
1. Exhaustion depends on crystal surface area, crystal
content, crystal size & viscosity.
2. Exhaustion of each boiling should not be less than 60%.
3. Exhaustion is inversely proportional to viscosity.
4. Exhaustion is directly proportional to crystal surface area.
 Crystal content
Crystal content = (m/c pty- mol pty) x Bx of m/c
(100 – mol pty)

A massecuite crystal content = around 50-52 %

B massecuite crystal content = around 42-44 %
C massecuite crystal content = around 36-38 %

► Performance of pan in different boiling can be

calculated by crystal content.
 C-MASSCUITE TEMPERATURE Vs VISCOSITY
GRAPH

1500
Viscosity ( poise)

1000

500

10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Temperature (degree C)

Ref: Peter Honig

Relation between RS/ash ratio , pty &
35
viscosity
34
33
32
31 300 poise

30 400 poise
500 poise
29
Purity

600 poise
28 700 poise
27 800 poise
26 900 poise
25 1000 poise
24
23

0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0
RS/ ash ratio
Cooling and Reheating of Massecuite
1. For maximum recovery, the cooling of m/c is very
essential. Excessive cooling should be avoided.
2. Cooling should be done in MVC up to 12 & 24 Hrs.
for B & C m/c respectively. Inlet/outlet temp. of
MVC should be noted 2 hourly
3. Sudden cooling of m/c should not be done as
there is chance of false grain formation.
4. Cooling of C m/c from 65 to 44oC results into 15%
increase in crystal content
5. To reduce the viscosity for better purging in
centrifugals, reheating is done in transient heater.
6. The temp. should be maintained up to saturation
temp. i.e. 51-52oC not more than this.
 Centrifugation
• Maintain the water temperature 112-115oC for
batch type & 70-75oC for continuous type.
• Machine should be on optimum load of massecuite during
purging.
• Contaminated water should not be used at centrifugal.
• Separation of AH & AL mol at ACF should be perfect.
• Maintain B & C massecuite temperature around 54-55°C &
51°C-52°C during massecuite curing. Excess water should not
be applied and higher temp. at transient heaters should be
avoided, should be checked regularly.
• Liners should be checked frequently.
• Molasses should be well separated from sugar to avoid
recirculation of sugar or non sugars.
Pty(BFW:94-95, CFW:80-82 & CAW:92-93)
• Belts of continuous machines should be tightened.
Molasses Loss trend Since
Start Up
 Cane Development Activities
A. Steps to improve in yield per unit area

a.
Thank You
Planting techniques such as
Pit method planting
b. Row spacing planting