The steps of sugar production from sugarcane in Iran

The production of sugar from sugarcane follows different steps compared to sugar beet due to the differing raw materials and structure of sugarcane. Below are the detailed steps involved in sugar production from sugarcane:

1. Harvesting Sugarcane:
   • Sugarcane is harvested from fields either manually or using machinery.
   • Leaves and plant debris are removed, and the sugarcane stalks are transported to the factory.
   • The quality of the sugarcane (sugar content, moisture, and impurities) is checked before entering the process.
2. Crushing and Milling:
   • The sugarcane is fed into crushers, where it is broken down into smaller pieces.
   • These pieces are then transferred to roller mills.
   • The sugarcane is compressed in the mills to extract the raw juice (sugarcane juice).
   • The remaining fiber (bagasse) is separated and is used as fuel or animal feed.
3. Raw Juice Purification:
   • a) Adding Chemicals:
     • Lime or other chemicals are added to the raw juice to remove impurities.
   • b) Heating the Juice:
     • The juice is heated so that insoluble compounds settle as sediment.
   • c) Settling and Filtration:
     • The juice is allowed to settle in tanks and is then filtered.
     • The purified juice is ready for the next step.
4. Juice Concentration (Evaporation):
   • The purified juice is transferred to evaporators.
   • Under vacuum and heat, the water content is evaporated, and a concentrated syrup is produced.
   • This syrup contains 60-70% sugar.
5. Crystallization:
   • The concentrated syrup is moved to crystallizers.
   • By cooling and stirring, sugar crystals form from the syrup.
   • The remaining liquid, called molasses, is separated.
   • Molasses is commonly used for alcohol production or animal feed.
6. Crystal Separation (Centrifugation):
   • The mixture of sugar crystals and molasses is transferred to centrifuges.
   • The centrifuge spins rapidly to separate the molasses, leaving behind pure sugar crystals.
7. Drying Sugar:
   • The wet sugar crystals are moved to drying machines.
   • Warm air is used to remove moisture from the sugar, and dry sugar is ready for packaging.
8. Packaging and Distribution:
   • The dried sugar is packaged in various forms:
     • White or brown sugar (depending on the purification process).
     • Cube sugar or other products.

By-products of Sugar Production from Sugarcane:

• Molasses: A brown liquid that is used in alcohol production, vinegar, animal feed, and natural sweeteners.
• Bagasse: The remaining sugarcane pulp, which is used as biomass fuel, in paper production, and in building materials.
• Calcium Carbonate: The residues from juice purification, which are used in various industries.

Difference Between Sugar Production from Sugarcane and Sugar Beet:

• Sugarcane generally produces more sugar than sugar beet.
• Sugarcane bagasse has a high economic value and is used as fuel for energy production.
• The juice extraction process for sugarcane is simpler than for sugar beet, as sugarcane’s cellular structure does not require diffusion.