SUGAR CANE FACTORY PROCESSING

The focus in factory processing is on upgrading of laboratory

facilities and training of factory personnel, with audits to meet the
requirements of our new market for direct consumption sugars.
 SUGAR CANE - Factory Processing

General derived there from has become almost a year round

Total cane harvested for the 2010 crop amounted
to 4362118t and sugar production amounted to
452518t. The average cane processing period was
139 days. It began at Omnicane on 9 June 2010
and ended at Mon Loisir on 11 December 2010.
The number of crushing days was shortest at Mon
Loisir (111) and longest at Omnicane (154). The
average daily cane crushing hours was 20.35; the
highest value recorded was at Beau Champ (21.03)
and the lowest at Mon Loisir (19.38). The hourly
cane crushing rate averaged 266.3t, being highest at
Omnicane (439.3t) and lowest at Mon Loisir (128.7t).
The amount of cane processed by Omnicane was the
highest, amounting to 1355351t, representing 31%
of the island total cane crushed.
Cane harvested during crop 2010 was processed
in six factories, Belle Vue, Mon Loisir, FUEL, Beau
Champ, Mdine and Omnicane. The latter comprised
the former Savannah (La Baraque) sugar factory and
Union St Aubin which are now considered as one
entity. Union St Aubin has processed cane up to the
syrup stage only since 2009, which is transported to
Omnicane for further processing.
As from 2009, most of the sugar produced was
in the form of plantation white sugar (PWS). PWS is
processed into refined sugars in two refineries one
located in the cane sub-cluster of the North and East
regions (FUEL, DRBC and CUML) and the other
located in the South and West regions (Omnicane, St
Aubin and Mdine). Belle Vue in the North produces
a range of speciality sugars. In the new configuration
of the sugar sector, processing of cane and sugar
operation with emphasis on cane processing during
the period June to December and sugar refining
almost all year round; the latter approach enabling
maximum use of installed refining capacity.
Performance of factories
Cane and juice quality
The characteristics of cane and related products
are given in statistical Table IX. For the purpose
of Chemical control, and compilation of statistical
data on factory performance, Union St Aubin
sugar factory was considered as a unit merged with
Omnicane factory. The overall average sucrose
content of cane was 11.97%, with the highest value
obtained at Mdine (12.91), and the lowest at Mon
Loisir (11.42). The average fibre % cane was 16.05 for
the island. Belle Vue received canes with the highest
fibre content (17.13) and Mdine the lowest (14.72).
The quality of the mixed juice recovered, expressed
in terms of clerget purity, averaged 85.8% and varied
between 84.0 to 86.6% for the six factories (Fig 33).
Cane preparation and performance of milling
department
Cane preparation index varied between 85 and
91, with Mon Loisir having the lowest value. Details
of the milling performance of the six factories in
operation are given in Table 6. Lowest sucrose %
in bagasse was observed at FUEL (0.95) while

Table 6. Milling Department performances in 2010

Mdine Belle Vue Mon FUEL Beau Omnicane Average

Loisir Champ
2010 2009

Pol % bagasse 1.16 1.12 1.22 0.95 1.35 1.29 1.26 1.19
Moisture % bagasse 48.9 47.4 49.9 48.5 47.5 49.4 48.6 48.8
Sucrose in bagasse % 2.68 3.15 3.63 2.52 3.54 3.57 3.20 3.24
sucrose in cane
Mill extraction 97.3 96.9 96.4 97.5 96.5 96.4 96.8 96.8
Imbibition % fibre 155 176 129 177 239 197 188 206
Reduced mill extraction 97.8 97.8 97.4 98.1 97.4 97.3 97.6 -
Preparation index 91 - 85 - 88 - - 89

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 SUGAR CANE - Factory Processing

Cane syrup Brix averaged 67.7% and varied between

MIXED JUICE CLERGET PURITY 63.7% (FUEL) and 72.0% (Omnicane).
90

88 Boiling house performances

The boiling house performances of the six
86
factories for crop 2010 are summarized in Table 7.
The boiling house recovery (BHR) averaged 89.0%
84
for the island. Mon Loisir had the lowest BHR
(84.4%) and it varied between 88.6% (Omnicane) and
82
FUEL Belle Mdine Beau Omnicane Mon Average
89.9% (FUEL) for the other factories. Final molasses
Vue Champ Loisir weight at 850 Brix averaged 3.39 for the island and it
varied between 3.10 (FUEL) and 4.16 (Mon Loisir).
Figure 33. Clerget purity of mixed juice of sugar
factories (2010)
Overall performance
The overall performance of the sugar factories has
Beau Champ recorded the highest value (1.35).
been expressed in terms of overall recovery, which
FUEL had the highest reduced mill extraction (98.1) averaged 86.1% for all the factories. Total sugar
and the other factories had values closer to the island recovered % cane averaged 10.37% and was higher
average (97.6). than in 2009 (10.02%). The values for the individual
factories are shown in Fig 34. The reduced overall
recovery (ROR), which integrates the performance
Clarification, filtration and evaporation
of the milling department (standardized on a fibre
Clarified juice leaving the clarifying stations of % cane of 12%) and the boiling house department
the factories had an average clerget purity of 86.1%, (operating at a standard mixed juice purity of 85%) is
with the lowest value recorded at Mon Loisir (84.2%) used to compare factory performances. The average
and the highest at FUEL (86.8%). The average filter ROR of 86.1 was nearly the same as that achieved for
cake % cane, at a moisture content varying between the 2009 crop.
71.6% (Belle Vue) and 78.5% (Mdine), was 3.7%.

Table 7. Boiling house performances in 2010

Mdine Belle Vue Mon FUEL Beau Omnicane Average

Loisir Champ
2010 2009

Boiling house recovery 89.7 89.4 84.4 89.9 89.4 88.6 89.0 88.8
Reduced BH recovery 88.5 88.0 85.6 88.5 88.7 88.4 88.2 88.1
Final molasses 37.8 39.0 44.9 36.8 38.8 39.3 39.1 39.0
apparent purity
Final molasses weight 3.62 3.12 4.16 3.10 3.19 3.61 3.39 3.21
@ 85 Brix % cane
Sucrose in molasses 9.01 8.77 13.91 8.19 8.69 10.21 9.41 9.21
% sucrose in cane
Undertermined losses 0.28 0.59 0.40 0.79 0.85 0.74 0.68 1.08
% sucrose in cane

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 SUGAR CANE - Factory Processing
TOTAL SUGAR RECOVERED % CANE
12
11
10
9
8 (2002)
FUEL Belle Mdine Beau Omnicane Mon Average
Vue Champ Loisir
Figure 34. Total sugar recovered % cane of sugar factories
(2010)
Analytical services
Laboratory audits
Laboratory audits ensure that good practice
is maintained in terms of product sampling and
adherence to the analytical procedure described
in the official methods. Visits paid to all factory
and Cane Planters and Millers Arbitration and
Control Board laboratories, during the crop season,
enabled verification of laboratory equipment such
as refractometers, polarimeters, pH meters and
analytical balances with known standards. Reports
emphasized the corrective measures that need to be
brought wherever necessary.
Cane Analysis
The Cane Analysis laboratory caters for the needs
of the various departments of the MSIRI that require
their cane samples to be analyzed for sucrose and
fibre content. In 2010 a total of 11118 cane samples
were analysed, starting on the 3rd week of April and
ending on the 24th of November, with the majority
of the samples processed for the Plant Breeding
Department (54.9%) and the Plant Physiology
Department (35.3%).
In view of the shift from production of raw sugar
to direct consumption sugars, the Sugar Technology
Department of the MSIRI has provided advisory
services for the upgrading of factory laboratory
facilities and training for the analysis of direct
consumption sugars at Mdine Sugar Milling Co
Ltd, which should meet food grade norms specified
by the buyers.
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Training of laboratory personnel
Training was dispensed on the following
ICUMSA Test Methods:
- Polarisation by Braunschweig method
GS2/3-1 (1994)
- Sugar moisture by loss on drying GS2/1/3/9-
15 (2007)
- Sugar solution colour at pH 7.0 GS1/3-7
- Conductivity ash GS2/3-17 (2002)
- Sulphite by Rosaniline colorimetric method
GS2/1/7-33 (2005)
- Particle size by sieving GS2/9-37 (2007)
- Reducing sugars by Knight and Allen method
GS2/3/9-5 (2007)
- Turbidity GS2/3-18 (2007)
- Insoluble matter by membrane filtration
GS2/3/9/19 (2007)
A training manual was prepared that took into
consideration the varying experience and academic
background of the sugar factory laboratory analysts.
The program included principles of Good Lab
practices and practical sessions on the ICUMSA
Test methods, use of worksheet and calculation of
Test Parameters, and analysis of data. The training
has also served as a prelude for the standardisation
of methods of analysis for white refined/plantation
white sugar in the sugar factory laboratories.
Support to the industry
In line with the Institute programme to provide
support to the industry on the day-to-day activities
in the mills to maintain efficiency, the services of the
Sugar Technology Department were dispensed to one
sugar mill in the management of sucrose losses and
water in sugar cane processing. The Departments
collaboration was also sought by another mill on
reducing water pollution by liquid effluents during
the production process and on the characterization
of scums and their handling for safe disposal.
R E P O R T 2 0 1 0
 SUGAR CANE - Factory Processing

Calibration of manometers Fresh water consumption 60%

Since 1990, the Sugar Technology department
has been offering manometer calibration services
free to the Mauritian sugar factories. In 2010, a total
of 241 manometers were calibrated for the various
factories.
Moving towards an environment management
framework for the cane sugar industry
An organisations commitment to environmental
protection will provide the company with a
competitive edge in a liberalized market. A case
study of the main environmental challenges facing
a modernized sugar cane cluster was conducted at
a sugar factory with emphasis on water pollution
prevention and a Cleaner Production Assessment
Methodology. The first Cleaner Production (CP)
opportunities that the industry needs to focus are
the in-plant pollution prevention measures that
require minimal investment and clear outcome. The
implementation of the In-plants CP opportunities at
the factory, gives evidence that Cleaner Production
can reduce water usage and water pollution. Results
indicate reduction in the following parameters:
COD value of the final effluent 70%,
TSS value of the final effluent 75%
Volume of effluent generated 60%
An Environmental Management System (EMS)
has been recommended for the cane sugar factory,
which is basically a framework for managing those
environmental aspects that the company can control
to enforce environmental protection measures, it can
bring about saving in operating costs of treatment
plants.
Energy export to the grid
Sugar cane companies have for several years
now supplied electricity to the national grid under
contract with the Central Electricity Board (CEB) as
Independent Power Producers (IPP). Those power
plants which form an integral part of the factories
utilise only bagasse, while those that are separate
but adjacent to the mills use both bagasse and coal.
Statistics from the CEB showed that IPP power plants
have exported a total of 1309 GWh of electricity in
2010 to the grid, compared to 1231 GWh in 2009.
This represents 56% of the island requirements.
Of this amount, 343 GWh (26%) was derived from
bagasse and 967 GWh from coal (Table 8).

Table 8. Electricity export during Crop 2010 from sugar industry IPPs

Factory / MWh
Power Plant
Bagasse Coal Total
2010 2009

Mdine 7613 - 7613 6437

Belle Vue 88066 265280 353347 322453
Mon Loisir 12337 - 12337 16246
FUEL 54281 112240 166521 160707
Beau Champ 50977 62254 113231 107583
CT Sav 114661 331097 445759 423112
USA 14840 - 14840 17335
CTDS (USA) - 195712 195712 177124
Total IPP 342776 966583 1309359 1230997
Island total - - 2337996 2239909
IPP% Island total 14.7 41.3 56.0 55.0

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