Membrane separation processes as a technique for

University of Novi Sad

environment protection in sugar production Faculty of Technology

Zita Šereš, Julianna Gyura, Biljana Škrbić, Dragana Šoronja Simović

The sugar industry is well known as one of the most energy-intensive in

food industry. The specific energy consumption was 31.49 kWh/100 kg beet
in 1998. While the overall water used is about 15 m3/t sugar beet processed,
the consumption of fresh water is 0.25 – 0.4 m3/t sugar beet processed, or
even less in modern sugar factories. The technology applied in almost all
European sugar factories is based on the traditional principles and
methods. Sugar has to satisfy rigorous quality demands, particularly
important are demands related to the colour of its crystals. Ensuring colour
quality parameters of white sugar (EU-1 and EU-2) used to be difficult
especially when the quality of the processed beet is poor.

Water for equipment

washing

Non-affinated BC sugar
Non-affinated sugar
dissolved in
in water
water 7 13
dissolved
(60
(60 Bx
ooBx
Pul
11 12 Piz
1 4
dry matter)
dry matter)
8
1 - feed tank,
Ultrafiltration in sugar industry tends to used for the separation of non- 10 2 - thermostat, 3 - pump,
sucrose compounds colored matters being one of them from sugar beet 4 - module with mem brane,
juices. With the standard procedure of purifying with lime 35% of non- 5 5 - perm eate, 6 - retentate,
sucrose compunds could be removed. The sucrose is then crystallizes from 2 9 3 7,8,9 - ventiles,
juices in three stages. The sugar from the first stage is the purest, and the C 10 - thermometer,
sugar from the third stage of crystallization has the worst quality. Using 6 11,12 - manometer,
ultrafiltration, the sugar produced should have a better quality. Membrane 13 - rotameter
filtration is also good because using this technique the environmental
Permeate purity [%] Permeate colour [IU]
pollution is avoided and has lower energy consumption. The commercial Retentate purity [%] Retenate colour [IU]
100
use of ultrafiltration, for the separation of non-sucrose compounds, is C [IU] 1600
Q [%]
limited because of the concentration polarization and fouling of the 1500 98
membrane. 1400
1300 96
1200
94
1100
Ceramic membrane
Ceramic membrane 1000 92

4,42x10 m-3
-3 m22 900
4,42x10 800
90

55 nm
nm 700
600
88

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

t [min]
Range Permeate and retentate purity (Q) and permeate and retentate
Parameters
colour (C) during ultrafiltration at 250 L/h, 80 oC and 6 bar using
Q – flow rate [L/h] 25 – 400 ceramic membrane with pore diameter of 5 nm
T – temperature [oC] 60 – 80
TMP – transmembrane pressure [bar] 0 – 10 • Membrane and housing • Energy of the pump
• Other eqipement TOTAL COSTS • Pressure drop
(pumps, valves, pipes) in the membrane
Objective •Amortization • Electrical energy
44 EUR/m3 permeate
The aim of this work was to investigate the efficiency of removing undesired • Working hours
molecules by the use of ceramic, without adding chemical agents, under
various working conditions. The efficiency was quantified through the
achieved values of permeate flux, its colour and purity.

CAPITAL COSTS OPERATING COSTS

Permeate flux (J) in
dependence on
transmembrane
pressure (TMP) and flow
rate (Q) at 80 oC using
ceramic membrane with
pore diameter of 5 nm
30 EUR/m3 permeate 14 EUR/m3 permeata
Using ceramic membrane with 5 nm pore size cca. 50% of decolourization
could be reached in permeate, while the purity of the permeate is increased
for about 1,5%. Permeate flux is in the range of 9 – 13 L/m2h. The
decolorization using ceramic membrane with 5 nm pore size is very good,
but the permeate flux is low because of high viscosity of the syrup.