Technology for the production of granulated sugar from sugar beets. Features of production and technology for the production of sugar from beets

The food industry is always the most resistant to competitive changes in the market, since the demand for products in this area is stable. There are several highly profitable industries. One of them is the production of granulated sugar. It can be considered a promising and profitable type of business.

About sugar production

Sugar production is a fairly large branch of the food industry. It has about 320 enterprises. They specialize in the production of products, which are divided into granulated sugar and refined sugar.

As a rule, sugar factories are located near sugar beet planting sites and operate seasonally. Granulated sugar production modern enterprises quite large-scale. Thus, large and well-equipped plants can process up to 6 thousand tons of beets.

Refined sugar production involves the production of lump refined sugar or refined granulated sugar. Such factories are located in large cities and can operate all year round.

Features of sugar

Both refined sugar and granulated sugar are high-quality food products that are characterized by a sweet taste. In addition, it is almost pure sucrose. It can be easily and completely absorbed by the body, allowing you to quickly restore lost energy.

It is a disaccharide that, under the influence of enzymes, breaks down into glucose and fructose. In addition, sucrose easily dissolves in water and forms supersaturated solutions. As the temperature increases, its solubility increases.

Sucrose can be in a crystalline or amorphous state. If we talk about the chemical structure, then sugar is a weak polybasic acid, which, when reacted with alkali or alkaline earth metals, produces compounds called “sugarates”.

It should be noted that thanks to fructose, invert sugar is hygroscopic, therefore it slows down the hardening of bread, prevents the process of jam sugaring, and also prevents marshmallows, marmalade, fudge or other confectionery products from drying out.

Sugar market analysis

The production of granulated sugar always remains promising, since sugar has been and will remain an essential commodity. It is always in stable demand, which does not go away.

It should be noted that the sugar business is characterized by rapid growth. This is due to the reconstruction of factories and an increase in their production capabilities. In addition, one can notice a positive trend in sugar consumption by the population.

So, if you provide statistical data, then a person consumes approximately 20 kg of this product per year, not counting the amount that is included in other delicacies. And although doctors do not recommend consuming a lot of sweets, believing that this negatively affects health, the overall functioning of the body and can lead to diabetes mellitus, the demand for sugar is not decreasing. That is why a high-quality business plan for a sugar factory is a good opportunity to organize well-thought-out production and make a good profit.

Features of drawing up a business plan for a sugar factory

From a technological point of view, the production of granulated sugar is a complex and labor-intensive business that requires expensive equipment, significant financial costs, as well as a large quantity professional workers. In order to competently enter the sugar industry and succeed in it, you need to clearly understand all the features of this business. This is why they draw up a business plan for a sugar factory.

This is an extremely important document that can determine the future of the enterprise. It is with the help of it that the profitability of the plant is determined, its ability to receive investment and be in demand, as well as the level to which it will be possible to increase production. Errors in calculations are unacceptable, since opening such an enterprise requires significant investments.

The volume of risks depends on the cost of equipment, rental of premises that will be used as warehouses, as well as on the costs of launching the production itself. What matters is the purchase of the necessary raw materials, obtaining various permits, as well as wages.

Key points in a sugar factory business plan

To open a new sugar production, you need to make calculations depending on the market situation and the specifics of the work process. It should be noted that the business plan is drawn up for at least 3 years and is constantly updated. It is recommended to collect the following information:

• General information about the project and the sugar market. It is necessary to determine the relevance and prospects of opening a plant. Analysis of the market, demand and competitive environment, assumption of profitability also have great importance.
• Defining mission and strategy. For production to be successful, a mission should be formulated, which is the social idea of ​​the future company, as well as a strategy - an action plan that will help achieve the goals.
• Finding out the list of all necessary documents.
• Financial part. All expenses and planned profits should be determined.
• Technological line for sugar production.
• Sales strategy for finished products.
• Personnel policy.

Raw materials for sugar business

The following raw materials are used to make sugar:

• sugar cane, which is most actively used by enterprises in Brazil, Cuba and India;
• sugar beets - beet sugar production is widespread in the USA, Russia, Germany and France;
• palm sap - used in Southeast Asia;
• starchy rice - malt sugar produced in Japan;
• sorghum stalks - sugar from this raw material is made in China; It should be noted that it has no competitive advantages when compared with beet or cane.

If you indicate the types of sugar by production method, then raw sugar is distinguished. These are individual crystals consisting of sucrose. There is also powdered sugar. These are carefully ground sugar crystals. As a rule, powdered sugar is used in the confectionery industry. The main type can be called granulated sugar. It is sucrose crystals, the dimensions of which are approximately 2.5 mm. If a product is made from a very pure substance, then we talk about refined sugar.

Features of beet roots

Sugar beets are an important component in sugar production. This is a biennial plant that is drought tolerant. In the first year, root crops with a powerful root system are grown. The next year, new rosettes of leaves appear, as well as stems with flowers and seeds.

It should be noted that only root crops of the first year of development are used in sugar production. They are fleshy and highly compacted areas of the root system and have a cylindrical shape. The weight of the root crop is on average 200 grams. Its pulp consists of microscopic cells that perform various functions. The outer tissue is protective, called periderm. The main tissue is parenchyma, which accumulates beet juice in its cells. It is rich in sucrose and other substances in dissolved form.

It should be noted the structural feature of beet parenchymal cells. They have a shell that consists of fiber. Its walls have semi-permeable protoplasm with proteins and surround a vacuole containing beet juice. They do not allow dissolved substances to pass out of it, therefore, in order to extract sugar from beet cells, the protoplasm must be heated to a temperature at which its proteins coagulate.

Features of the chemical composition of beets

The quality and quantity of products obtained from special processing of sugar beets depends on its chemical composition. The ratio of the various components, in turn, depends on the seeds used for cultivation, as well as on climatic conditions.

Generally speaking, sugar beets contain 75% water, the rest being dry matter. If we recalculate for 75 kg of water, then 3 kg are retained by colloids, and 72 kg act as a solvent with 17.5 kg of sucrose and 2.5 kg of non-sugar compounds. There is an important indicator - the purity of beet juice. This is the percentage of sucrose content and the amount of dry matter.

As a rule, the first number (this indicator is sometimes also called sugar content) ranges from 15-22%. This means that the average sucrose content in beets is 17.5%.

If you indicate the content of dry substances in the finished product, then their share in granulated sugar is 99.75%, and in refined sugar it is even higher - 99.9%.

Production stages

The production of granulated sugar is a unique process, which is characterized by the following stages or stages:

• supply of sugar beets, their cleaning from various impurities;
• obtaining sugar chips and diffuse juice from it;
• purification of the resulting liquid;
• thickening juice by evaporation;
• boiling massecuite and obtaining sugar in the form of small crystals;
• drying and cooling of granulated sugar with its subsequent storage.

Thus, the process of producing sugar from beets includes washing and peeling them, weighing them and cutting them into chips, which are placed in a special diffuser. Here sugar is extracted from plant matter using hot water. In this case, diffusion juice with sucrose, as well as pulp, is obtained. These are beet chips after the extraction stage, which can be used to produce animal feed. Next, there are stages that allow you to purify the diffusion juice and obtain sugar crystals.

How are sugar crystals obtained?

After the diffusion juice is obtained, it is mixed with lime in a saturator. Next, the resulting solution is heated and carbon dioxide is passed through it.

As a result, filtration takes place, which produces “purified” juice. Sometimes ion exchange resins are used at this stage.

Then this “purified” juice is evaporated, obtaining a syrup containing 65% sugar, and crystallization is also carried out in special vacuum devices at 75 ° C. In this case, a massecuite of the first crystallization is obtained.

It is a mixture of sucrose and molasses, which goes into a mixer, massecuite distributor and centrifuge. The sugar crystals that remain in the latter device are bleached and acted upon with steam, resulting in the usual crystalline sugar.

It should be noted that the production of sugar from cane is characterized by a similar technological process. The difference is the absence of an extraction stage (the cane is simply squeezed out), as well as the method of purifying the resulting juice (it is treated with significantly less lime).

Equipment for the production of sugar from beets

To establish sugar production, you need to purchase a set of specialized equipment. Using it, you can prepare beets for the further technological process.

This set of equipment includes:

• sugar lifting plant;
• hydraulic conveyor;
• sand, tops and stone trap;
• water separator;
• beet washing machine.

When specifying sugar production equipment, the main line of machines includes the following:

• conveyor equipped with a magnetic separator;
• beet cutter;
• scales;
• diffuse installation;
• screw press;
• drying for pulp.

In addition, filters are used in sugar production heating devices, saturators and sulfinators, as well as settling tanks, defecation apparatus. The equipment that is considered the most energy-intensive is a vacuum apparatus, centrifuges and evaporation units with concentrators. If maximum automation of production is required, then you should purchase a vibrating container, a vibrating sieve, and a cooling and drying unit.

Features of purchasing equipment for the sugar business

Sugar production equipment can be purchased in several ways. You can carry out an independent assembly from different machines (including non-specialized ones), buy a line of devices or an entire plant that has already been in use, purchase ready business for sugar production or completely new devices. The first option is the most economical, but can only be used by people who are perfectly versed in technology.

A significant advantage of purchasing an inactive sugar factory is the developed infrastructure and developed network of suppliers. But you should also remember a serious disadvantage - it may have worn-out equipment and be simply unsuitable for profitable production.

If you buy a new ready-made sugar factory, you should carefully weigh everything, because the costs are quite large. Attention should be paid to the quality of the equipment, since the previous owner could have greatly depreciated it even over several years of operation. For an optimal assessment of the technical condition of machines, it is better to consult a specialist.

Opening a sugar factory on your own is difficult due to too high material costs.

Features of the organization of sugar production

The best option is to organize a business that involves setting up production with a focus on a small city or even a separate urban region.

At the same time, a mini-factory for the production of sugar from beets can become an integral part of a profitable business. Subsequently, it can be expanded, reaching a higher level and increasing production and sales volumes.

It should be noted that almost all sugar production is automated, if you do not take into account the harvesting and primary processing of root crops. That is why the issue of recruiting staff is not a priority.

The most important thing in this matter is quality equipment, which would be characterized by durability and reliability, as well as a high level of production capabilities.

In addition, it must be remembered that when planning a sugar factory, one should take into account not only investments and income from the sale of main products, but also profit from the sale of waste generated during the production process.

Taking into account all the features sugar business, good earnings are guaranteed.

Rational technology system beet sugar production must ensure high quality sugar, maximum yield and minimal losses in production. At all sugar factories in the USSR, a unified technological scheme was introduced (Fig. 1) and standard equipment was installed.

From the borage or borage beets, the beets are delivered by a hydraulic conveyor to the washing department of the plant. Moving in a stream of water, the roots are partially washed from the ground and, with the help of special devices (stone traps, sand traps, straw traps), are freed from coarse impurities. The beets are finally washed from the soil and freed from coarse impurities in a special washing machine. The washed beets are raised by a beet elevator to a height of about 15 m so that they flow by gravity to further operations. After the elevator, the beets are weighed on truck scales and cut into chips on beet cutters. Sugar is then extracted from the chips by diffusion.

The resulting diffusion juice quickly darkens and has various non-sugar impurities. It is purified: treated with milk of lime (defecation), saturated with carbon dioxide (saturation), sulfur dioxide (sulfitation) and filtered.

The purified juice is light yellow in color and contains about 15-16% dry matter, including 14-15% sucrose. It is concentrated into syrup using evaporators to a dry matter concentration of 65%. The syrup is once again sulfated, filtered and boiled in a vacuum apparatus under vacuum to a dry matter concentration of 92.5-93.0%.

Rice. 1. Technological diagram of beet sugar production.

During the boiling process, 55-60% of the sugar crystallizes and massecuite I is obtained, which is a mixture of sucrose crystals and mother liquor, which also contains sugar and all the non-sugars of the syrup. Sugar crystals are separated from the mother liquor (green liquid) in centrifuges and washed hot water, dried in dryers to a moisture content of 0.05-0.14% and packaged in bags or bags.

The green swelling still contains a lot of sucrose (76-78% by weight of dry matter), and therefore it is boiled again in a vacuum apparatus to a dry matter concentration of 95%, i.e., massecuite II is obtained (the product of the second crystallization). To obtain more sugar crystals, massecuite II is cooled in crystallizers from 80 to 40°C.

After separation in centrifuges, massecuite II produces sugar crystals of reduced quality (yellow sugar) and production waste - molasses. Yellow sugar is dissolved (cleaned) in the juice of saturation II and added to the syrup sent for sulfitation and cooking of massecuite I.

When working with higher quality beets, there are not enough two crystallizations to release all the crystallizing sugar and obtain a sufficiently “depleted”1 molasses. In these cases, factories operate according to a three-product scheme and perform three boilings: from massecuite I of crystallization, white granulated sugar and green sugar are obtained, from which the product is obtained

crystallization. From massecuite II, yellow sugar and green edema II are isolated by centrifugation, from which massecuite III is obtained. From product

Crystallization again produces yellow sugar and, as a production waste, molasses. The last yellow sugar is purified (affinized), then dissolved (cleaned) and the solution is added to the syrup before it is sulfated.

Thus, technological process obtaining granulated sugar from beets consists of the following main operations: hydraulic supply of beets to the plant and removal of impurities; beet washing, weighing; beet grinding; obtaining diffusion juice; diffusion juice purification; condensing juice to syrup; boiling the syrup and swelling to massecuite; centrifugation of massecuite, whitening and drying of sugar.

All sugar factories in Russia have adopted a unified technological scheme for obtaining granulated sugar from sugar beets. beet chips produced on cutting machines (horizontal and cylindrical disk machines with inserted knife frames). The length of 100 g of chips should be 10 - 12 m.

Beet juice can be obtained by pressing chips and using the diffusion method. 70–80% of the juice is extracted using the pressing method. The diffusion method allows you to reduce costs and release sugar in more complete quantities. The phenomenon of diffusion is understood as the ability of different substances that mix with each other to spontaneously penetrate each other until a homogeneous mixture is formed.

Technological essence obtaining diffusion juice is as follows. Beet root tissue consists of cells containing juice in which sugars and non-sugars are dissolved. The task of beet production is to extract sugar, namely sucrose. But the cell is surrounded by a protoplasmic layer, which consists mainly of proteins. Only water passes through this layer from the cell, not sugar or other substances. In order for the juice to diffuse through the cell walls, the protoplasmic layer must be destroyed. This is achieved by treating beet cells with water at a temperature of 60ºC and above. In practice, processing of chips with hot water is carried out in periodic and continuous diffusion devices.

Column diffusion devices (CDAs) have become widespread. The apparatus consists of a scalder, where the chips are heated, and a vertical column (the diffuser itself). In devices of this type, juice moves countercurrently towards the beet chips, at the end of the apparatus - in its upper part, the desugared chips meet with clean hot water, which washes the chips. After desugarization of the chips, they look like a pressed mass and are called pulp. The chips are moved to the upper part of the diffusion apparatus by a rotating shaft with blades.

Diffusion method of juice extraction- this is the continuous desugarification of beet chips, first with juice (previous extraction), the concentration of which gradually decreases, and by the end of the process the chips are washed with hot water. The duration of the operation is 80 – 100 minutes.

A diffusion juice is obtained, which contains 83% moisture and 17% dry matter, of which 15% is sucrose and 2% non-sugar. Non-sugars must be removed from the resulting juice, which is done by chemical means. Non-sugars delay the crystallization of sucrose, increasing the loss of sugar with the final product - molasses. To get rid of non-sugars, juice is purified with lime - defecation followed by removal of its excess with carbon dioxide - saturation.

Defecation of diffusion juice- This is the treatment of juice with lime, which is carried out in two stages: preliminary defecation and main defecation. During pre-defection, 0.2 - 0.3% CaO is added to the beet mass, during the main stage - 2.5 - 3% CaO, while the pH of the juice increases to 12.2 - 12.3.

The purpose of the operation is that lime with non-sugars gives a precipitate. Coagulation of colloidal substances occurs, neutralization and precipitation of calcium salts of a number of acids (citric, oxycitric, malic, etc.). Duration 20 – 30 minutes, juice temperature: during cold pre-defection 50ºС, warm – 50 – 60 ºС, hot – 85 – 90 ºС.

The main defecation is carried out immediately after pre-defecation. The main processes during the second bowel movement: decomposition of non-sugar juice, saponification of fats, precipitation of acid anions, creation of excess lime (for a further sufficient amount of CaCO3 formed during saturation) operation duration 10 - 30 minutes.

Saturation of diffusion juice. Saturation refers to the treatment of juice with carbonated gas containing 30–34% carbon dioxide. Saturation is carried out in two stages (I and II saturation) with intermediate separation of non-sugar precipitate. To prevent the return of non-sugars that precipitated during the stages of defecation into the solution, the first saturation is completed with a slight excess of lime in the solution, as in pre-defecation (0.2 - 0.3% CaO), the pH of the juice is maintained at 10, 8 – 11.6. Saturation of hot juice (80 – 85 ºС) in order to convert lime into the insoluble state of CaCO3.

CaO + CO 2 → CaCO 3 (limestone). CaCO3 is a good adsorbent, adsorbs water-insoluble sugars and dyes.

After the first saturation, the juice is filtered (using vacuum filters or thickening filters) and sent to the second saturation. It is carried out with the aim of reducing the content of soluble calcium salts in the juice, since their incomplete removal leads to the formation of scale in the juice. heat exchangers and increase sucrose loss. The duration of the second saturation is 10 minutes at 85 – 92 ºС.

Then the juice is filtered using disk filters under an excess pressure of 0.15 - 0.20 MPa.

Sulfation of diffusion juice carried out to reduce color and alkalinity. The juice is treated with sulfur dioxide. Sulfation gas contains 10 – 15% sulfur dioxide. The brightening effect of SO2 is the formation of sulfurous acid, which is a good reducing agent:

SO 2 + H 2O → H 2 SO 3

Sulfurous acid and its salts block the carbonyl groups of monosaccharides and their breakdown products, thereby preventing the formation of coloring substances in the juice. Sulfurous acid reduces the alkalinity of the juice due to the transition of potassium carbonate to neutral sulfite.

K 2 CO 3 + H 2 SO 3 → K 2 SO 3 + H 2 O + CO 2

Purified juice contains (%): 12 - 14 dry substances, of which 10 - 12 sucrose, 0.5 - 0.7 nitrogenous substances, 0.4 - 0.5 nitrogen-free organic substances, 0.5 ash. Juice purity 86 – 92%.

Condensation of juice by evaporation are carried out in two stages: first, they are concentrated to a dry matter content of 65%, then, after purification, they are concentrated to a dry matter content of 92.5 - 93.5%.

The first stage of condensation is carried out in an evaporation unit and syrup is obtained. The purified syrup, containing 60–65% dry matter, is sent for boiling.

Cooking massecuite and obtaining crystalline sugar. To isolate pure sucrose from syrup, crystallization is carried out in boiling supersaturated solutions in vacuum devices at low temperatures. To extract sugar in the maximum amount, sucrose crystallization is carried out multiple times (usually three crystallizations are carried out). The product obtained after boiling the juice is called massecuite. It contains 7.5 - 8% water, 92 - 92.5% dry matter and about 55% crystallized sugar. The boiling process in a vacuum apparatus is divided into 4 stages: obtaining a supersaturated solution - thickening the syrup; making sugar crystals – formation of crystals; growth of sugar crystals; final thickening of the massecuite and release of the massecuite from the vacuum apparatus. The finished massecuite I of crystallization (mascuite I) is sent to centrifuges to separate sucrose crystals and outflows. The crystals are whitened with artesian water (70 - 95 ºС).

Granulated sugar coming out of the centrifuge contains 0.8 - 1% moisture; it is dried with hot air to a moisture content of 0.14% and then cooled.

The effluents obtained during centrifugation of massecuite I are sent to vacuum devices for boiling and obtaining massecuite II from crystallization (mascuite II). Boiling is carried out until the dry matter content is 93%. When centrifuging massecuite II, two outflows and sucrose crystals are collected. The crystals are also bleached with hot water and brought to the required humidity.

The drainage obtained by centrifuging massecuite II is sent for boiling and obtaining massecuite III with a dry matter content of 93.5 - 94%. In this case, the massecuite is centrifuged without whitening the sugar with water. They get one swelling - molasses, which is sent to storage containers. Molasses– a thick, dark brown liquid with a pungent odor and unpleasant taste, containing 76–85% dry matter, of which 46–51% sucrose. Purity of the mass is 56 – 62%, pH value 6 – 8. The composition of non-sugars includes (%): reducing sugars 0.5 – 25; raffinose 0.6 – 1.4; total nitrogen 1.5 – 2; lactic acid 4 – 6; acetic, formic acids 0.2 – 0.5; coloring matter and ash elements 6 – 11.

To increase purity, sugar of III crystallization is sent to the affinator, where it is mixed with the first massecuite of I, which is diluted with purified juice to 74 - 76% of dry substances, and obtain refining massecuite. This massecuite is centrifuged. The resulting sugar, together with sugar of the second crystallization, is sent to the clearing apparatus and dissolved (cleaned) in the juice of the second saturation until the dry matter content is 65 - 70%, then mixed with syrup from the evaporator and sent for sulfitation.

The three-crystallization scheme of the product department allows for the maximum extraction of sucrose from the processed raw materials.

Questions for self-control on topic 5

Name the composition of sugar beets.

What is the quality (purity) of diffusion juice? The production value of this indicator.

How is the process of sucrose diffusion carried out in modern beet sugar factories?

What operations does juice purification involve and what is their purpose?

What is the essence of boiling massecuite? What are the stages of this process?

Molasses, its composition and use?

Features of obtaining sugar from raw cane sugar.

What is the purpose of the operation of defecation of diffusion juice?

What is the purpose of the diffusion juice saturation operation?

What is the purpose of the diffusion juice sulfitation operation?

Tests on topic 5

1. The darkening of the diffusion juice is due to the formation of __________- as a result of the reaction between undecomposed monoses and amino acids

2. Surfactant ________ causes the formation of persistent foam in the diffusion juice, which complicates the purification of the diffusion juice

3. Sugar yield from cane is ___________%

4. Beet sugar production waste molasses contains_______% sucrose

5. Defecation is a technological operation of purifying diffusion juice with lime from ______________

6. Sulfitation – treatment of filtered diffusion juice with sulfur dioxide to reduce its _________ and____________

7. A product consisting of a mixture of sucrose crystals and syrup is called___________

8. Nitrogen-free organic compounds contained in diffusion juice

2 pectin substances

3 amino acids

4 invert sugar

5 organic acids

9. Diffusion juice substances that prevent sucrose crystallization

1 invert

3 organic acids

4 raffinose

5 amino acids

6 pectin substances

10. Processes occurring during defecation of diffusion juice

3 coagulation of colloidal substances

6 creating excess lime

11. Processes occurring during saturation of diffusion juice

1 neutralization and precipitation of acids in the form of calcium salts

2 reduction in the concentration of lime and soluble calcium salts

4 discoloration of diffusion juice

5 reducing the alkalinity of the diffusion juice

6 department of non-sugar sediment

12. Processes occurring during sulfation of diffusion juice

1 neutralization and precipitation of acids in the form of calcium salts

2 reduction in the concentration of lime and soluble calcium salts

3 coagulation of colloidal substances

4 juice discoloration

5 non-sugar sediment department

6 reducing the alkalinity of the juice

13. Chemical compound used in defecation of diffusion juice

1 carbon dioxide

2 calcium oxide

3 sulfur dioxide

4 ammonium sulfate

5 calcium bicarbonate

14. Chemical compound used in the sulfation of diffusion juice

1 carbon dioxide

2 calcium oxide

3 sulfur dioxide

4 ammonium sulfate

5 calcium bicarbonate

15. Technological operation of beet sugar production, ensuring the transfer of non-sugars of diffusion juice into sediment

1 main bowel movement

2 II saturation

3 I saturation

4 sulfitation

5 pre-defecation

16. Technological operation of beet sugar production, ensuring discoloration of diffusion juice

1 main bowel movement

2 II saturation

3 I saturation

4 sulfitation

5 pre-defecation

17. Technological operation of beet sugar production, ensuring neutralization and precipitation of acids in the form of calcium salts in diffusion juice

1 main bowel movement

2 II saturation

3 I saturation

4 sulfitation

5 pre-defecation

Table 5 - Standards of answers to tests on topic 5

	Melanoidins
	non-sugars
	Color and alkalinity

Sugar is a sought-after product that is used in its pure form in the confectionery industry, beverage production, pharmaceuticals, plastics and a number of other areas. Thus, an entrepreneur who has established efficient sugar production can count on high business profitability.

The main advantage of the sugar business is that the products are in demand regardless of the season. Moreover, the volume of its consumption is constantly increasing, which creates preconditions for the opening of new enterprises. On average, one resident of Russia eats 20 kg of sugar. Huge volumes are needed by the food industry. Thus, there is every chance to establish mutually beneficial cooperation with large consumers in almost any region of the country.

Advantages and disadvantages of this business

The main disadvantage of this business is its significant dependence on the places where raw materials grow. On the territory of the Russian Federation most of The products are made from sugar beets, the cultivation centers of which are concentrated in the Central, Volga and Southern districts. Thus, transport costs increase significantly for producers from other regions.

The basic advantage lies in the single-component nature of the product - the entrepreneur only needs to find one or two responsible suppliers to ensure uninterrupted supply to the enterprise. In addition, the level of sugar consumption is high and the organizational costs are relatively low, allowing for a quick return on investment.

Organization of sugar production

To open a large-scale business, the organizational form is optimal. It is also necessary to obtain permits from the SES, fire inspectorate and other authorities. It is recommended to check specific regulations locally as they may vary from region to region.

The requirements for the final product are regulated by a number of standards, the main ones being:

• Sugar beet. Specifications(R 52647-2006);
• Sugar beet. Test methods (R 53036-2008);
• Method for determination of sucrose (12571-2013);
• Sugar production (R 52678-2006).

Types of sugar products

Using various technologies, you can obtain products that differ in their properties. There are 4 types of sugar:

• Refined sugar is highly purified sucrose in the form of individual pieces (usually cubic).
• Sand - in the form of crystals 0.5-2.5 mm in size.
• Raw - in the form of individual uncrushed crystals.
• Powder is powdered sucrose obtained by grinding crystals.

Sugar production equipment

Each production stage requires the use of certain units. Thus, a set of installations for the preparation of raw materials includes washing devices, a water separator, stone, sand and tops traps, a hydraulic conveyor and beet lifting equipment.

The basic line is equipped with a beet cutter, pulp dryers, screw press, diffuser, scales, conveyor with magnetic separator.

Juice purification is carried out using sedimentation tanks, sulfitators, saturators, filters with a heating option, and defecation units.

Crystallization is carried out with the participation of an evaporation unit with a concentrator, a centrifuge, a vacuum apparatus, a drying and cooling chamber, a vibrating sieve and a vibrating conveyor.

You can organize a plant either from scratch or by purchasing a ready-made sugar production line. In the first case, the cost of the equipment directly depends on the power. For example, equipment designed to produce up to 10 tons of products per day will cost about $20,000. The price of a complex that allows you to produce 50 tons of sugar is about $200,000.

When purchasing an existing complex, it is important to assess the degree of its wear and tear. As a rule, specialized organizations are involved for this purpose. On average, the price of equipment launched before 2000 is up to 2,000,000. More modern complexes can cost $5,000,000 or more.

Raw materials

A stable tradition of sugar production from sugar beets has developed in the CIS. But at the moment, more and more manufacturers prefer imported raw materials. Along with root vegetables from the USA, France, Germany, the following are widely used:

• stalks of bread sorghum (mainly from China);
• starchy rice and millet (producing malt sugar);
• palm sap (from Southeast Asia);
• sugar cane (supplied from India, Cuba, Brazil).

Sugar production technology + Video of how they make it

Beet sugar

The classic technology for making sugar from sugar beets includes the following steps:

• Extraction. Root vegetables are washed, peeled, weighed and sent for shavings. The resulting intermediate product is loaded into a diffuser, where it is mixed with water and heated, thus obtaining diffuse juice with a 15% sucrose content.
• Diffuse Juice Purification. Lime milk is added to the mass and several stages of purification are carried out.
• Evaporation of liquid. Under the influence of high temperature, water gradually evaporates. The result is a syrup in which about 50% of the volume is sucrose.
• Crystallization. The syrup is sequentially fed into centrifuges, massecuite distributors and vacuum units. Having gone through the listed stages, the raw material turns into sugar, which the consumer is accustomed to seeing.

Video how to do it:

Rafinated sugar

An installation made in China, capable of producing 150-200 kg of products per shift, costs about RUB 2,000,000, equipment from one of the Turkish companies costs about RUB 7,000,000. Along with this, a packaging line will be required (₽600,000).

There are two types of such sugar: pressed and cast. The first is made from granulated sugar by centrifuging, pressing, drying and dividing into cubes of a specified size. Cast sugar is made by loading granulated sugar into molds and letting it sit until it hardens completely. Then the raw material is poured with pure sugar several times and washed to remove molasses. The prepared layers are dried and split into cubes.

Cane sugar

In general, the process is reminiscent of extracting sugar from sugar beets, with the exception that instead of extraction, the pre-soaked stems of the plant are pressed on special rollers. In this way, 90% of the sucrose contained in the cane is extracted. After this, the juice is fed into the pulp trap and processed using juice meters.

Molasses and pulp

By-products from the sugar manufacturing process are used as livestock feed. As a rule, they are bartered for beets from agricultural producers. Pulp (or molasses) is also in demand by a certain category of consumers.

The production of candice sugar, which is quite large transparent crystals, can also become a source of additional income. To do this you will need to purchase special equipment.

Room

The requirements for the premises where the production equipment will be located are similar to those put forward for any food production. Its area is adjusted depending on the dimensions of the equipment. It is necessary to have communications (water supply, sewerage, electricity), a sanitary facility, a dry and well-ventilated warehouse complex, since sugar quickly absorbs odors.

Seasonality of the production process

The main load on the production complex falls on 3-4 months, when the raw materials ripen. After this period, it is necessary to carry out a technical inspection of the equipment and, if necessary, repair it.

The processes taking place within the framework of sugar production are considered safe, since they are not sources of dust, toxic gases, etc. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the high noise level during operation of the plants.

Capacity expansion

Most beginning manufacturers initially focus on the production of granulated sugar. And only after achieving payback they make a decision to expand production. As a rule, we are talking about the manufacture of the following products.

Profitability of the sugar business

At effective organization production investments pay off in 6 months. In this case, the purchase price of the equipment is of great importance. Thus, European units with a capacity of up to 20 tons of sugar per day will cost at least €90 thousand.

You should also pay attention to the issues of selling the finished product. An entrepreneur needs to create a recognizable brand, develop a packaging design that is attractive to consumers, and establish a stable sales market.

I happened to visit a sugar factory, where I became acquainted with the process of making a familiar product - sugar.
Actually, it all starts at the entrance, where guests are first greeted by the gilded V.I. Lenin, somehow hinting with his gesture: “Tovag’ishi! Sweets are there, beyond God!
And most importantly, it doesn’t deceive. Sugar is really there, in commercial quantities.

Everyone knows that sugar cane does not grow in our country and sugar has to be extracted from beets, this not at all glamorous root vegetable.

Trucks heavily loaded with beet are driven to the acceptance point

Weigh and then unload the contents of bodies and trailers into a bunker

It should be noted that the entire production process is automated, as evidenced by the presence of various panels and consoles at all key points of the technological chain

From the bunker, the root crops fall onto a conveyor belt, which carries the raw materials underground.

It is clear that before using beets, you need to clear them of soil, tops, stuck stones, sand and other impurities - all this cannot get into the finished product in any case, but it can easily ruin the equipment. To do this, beets, following the supply path to production, pass through various straw traps, stone traps, and sand traps. For the final cleaning of beets from contaminants, the root crops pass through a beet washer.

The entire process is controlled by the operator. On the monitor on the right is a diagram of the processes taking place in the cleaning and washing area, which displays operational information. The monitor on the left displays video from a camera installed above the conveyor belt, along which the washed raw materials go to the next section.

And here is the same conveyor that the camera is looking at. Clean root vegetables are sent to the beet cutter.

The beet roots are fed into the hopper of the beet cutter and are carried inside the body, where, under the influence of centrifugal force, they are pressed against the cutting edge of the knives, sliding along which the beets are gradually cut into beet chips. It’s difficult to observe the process itself, but the knives look like this:

The “degree of sugar recovery” depends very much on the quality of the chips. It must be of a certain thickness, with a smooth, crack-free surface.

The chips obtained at the previous stage are sent along a belt conveyor to the diffusion apparatus.
Inside the diffusion column there is a screw (a thing like in a meat grinder), with the help of which the chips move from bottom to top at a certain speed. Against the movement, water continuously flows through the column of chips from top to bottom. Passing through the crushed raw materials, the water dissolves the sugar in the beet chips and is saturated with it. The whole process takes place without air access and at a certain temperature. As a result of the process, sugar-saturated juice accumulates at the bottom of the column, and pulp (sugar-free beet chips) is discharged from the top of the apparatus.

Freshly squeezed pulp enters the pulp dryer. This is a huge, continuously rotating drum, inside which the pulp is dried in a stream of hot gas.

Granules of dried beet pulp are picked up by the air flow of a pneumatic conveyor and carried through pipes to a warehouse for subsequent sale - the “squeezed” beet cut is used as livestock feed.

The juice obtained during the diffusion process, in addition to the sucrose we need (that is, sugar), contains many different substances, united by the term “non-sugars”. All non-sugars, to a greater or lesser extent, interfere with the production of crystalline sugar and increase losses useful product. And the next technological task is the removal of non-sugars from sugar solutions. Why are various physical and chemical processes used?

The juice is mixed with lime milk, heated, and the sediment is discarded. Pre-defecation, defecation (that’s right, I heard correctly and made a mistake - in Russian it’s just cleansing), saturation and many other interesting terms. At one stage, the juice is filtered in such installations

Along the perimeter of the filtration apparatus one can see glass flasks through which the juice to be purified is passed.

The resulting juice is concentrated by evaporation. The resulting syrup is boiled until it crystallizes. “Cooking” sugar is the most important operation in the preparation of a sweet product. In the photo - our guide and chief technologist at the control point of the boiling section

Before us is the heart of production - vacuum devices for boiling syrup. “Cooking” occurs in a rarefied atmosphere, due to which the syrup boils at 70 degrees Celsius. At higher temperatures the sugar will simply burn. How this happens in a frying pan :) The control panel is visible on the left. At one point, one of them screamed a siren and turned on a red flashing light, signaling the need for human intervention in the automated process. One of the workers immediately appeared and the remote control went silent with satisfaction.

You can “milk” the device a little and visually check the quality of the syrup.

The syrup on the glass slide crystallizes before your eyes. It's practically sugar!

Boiled syrup - massecuite, sent for centrifugation

In a centrifuge, all excess is separated from the massecuite and goes into a special collection under the installation. And granulated sugar crystals remain on the walls of the drum. The following photographs were taken within one minute and the sugar gap is clearly visible in them.

Wet granulated sugar unloaded from centrifuges is transported for drying

Drying unit. The drum rotates. The sugar inside the drum is blown with hot air (more than 100 degrees).

After drying, the sugar is cooled to room temperature with continuous mixing in the same installation. At this time, you can get to it from the end and open the secret hatch!

The dryer drum rotates and the sugar is poured out, cooling.

It's time to taste the finished product! Sweet!

Dried and cooled granulated sugar is fed to the sieving machine. The photograph does not convey the movement, but the whole structure sways like a sieve in the hands of a grandmother :)

Upon completion of sifting, the sugar is sent for packaging.

Unfortunately, at the packaging area I was asked not to take pictures. Filming was allowed only after the end of the work shift and the conveyor had stopped.

The photo shows semi-automatic packaging bins, with packers sitting on benches next to them. A bag is taken from the stack, placed on the neck of the hopper, and the dispenser pours 50 kg into the bag. After which the conveyor belt moves, the neck of the bag falls into a “sewing machine”, which stitches the bag and then the sewn bag goes along the conveyor belt to the warehouse.

The enterprise also has an automatic packaging line, it’s almost the same thing, only there are no packers. All the action takes place in a translucent tunnel; in fact, you can only see how the machine picks up a bag from a stack, puts it on the bell of the hopper, loads a portion of granulated sugar, then sews it up and sends it to the finished product. For some reason, there were no photographs of the process. Apparently he was hypnotized by the self-moving bags :)

That's all.

p.s. The production area is very noisy, I couldn’t hear much of what was said. So if I was not accurate in describing the technology and processes, don’t blame me.