MULTIPLE PASS RICE WHITENING PROCESS

1. BACKGROUND
The milling process in larger commercial mills combines a number of operations that produces
higher quality and higher yields of white rice from paddy or rough rice. The process involves:
A. Pre-cleaning the paddy prior to milling
B. Removing the husk or outer layer from the paddy
C. Polishing or whitening the brown rice to remove the bran layer
D. Separating the broken grains from the whole kernels
E. Bagging the milled rice
F. Managing the by-products.

Normally the rice whitening and polishing process is considered the heart of the commercial rice
milling process, and during the years, equipment suppliers have developed multiple solutions
for an efficient bran removal process. The main trend is to establish one, two, three or four
milling breaks (Passes) for obtaining the desired whiteness level of the kernel. The main
difference between each milling formula is the amount of milling work applied to the grain in
each break, that amount of work is directly proportional to the broken kernel generation.

2. THE MILLING FORMULA

The milling formula is a concept developed to help to understand the relation of the whiteness
degree and the bran removal inside a milling process. Normally the brown rice (Cargo hulled)
has a whiteness level (Measured using a KETT C-300 Whiteness meter) between 20 and
21ºKett and depending of the market requirements, the milled white rice has a whiteness level
between 40 and 42ºKett (Normally whiteness levels above 40,5ºKett are considered as a sign of
overmilling in long grain rice processing).

The brown rice @ 21ºKett is considered as 100% bran and the 40ºKett white rice is considered
almost 0% bran (Assuming long grain rice milling) so if we define the rice milling process as the
required operations for ensure a total bran removal from the rice kernel, that total bran removal
can be considered as the total milling work to be achieved by the rice whitening line, so the
following relationship can be stated:

“The 100% of the milling work (Whiteness basis) is achieved when the grain reaches
the 40 to 40,5ºKett level”

Now each miller has a different way to do the 100% milling work, and that is called the milling
formula, and the difference between every formula is the number of breaks in which is divided
the work. As we have stated previously on commercial applications the number of breaks vary
from one to four. And those break passes are characterized by the milling effect applied on the
grain.

Today we can find two types of milling effects for making and efficient bran removal, those
effects are abrasion and friction, the first effect is very effective for removing large amounts of
bran bit without achieving a smooth finishing appeal, and the second that can be applied dry or
moist, is effective for removing small amounts of bran but guaranteeing a smooth grain surface.

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So taking in account the statements exposed previously, the commercial rice milling
combinations are:

One Break Two Break Three Break Four Break

Milling Milling Milling Milling
Stage
% of % of % of % of
Type Type Type Type
Work Work Work Work
1st
Friction 100% Abrasion 85% Abrasion 75% Abrasion 50%
Pass
2nd
Friction 15% Friction 15% Abrasion 25%
Pass
3rd
Friction 10% Friction 15%
Pass
4th
Friction 10%
Pass

As its shown on the previous table the purpose of introduce several milling breaks to the
process is to divide the amount of milling work applied to the grain, that division causes the
following effects:

POSITIVE EFFECTS
- Minimize the mechanic effects on the kernel, diminishing the broken kernel generation
- Minimize the amperage load on the milling machines, decreasing the effective energy
consumption in the rice mill
- Maximize the capacity of each milling machine, due to the diminishing of the retention
time of the grain inside the milling chambers
- Minimize the wear of the milling machine parts, because of the lower work pressures
- Higher whiteness levels achieved without increase the broken kernel generation

NEGATIVE EFFECTS
- Increase of the installed power requirement due to more installed machinery
- Increase of the control point in the production line

2.1 WHEN TO USE A SPECIFIC MILLING FORMULA

When to apply the different milling formulas is the main challenge of the rice mill operators, but
that decision must be based on the following premises:

- Grain Mechanical Quality: The grain resistance to mechanical efforts is critical when
you have to pick the amount of milling breaks of your whiteness line, but the miller must
be prepared for the worst case scenario because normally that property depends on
how the kernel was cultivated instead of how it is milled, so it is more recommendable
to have more than one milling pass in almost all cases.
- Price Difference Between Broken and Whole Kernels: If you are in a market where a
significant price difference between the broken rice and head rice exists, you will
probably be more successful with multiple pass milling lines instead of one or two
milling passes
- Cost of Electric Energy: If the cost of electric energy is high enough for not justify the
increase in head rice of your line, then you will have to consider the optimum amount of
breaks installed

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On almost all cases the best milling formulas are the ones who are composed by three or four
milling breaks, because depending on the grain, those are the better options for achieve high
whiteness level, prevent the overmilling, minimize the brokens, maximize the process capacity
and optimize the relation between energy consumption and maintenance costs.

3. COMPARISON OF COMMERCIAL THREE AND FOUR MILLING PASSES LINES

Characteristics Three Break Line Four Break Line

Machine Completely abrasive (One Unit) Completely abrasive (Two Unit)
Amount and
Model Completely Friction (Two Units) Completely Friction (Two Units)
Abrasion - Friction - Friction Abrasion – Abrasion - Friction -
Effects
with water- Friction with water-
Formula 75% - 15% - 10% 50% - 25% - 15% - 10%
Average Total
Installed 150HP 200HP
Power (HP)

The installed comparison shows the addition of one machine but shows the difference on milling
works applied on the grain, now if the performance is measured, the results are the following:

Three Break Line Four Break Line

% of Intake Outtake % of Intake Outtake
Effect Effect
Work Kett Kett Work Kett Kett
1st 1st
Abrasion 75,00% 21,0 35,6 Abrasion 50,00% 21,0 30,8
Pass Pass
2nd 2nd
Friction 15,00% 35,6 38,5 Abrasion 25,00% 30,8 35,6
Pass Pass
3rd 3rd
Friction 10,00% 38,5 40,5 Friction 15,00% 35,6 38,5
Pass Pass
4th
Friction 10,00% 38,5 40,5
Pass
End Product Capacity (MTH)* 6,0 End Product Capacity (MTH)* 7,0
Average % of Total Brokens* 16,50% Average % of Total Brokens* 15,00%
*Average Performance on Latin America (Colombian) Varieties

Taking in account the past information, we can establish the following process differences:

- Capacity: 1.0MTH more of finished product if you use one additional pass
- Broken Kernels: 1,50% more on the three pass line

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So if we simulate the process of 24h of each line we will find:

Feature Three Break Milling Four Break Milling

Produced White Rice (Kg) 144.000,00 168.000,00
Mass of Brokens (Kg) 23.760,00 25.200,00
Mass of Head Rice (Kg) 120.240,00 142.800,00
Estimated Required Paddy
202.816,90 236.619,72
(Kg)
Total KWh Consumed 111,90 149,20
Head Rice Yield (%) 59,29% 60,35%
Head Rice Yield Difference 1,06%
Mass of Head Rice Difference (Kg) 22.560,00
Mass of Brokens Difference (Kg) 1.440,00
KWh Difference 55,95

It’s up to the end user to evaluate the economic effect of the increase on Head Rice Yield, Head
Rice and Total Milled Rice production against the increase of energy consumption. If that
balance indicates that the 1,06% increase in head rice is significant enough to compensate the
increase on KWh, the end user shall use four passes instead of three.

Best Regards

Andrés Felipe Aldana Rico

Commercial and Technology Director
SuperBrix
Colombia

andres@superbrix.com