New Process for Deliming Thin Juice Without Regenerating Agents and Waste Water

ERHARD 11 FELBER1

Received for tJublication April 27 I970

The incrustations on the heating tubes of the evaporators are formed by precipitated lime salts of low solubility With inshycreasing thickness of incrustation the heat transfer decreases The fuel consumption increases and the heat economy fin 0 11y becomes so unstable that evaporator bodies have to be taken out of service for a descaling boilout as far as spare bodies are available otherwise factory shutdowns are unavoidable

Decalcification via ion exchangers avoids these difficulties Cndesirable lime salts in thin juices are transformed into alkali salts (mostly sodium salts) which have sufficient solubility to avoid precipitation thus scaling The campaign can therefOle be carried out without slowdowns (or even shutdowns) and the heat economy of the factory remains at an optimum

The advantage of decalcification is assured-even if it is not as essential with thin juices of low hardnesses-especiall y if the campaign can be finished without intermediate boilouts For deliming however costs arise that are not balanced by a visible profit as it is for instance the case when demineralizing is accomplished by ion exchangers In Table I parameters for deliming thin juice are compiled that are to be used for the determination of costs The figuers have been taken from publishycations in various countries They refer to the removal of I metric ton of CaO from thin juice

Table I-Parameter for conventional thin juice deliming by ion excbange for the removal of I metro ton of CaO

Thin juice Condensate NaCI Sugar loss dilution consumpt Vaste wa ter

Reference t t t t t

Orlean HarrisUSA (3 ) 185 036 625 MullerUSA 160 026 Carruthers (Germany) (1) 120 RamondtNeth (4) 80 020 320 440 408 VlasakCSR (5) 101 168 284 268 LitvakSSR (2) 100

Average 124 028 371 362 338

- - ~---~---- - - - - shy

1 Dipl-Ingmiddot TeChnological Department of Braunschweigische Mltlschinenbauanstalt BraunschweigGerman y

NUlubers in parentheses refer to literature cited

2S0 JOURNA L OF THE A S S B T

The individual items are Consumption of salt for regeneration Sugar losses by intermediate sweeteningoff Additional dilution of the juice and thus increased evapshyoration of water Consumption of condensate for the individual rinsing steps vVaste water raising considerable problems of dispo)al

The deviations of the indicated values are on the one hand due to differences in the exchanger equipment the metbods applied and the resin qualities as well as the differences in the original lime content in the thin juice on the other hand This influences the effective ca pacity of the exchange resins conshysiderably (7)

Besides these cost-increasing factors a further disadvantage arises with the conventional deliming of thin juice The alkali content of the juices increases in proportion to the removld ca lcium As however sodium or potassium have a considerably higher molasses-forming character than calcium the molases quantity increases as well According to reference (6) a removZlI of 10 mg of CaOIOO~ Bx lime salt content means an increased molasses output of 0004 on beet At eg 20 dH (German hardness) in thin juice (or approximately 360 ppm of CaCO ie approximately 130 mg of CaO IOO Bx) conventional deshyliming would mean an increased mol2sses output of approxishymately 005 on beet t a slicing rate of 2000 tons of bcetd this would mean a lower sugar yield of approximately 03 tonsd

To carryon this fairly high expense as well as having to accept the technological disadvantages of an increased molasses output at the same time only to carry out the evaporation of the thin juices under optimum conditions is unsatisfac tory Deliming of thin juice without any of the mentioned disshyadvantages appears at first sight however to be a Utopian idea Jevertheless several large-scale plants are already operating in Hungary that realize this secminly Ltopian idea The following theoretical finding is thereby utilized

vVhen thin juice is delimed by means of ion exchangers the calcium content of the juice is absorbed on a cation exchanger column saturated with sodium The ions participating in the ion exchange process ie calcium and sodium are of different valences The selectivity of ions having dipoundfcrent valences deshypends on their concentration in the solution At low concentrashytion the selectivity increases considerably in favor of the ion with higher valence whereas at high concentration the selecshytivity is displaced toward the ion of low valence Accordingly the thin juice is softened in the usual manner the regeneration

2S0 JOURNA L OF THE A S S B T

The individual items are Consumption of salt for regeneration Sugar losses by intermediate sweeteningoff Additional dilution of the juice and thus increased evapshyoration of water Consumption of condensate for the individual rinsing steps vVaste water raising considerable problems of dispo)al

The deviations of the indicated values are on the one hand due to differences in the exchanger equipment the metbods applied and the resin qualities as well as the differences in the original lime content in the thin juice on the other hand This influences the effective ca pacity of the exchange resins conshysiderably (7)

Besides these cost-increasing factors a further disadvantage arises with the conventional deliming of thin juice The alkali content of the juices increases in proportion to the removld ca lcium As however sodium or potassium have a considerably higher molasses-forming character than calcium the molases quantity increases as well According to reference (6) a removZlI of 10 mg of CaOIOO~ Bx lime salt content means an increased molasses output of 0004 on beet At eg 20 dH (German hardness) in thin juice (or approximately 360 ppm of CaCO ie approximately 130 mg of CaO IOO Bx) conventional deshyliming would mean an increased mol2sses output of approxishymately 005 on beet t a slicing rate of 2000 tons of bcetd this would mean a lower sugar yield of approximately 03 tonsd

To carryon this fairly high expense as well as having to accept the technological disadvantages of an increased molasses output at the same time only to carry out the evaporation of the thin juices under optimum conditions is unsatisfac tory Deliming of thin juice without any of the mentioned disshyadvantages appears at first sight however to be a Utopian idea Jevertheless several large-scale plants are already operating in Hungary that realize this secminly Ltopian idea The following theoretical finding is thereby utilized

vVhen thin juice is delimed by means of ion exchangers the calcium content of the juice is absorbed on a cation exchanger column saturated with sodium The ions participating in the ion exchange process ie calcium and sodium are of different valences The selectivity of ions having dipoundfcrent valences deshypends on their concentration in the solution At low concentrashytion the selectivity increases considerably in favor of the ion with higher valence whereas at high concentration the selecshytivity is displaced toward the ion of low valence Accordingly the thin juice is softened in the usual manner the regeneration

VOL 16 No 1 JANUARY 197J 281

of the cation exchanger loaded with calcium is however now carried out with thick juice prepred from the softened thin juice instead of with brine This regeneration is po~sible because of the increase in alkali ion concentration relative to the alkali concentration in the thin juice

The following test results with model solutions in pilot plants confirmed the applicability of these theoretical considerashytions

A cation exchanger loaded with calcium was treated with sodium chloride solutions of different concentrations The quantity o[ sodium and calcium ions introduced into the system was always identical ie for a cation exchanger containing 10 val of calcium a solution of 15 val of sodium ions ws used After equilibrium had been reached the distribution of the sodium and the calcium on the resin was determined The rcshysuits are indicated in Figure 1

70

~ 5ltgt

40

bull JO 10 N~ C

005 01 05 10

Figure I-Alkali on resin after regeneration with NaCI solutions of various concentration

It was found that the regenerating effect rises with increasshying salt concentration The normally used saiL solution of 10 ie approximately 17 to 18 normal gives a regeneraqon with sufficiently favorable effect

The same test was repeated under completely identical conshyditions using however a mixed solution of potassium chloride and sodium chloride in the ratio of 3 I instead of a sodium chloride sol ution This ratio corresponds approximately to the potassium-sodium ratio in sugar factory juices The result is shown in Figure 2

The result is the same as with the first test the regeneration effect is even somewhat higher

The resin loaded with calcium was treated in the same manshyner wtih sugar factory thick juices of various concentrations and the alkali content found on the resin at equilibrium was determined The result is shown in Figure 3 in comparison with the previous results

282 JO URNAL OF THE A S S B T

70

60

50

001 005 0 1 05 10 50

Nom~ 1 Con~ ll a t l on 01 Regenernu

Figure 2-AlkaIi on resin after regeneration with N aCl solutions and (KCI + NaCl) solutions of various concentration (Regenerant used 15 val of Na ions on 10 val of Ca ions at the cation exchanger respectively 10 val of K _ N a ions in the ra tio of 3 I on 10 val of Ca ions at the cation exchanger measured after equilibrium had been reached)

20

10

005 01 05 10 50 No rmal CorlOll n ll lll lon of RegefCIOl U

Figure 3-Alkali on resin after regeneration with juice of various concentration

IIere too the ratio of the sodium and alkali ions participating in the reaction was the same during th e tests Up to a total conshycentration of approximately 30 ie approximately 30 0 Ex the conditions are almost the same as with the potassiurri-sodium model solution At high concentrations the activity of the alkali ions in the sugar solution rises and the exchange reaction favors the alkali ions This means that with a thick juice relatively diluted with regard to the alkali ions a regeneration effect can be obtained which could otherwise only be reached with highly concentrated alkali chloride solutions This result becomes clear if one considers that with respect to the residual water in the sugar solution a fairly concentrated alkali salt solution is availshyable in the thick juice

In a further model test an exchanger column was loaded with a thin juice containing approx 180 mg of CaO on 100 0

Ex The softening of the juice averaged 92 For regenera ting this column a thick juice of 60 0 Ex was used the lime salt conshy

283 VOL 16 No4 JANUARY 1971

tent of which amounted to approximately 12 mg on 100 Bx CaO The lime salt content of the discharged juice and the obtained effective capacity of the ion exchange resin are shown in Figure 4

R~n COlaquolti ly ObrliflCd ~~-

3 12 l 1shy ~ I

shy ~ I

2 4 6 II 10 12 14 IG 19 20 22 24 26 28 30

ThIck J uice in Vo lVOl 0 1 Ru in

Figure 4-Limesalts in the thick juice (60 0 Bx) and resin capacity obtained after regenera tion

The first thick juice fractions being discharged contain conshysiderable quantities of lime salt since they had come into conshytact with the exhausted exchange resin loaded with calcium ions The average lime salt content of the thick juice corresponds of course to the lime salt content of the treated thin juice before softening At the given composition of the juice an effective capacity of the resin of 125 val per litre (approximately 3Sg CaO l of resin) could be obtained after using the whole thick juice quantity It was further found that approximately 55 to 60 of the thick juice provided sufficient regenerant to utilize the resin capacity Cnder optimum conditions however apshyproximately 70 of the thick juice should be used to regenshyerate for maximum benefit

J onnal gel-type ion exchange resins are not suitable for the process under consideration due to their low mechanical reshysistance The changes between high and low concentrations of the sugar solution expose the resin to extreme osmotic shock causing extensive resin breakage and high attrition losses vIore suitable are macroporous ion exchange resins differing only slightly from the hitherto used types middotwi th regard to price

This BMA Gryllus deliming process named after the inshyventor and patented is on a technical scale carried out in 5 to 8 countercurrent col umns 3 to 5 col umns being used for deliming the thin juice and 2 to 3 columns for the regeneration with thick juice These columns are timed in such a manner that a cont inuous operation of the middotwhole process is guaranteed The cycle time of each column depends on the lime salt content in the thin juice and on the desired softening effect

The individual column for this process differs considerably from that of conventional plants Figure ) shows a schcmatical

284 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

drawing of an exchange column The exchanger is so filled with resin to provide only sufficient freeboard for resin swelling durshying the cycle The exchanger consists of an inner and an outer chamber Both are open toward the top so that the resin may pass into both chambers Thin juice or thick juice is fed from below through the outer or inner chamber of the body respecshytively so that the resin is continually rearranged and thus loosenshyed Backwashing after each cycle can be omitted For an ocshycasionally necessary backwashing outlet pipings are provided in the top whereby part of the resin can be passed into an overshyhead backwash container

Figure 5-Ion Exchanger column for the ElVIA Gryllus deliming process

In Figure 6 the schematical arrangement of such a deliming plant is shown The process is carried out as follows

The thin juice that has passed through the deliming column is fed to the evaporator station vVhen the exchanger is exshyhausted thick juice then passes in countercurrent flow through the corresponding col umn to regenerate the exchanger The displaced thin juice of approximately 40 Bx is returned to the thin juice Above this concentration the solution passes to the

285 VOL 16 No 4- JANUARY 1971

thick juice con tainer A rapid Brix rise during thin juice disshyplacement with thick juice results in insignificant thin juice carry-over to the sugar end (dilution)

I OCM$

II Backwa~tllng

Figure 6-Diagram of the Bi1A Gryiius deliming process

_poundter regeneration with thick juice the respective exchanger is switched again into the loading stage Then thin juice starts again to be delimed A fractional displacement of the thick juice is recommended the thick juice in the exchanger first being displaced by a med ium juice 2nd finally with the thin juice itshyself The discharged solution down to approximately 40 Bx passes to the thick juice the rest is recycled as a medium juice which is then again used for the next sweeteningoff Subsequentshyly this exchanger is available again for the normal softening procedure

According to the eHecl ot the thin juice filtration a more or less heavy accumulation of mud will gradually take place in the resin bed Depending on this filtration effect approxishymately every 10 to 30 days a single separate backwashing will become necessary This backwashing can be carried out with thin juice Herewith the backwashing medium is passed from below into both chambers of the body Part of the resin is being washed into a separate overhead backwash con tainer the remainder stays in the exchanger body Backwashing is carried on until the mud particles have been washed out of the resin

In Table 2 the results obtained in a large-scale plant are shown The average softening effect obtained of approximately 85 was considered sufficient for this case

286 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

Table 2-0perating figures obtained in a Hungaian ~ugar factory with the Gryllus process

Lime salts in the thin juice DeliJning

Operating mg CaO IOOoBx effect

period Before deIiming after delillling Sept 23-30 1066 142 86 7 Oct 1-10 841 84 900

11-20 134 3 139 897 21-31 1232 250 797

Nov 1-1 0 1563 340 783 11-20 2145 334 845

Average 1365 215 843

The periodical fluctuation of the lime salt contents in the thick juice discharged after regeneration did not influence the subsequent processing at the sugarend In Table 3 the extreme fluctuation values are shown at different stages of production

Table 3-Range of fluctuation of the lime salt content in the different products when applying the BMA Gr)lIus process

Lime salts

Product Min Max

Thin juice 108 161 T hick juice before filtration 66 270 Th ick juice from vacuum pan suppl y lank 70 201 vVhite olasseclilte 104 125

It becomes evident that the very large fluctuations of the lime salt content in the thick juice after regeneration decrease more and more so that the variations in the white massecuite are already less than in the thin juice In the first thick juice fractions the lime salt content may reach double and triple the original value of the thin juice Of course these thick juice fractions can become oversaturated solutions with regard to their lime salt content so that part of the lime salts precipitate The precipitated lime salts are removed by the thick juice filters It was found that with input values of an average of 155 mg of CaO per 100deg Bx approximately 25 mg on 100deg Bx can be eliminated from the thick juice by precipitation and filtration This is a much higher value than the decrease of lime salt during evaporation without thin juice softening This eliminated lime salt content decreases the quantity of the nonsugar substances in the juice and has thus a positive influence on the resultant molasses quantity In any case the BMA Gryllus deliming process avoids an increase of the molasses output by alkali concentrashytion in the juices

As no water is added during the whole deliming process the evaporator station does not -have to cope with additional evaporation

In his report made before the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists on the occasion of the meeting in Minshy

VOL 16 No4middot JANCARY 1971 287

neapolis in 1966 Muller3 gave a companson of costs on the basis of the experiences gained in Eaton sugar factory for delimshying by means of ion exchangers and boilingout with addition of soda (Table 4)

Table 4-Cost o[ conventional d eliming

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing Item deliming without deliming

Boil out steam and Jabor Boil out chemicals Soda process Sal t regene ration Resins 10 per )ea1 Operating Jabor Sugar loss 02 lbsft resin Evaporation dilution vater

04 02 03 18 05 07 03 04

08 05 11

Investment Subtotal 10-year amorti za tion

46 40

24

G)and total 86

The costs for conventional deliming are even higher than those for soda addition and boilout it must however be conshysidered that - as stated in Mullers paper - the thin juice hardness was only approximately 007 CaO 100deg Bx (ie below 10 dB (German hardness) or 200 ppm CaC03 ) As already explained in the beginning at such a low lime salt content in the thin juice it is doubtful whether deliming is economical at all Ieverthe1ess this is an attempt of a comparison of costs as stated by YIullcr and as incurred by the BMA Gryllus process (Table 5)

Table 5-Cost of BlIfA Gryllus dcliming versus conventional system

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing without BMA Gryllus

Item deJiming (2) deliming (2) process

Boil out steam and labor 04 08 Boil ou t chemicals 02 05 Sod a process 03 11 Salt regeneration 18 Resins 10 per year 05 05 Operating labor 07 03 Sugar Joss 02 lbsft3 resin 03 Evaporation dilmion water 04

Subtotal 46 24 08 Investment IOmiddotyear amortization 40 20

Grand total 86 24 28

D A Mull er 14th General Meeting of ASS13T 1966 lOll exchange deliming at Ea ton factory

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630

282 JO URNAL OF THE A S S B T

70

60

50

001 005 0 1 05 10 50

Nom~ 1 Con~ ll a t l on 01 Regenernu

Figure 2-AlkaIi on resin after regeneration with N aCl solutions and (KCI + NaCl) solutions of various concentration (Regenerant used 15 val of Na ions on 10 val of Ca ions at the cation exchanger respectively 10 val of K _ N a ions in the ra tio of 3 I on 10 val of Ca ions at the cation exchanger measured after equilibrium had been reached)

20

10

005 01 05 10 50 No rmal CorlOll n ll lll lon of RegefCIOl U

Figure 3-Alkali on resin after regeneration with juice of various concentration

IIere too the ratio of the sodium and alkali ions participating in the reaction was the same during th e tests Up to a total conshycentration of approximately 30 ie approximately 30 0 Ex the conditions are almost the same as with the potassiurri-sodium model solution At high concentrations the activity of the alkali ions in the sugar solution rises and the exchange reaction favors the alkali ions This means that with a thick juice relatively diluted with regard to the alkali ions a regeneration effect can be obtained which could otherwise only be reached with highly concentrated alkali chloride solutions This result becomes clear if one considers that with respect to the residual water in the sugar solution a fairly concentrated alkali salt solution is availshyable in the thick juice

In a further model test an exchanger column was loaded with a thin juice containing approx 180 mg of CaO on 100 0

Ex The softening of the juice averaged 92 For regenera ting this column a thick juice of 60 0 Ex was used the lime salt conshy

283 VOL 16 No4 JANUARY 1971

tent of which amounted to approximately 12 mg on 100 Bx CaO The lime salt content of the discharged juice and the obtained effective capacity of the ion exchange resin are shown in Figure 4

R~n COlaquolti ly ObrliflCd ~~-

3 12 l 1shy ~ I

shy ~ I

2 4 6 II 10 12 14 IG 19 20 22 24 26 28 30

ThIck J uice in Vo lVOl 0 1 Ru in

Figure 4-Limesalts in the thick juice (60 0 Bx) and resin capacity obtained after regenera tion

The first thick juice fractions being discharged contain conshysiderable quantities of lime salt since they had come into conshytact with the exhausted exchange resin loaded with calcium ions The average lime salt content of the thick juice corresponds of course to the lime salt content of the treated thin juice before softening At the given composition of the juice an effective capacity of the resin of 125 val per litre (approximately 3Sg CaO l of resin) could be obtained after using the whole thick juice quantity It was further found that approximately 55 to 60 of the thick juice provided sufficient regenerant to utilize the resin capacity Cnder optimum conditions however apshyproximately 70 of the thick juice should be used to regenshyerate for maximum benefit

J onnal gel-type ion exchange resins are not suitable for the process under consideration due to their low mechanical reshysistance The changes between high and low concentrations of the sugar solution expose the resin to extreme osmotic shock causing extensive resin breakage and high attrition losses vIore suitable are macroporous ion exchange resins differing only slightly from the hitherto used types middotwi th regard to price

This BMA Gryllus deliming process named after the inshyventor and patented is on a technical scale carried out in 5 to 8 countercurrent col umns 3 to 5 col umns being used for deliming the thin juice and 2 to 3 columns for the regeneration with thick juice These columns are timed in such a manner that a cont inuous operation of the middotwhole process is guaranteed The cycle time of each column depends on the lime salt content in the thin juice and on the desired softening effect

The individual column for this process differs considerably from that of conventional plants Figure ) shows a schcmatical

284 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

drawing of an exchange column The exchanger is so filled with resin to provide only sufficient freeboard for resin swelling durshying the cycle The exchanger consists of an inner and an outer chamber Both are open toward the top so that the resin may pass into both chambers Thin juice or thick juice is fed from below through the outer or inner chamber of the body respecshytively so that the resin is continually rearranged and thus loosenshyed Backwashing after each cycle can be omitted For an ocshycasionally necessary backwashing outlet pipings are provided in the top whereby part of the resin can be passed into an overshyhead backwash container

Figure 5-Ion Exchanger column for the ElVIA Gryllus deliming process

In Figure 6 the schematical arrangement of such a deliming plant is shown The process is carried out as follows

The thin juice that has passed through the deliming column is fed to the evaporator station vVhen the exchanger is exshyhausted thick juice then passes in countercurrent flow through the corresponding col umn to regenerate the exchanger The displaced thin juice of approximately 40 Bx is returned to the thin juice Above this concentration the solution passes to the

285 VOL 16 No 4- JANUARY 1971

thick juice con tainer A rapid Brix rise during thin juice disshyplacement with thick juice results in insignificant thin juice carry-over to the sugar end (dilution)

I OCM$

II Backwa~tllng

Figure 6-Diagram of the Bi1A Gryiius deliming process

_poundter regeneration with thick juice the respective exchanger is switched again into the loading stage Then thin juice starts again to be delimed A fractional displacement of the thick juice is recommended the thick juice in the exchanger first being displaced by a med ium juice 2nd finally with the thin juice itshyself The discharged solution down to approximately 40 Bx passes to the thick juice the rest is recycled as a medium juice which is then again used for the next sweeteningoff Subsequentshyly this exchanger is available again for the normal softening procedure

According to the eHecl ot the thin juice filtration a more or less heavy accumulation of mud will gradually take place in the resin bed Depending on this filtration effect approxishymately every 10 to 30 days a single separate backwashing will become necessary This backwashing can be carried out with thin juice Herewith the backwashing medium is passed from below into both chambers of the body Part of the resin is being washed into a separate overhead backwash con tainer the remainder stays in the exchanger body Backwashing is carried on until the mud particles have been washed out of the resin

In Table 2 the results obtained in a large-scale plant are shown The average softening effect obtained of approximately 85 was considered sufficient for this case

286 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

Table 2-0perating figures obtained in a Hungaian ~ugar factory with the Gryllus process

Lime salts in the thin juice DeliJning

Operating mg CaO IOOoBx effect

period Before deIiming after delillling Sept 23-30 1066 142 86 7 Oct 1-10 841 84 900

11-20 134 3 139 897 21-31 1232 250 797

Nov 1-1 0 1563 340 783 11-20 2145 334 845

Average 1365 215 843

The periodical fluctuation of the lime salt contents in the thick juice discharged after regeneration did not influence the subsequent processing at the sugarend In Table 3 the extreme fluctuation values are shown at different stages of production

Table 3-Range of fluctuation of the lime salt content in the different products when applying the BMA Gr)lIus process

Lime salts

Product Min Max

Thin juice 108 161 T hick juice before filtration 66 270 Th ick juice from vacuum pan suppl y lank 70 201 vVhite olasseclilte 104 125

It becomes evident that the very large fluctuations of the lime salt content in the thick juice after regeneration decrease more and more so that the variations in the white massecuite are already less than in the thin juice In the first thick juice fractions the lime salt content may reach double and triple the original value of the thin juice Of course these thick juice fractions can become oversaturated solutions with regard to their lime salt content so that part of the lime salts precipitate The precipitated lime salts are removed by the thick juice filters It was found that with input values of an average of 155 mg of CaO per 100deg Bx approximately 25 mg on 100deg Bx can be eliminated from the thick juice by precipitation and filtration This is a much higher value than the decrease of lime salt during evaporation without thin juice softening This eliminated lime salt content decreases the quantity of the nonsugar substances in the juice and has thus a positive influence on the resultant molasses quantity In any case the BMA Gryllus deliming process avoids an increase of the molasses output by alkali concentrashytion in the juices

As no water is added during the whole deliming process the evaporator station does not -have to cope with additional evaporation

In his report made before the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists on the occasion of the meeting in Minshy

VOL 16 No4middot JANCARY 1971 287

neapolis in 1966 Muller3 gave a companson of costs on the basis of the experiences gained in Eaton sugar factory for delimshying by means of ion exchangers and boilingout with addition of soda (Table 4)

Table 4-Cost o[ conventional d eliming

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing Item deliming without deliming

Boil out steam and Jabor Boil out chemicals Soda process Sal t regene ration Resins 10 per )ea1 Operating Jabor Sugar loss 02 lbsft resin Evaporation dilution vater

04 02 03 18 05 07 03 04

08 05 11

Investment Subtotal 10-year amorti za tion

46 40

24

G)and total 86

The costs for conventional deliming are even higher than those for soda addition and boilout it must however be conshysidered that - as stated in Mullers paper - the thin juice hardness was only approximately 007 CaO 100deg Bx (ie below 10 dB (German hardness) or 200 ppm CaC03 ) As already explained in the beginning at such a low lime salt content in the thin juice it is doubtful whether deliming is economical at all Ieverthe1ess this is an attempt of a comparison of costs as stated by YIullcr and as incurred by the BMA Gryllus process (Table 5)

Table 5-Cost of BlIfA Gryllus dcliming versus conventional system

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing without BMA Gryllus

Item deJiming (2) deliming (2) process

Boil out steam and labor 04 08 Boil ou t chemicals 02 05 Sod a process 03 11 Salt regeneration 18 Resins 10 per year 05 05 Operating labor 07 03 Sugar Joss 02 lbsft3 resin 03 Evaporation dilmion water 04

Subtotal 46 24 08 Investment IOmiddotyear amortization 40 20

Grand total 86 24 28

D A Mull er 14th General Meeting of ASS13T 1966 lOll exchange deliming at Ea ton factory

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630

283 VOL 16 No4 JANUARY 1971

tent of which amounted to approximately 12 mg on 100 Bx CaO The lime salt content of the discharged juice and the obtained effective capacity of the ion exchange resin are shown in Figure 4

R~n COlaquolti ly ObrliflCd ~~-

3 12 l 1shy ~ I

shy ~ I

2 4 6 II 10 12 14 IG 19 20 22 24 26 28 30

ThIck J uice in Vo lVOl 0 1 Ru in

Figure 4-Limesalts in the thick juice (60 0 Bx) and resin capacity obtained after regenera tion

The first thick juice fractions being discharged contain conshysiderable quantities of lime salt since they had come into conshytact with the exhausted exchange resin loaded with calcium ions The average lime salt content of the thick juice corresponds of course to the lime salt content of the treated thin juice before softening At the given composition of the juice an effective capacity of the resin of 125 val per litre (approximately 3Sg CaO l of resin) could be obtained after using the whole thick juice quantity It was further found that approximately 55 to 60 of the thick juice provided sufficient regenerant to utilize the resin capacity Cnder optimum conditions however apshyproximately 70 of the thick juice should be used to regenshyerate for maximum benefit

J onnal gel-type ion exchange resins are not suitable for the process under consideration due to their low mechanical reshysistance The changes between high and low concentrations of the sugar solution expose the resin to extreme osmotic shock causing extensive resin breakage and high attrition losses vIore suitable are macroporous ion exchange resins differing only slightly from the hitherto used types middotwi th regard to price

This BMA Gryllus deliming process named after the inshyventor and patented is on a technical scale carried out in 5 to 8 countercurrent col umns 3 to 5 col umns being used for deliming the thin juice and 2 to 3 columns for the regeneration with thick juice These columns are timed in such a manner that a cont inuous operation of the middotwhole process is guaranteed The cycle time of each column depends on the lime salt content in the thin juice and on the desired softening effect

The individual column for this process differs considerably from that of conventional plants Figure ) shows a schcmatical

284 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

drawing of an exchange column The exchanger is so filled with resin to provide only sufficient freeboard for resin swelling durshying the cycle The exchanger consists of an inner and an outer chamber Both are open toward the top so that the resin may pass into both chambers Thin juice or thick juice is fed from below through the outer or inner chamber of the body respecshytively so that the resin is continually rearranged and thus loosenshyed Backwashing after each cycle can be omitted For an ocshycasionally necessary backwashing outlet pipings are provided in the top whereby part of the resin can be passed into an overshyhead backwash container

Figure 5-Ion Exchanger column for the ElVIA Gryllus deliming process

In Figure 6 the schematical arrangement of such a deliming plant is shown The process is carried out as follows

The thin juice that has passed through the deliming column is fed to the evaporator station vVhen the exchanger is exshyhausted thick juice then passes in countercurrent flow through the corresponding col umn to regenerate the exchanger The displaced thin juice of approximately 40 Bx is returned to the thin juice Above this concentration the solution passes to the

285 VOL 16 No 4- JANUARY 1971

thick juice con tainer A rapid Brix rise during thin juice disshyplacement with thick juice results in insignificant thin juice carry-over to the sugar end (dilution)

I OCM$

II Backwa~tllng

Figure 6-Diagram of the Bi1A Gryiius deliming process

_poundter regeneration with thick juice the respective exchanger is switched again into the loading stage Then thin juice starts again to be delimed A fractional displacement of the thick juice is recommended the thick juice in the exchanger first being displaced by a med ium juice 2nd finally with the thin juice itshyself The discharged solution down to approximately 40 Bx passes to the thick juice the rest is recycled as a medium juice which is then again used for the next sweeteningoff Subsequentshyly this exchanger is available again for the normal softening procedure

According to the eHecl ot the thin juice filtration a more or less heavy accumulation of mud will gradually take place in the resin bed Depending on this filtration effect approxishymately every 10 to 30 days a single separate backwashing will become necessary This backwashing can be carried out with thin juice Herewith the backwashing medium is passed from below into both chambers of the body Part of the resin is being washed into a separate overhead backwash con tainer the remainder stays in the exchanger body Backwashing is carried on until the mud particles have been washed out of the resin

In Table 2 the results obtained in a large-scale plant are shown The average softening effect obtained of approximately 85 was considered sufficient for this case

286 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

Table 2-0perating figures obtained in a Hungaian ~ugar factory with the Gryllus process

Lime salts in the thin juice DeliJning

Operating mg CaO IOOoBx effect

period Before deIiming after delillling Sept 23-30 1066 142 86 7 Oct 1-10 841 84 900

11-20 134 3 139 897 21-31 1232 250 797

Nov 1-1 0 1563 340 783 11-20 2145 334 845

Average 1365 215 843

The periodical fluctuation of the lime salt contents in the thick juice discharged after regeneration did not influence the subsequent processing at the sugarend In Table 3 the extreme fluctuation values are shown at different stages of production

Table 3-Range of fluctuation of the lime salt content in the different products when applying the BMA Gr)lIus process

Lime salts

Product Min Max

Thin juice 108 161 T hick juice before filtration 66 270 Th ick juice from vacuum pan suppl y lank 70 201 vVhite olasseclilte 104 125

It becomes evident that the very large fluctuations of the lime salt content in the thick juice after regeneration decrease more and more so that the variations in the white massecuite are already less than in the thin juice In the first thick juice fractions the lime salt content may reach double and triple the original value of the thin juice Of course these thick juice fractions can become oversaturated solutions with regard to their lime salt content so that part of the lime salts precipitate The precipitated lime salts are removed by the thick juice filters It was found that with input values of an average of 155 mg of CaO per 100deg Bx approximately 25 mg on 100deg Bx can be eliminated from the thick juice by precipitation and filtration This is a much higher value than the decrease of lime salt during evaporation without thin juice softening This eliminated lime salt content decreases the quantity of the nonsugar substances in the juice and has thus a positive influence on the resultant molasses quantity In any case the BMA Gryllus deliming process avoids an increase of the molasses output by alkali concentrashytion in the juices

As no water is added during the whole deliming process the evaporator station does not -have to cope with additional evaporation

In his report made before the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists on the occasion of the meeting in Minshy

VOL 16 No4middot JANCARY 1971 287

neapolis in 1966 Muller3 gave a companson of costs on the basis of the experiences gained in Eaton sugar factory for delimshying by means of ion exchangers and boilingout with addition of soda (Table 4)

Table 4-Cost o[ conventional d eliming

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing Item deliming without deliming

Boil out steam and Jabor Boil out chemicals Soda process Sal t regene ration Resins 10 per )ea1 Operating Jabor Sugar loss 02 lbsft resin Evaporation dilution vater

04 02 03 18 05 07 03 04

08 05 11

Investment Subtotal 10-year amorti za tion

46 40

24

G)and total 86

The costs for conventional deliming are even higher than those for soda addition and boilout it must however be conshysidered that - as stated in Mullers paper - the thin juice hardness was only approximately 007 CaO 100deg Bx (ie below 10 dB (German hardness) or 200 ppm CaC03 ) As already explained in the beginning at such a low lime salt content in the thin juice it is doubtful whether deliming is economical at all Ieverthe1ess this is an attempt of a comparison of costs as stated by YIullcr and as incurred by the BMA Gryllus process (Table 5)

Table 5-Cost of BlIfA Gryllus dcliming versus conventional system

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing without BMA Gryllus

Item deJiming (2) deliming (2) process

Boil out steam and labor 04 08 Boil ou t chemicals 02 05 Sod a process 03 11 Salt regeneration 18 Resins 10 per year 05 05 Operating labor 07 03 Sugar Joss 02 lbsft3 resin 03 Evaporation dilmion water 04

Subtotal 46 24 08 Investment IOmiddotyear amortization 40 20

Grand total 86 24 28

D A Mull er 14th General Meeting of ASS13T 1966 lOll exchange deliming at Ea ton factory

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630

284 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

drawing of an exchange column The exchanger is so filled with resin to provide only sufficient freeboard for resin swelling durshying the cycle The exchanger consists of an inner and an outer chamber Both are open toward the top so that the resin may pass into both chambers Thin juice or thick juice is fed from below through the outer or inner chamber of the body respecshytively so that the resin is continually rearranged and thus loosenshyed Backwashing after each cycle can be omitted For an ocshycasionally necessary backwashing outlet pipings are provided in the top whereby part of the resin can be passed into an overshyhead backwash container

Figure 5-Ion Exchanger column for the ElVIA Gryllus deliming process

In Figure 6 the schematical arrangement of such a deliming plant is shown The process is carried out as follows

The thin juice that has passed through the deliming column is fed to the evaporator station vVhen the exchanger is exshyhausted thick juice then passes in countercurrent flow through the corresponding col umn to regenerate the exchanger The displaced thin juice of approximately 40 Bx is returned to the thin juice Above this concentration the solution passes to the

285 VOL 16 No 4- JANUARY 1971

thick juice con tainer A rapid Brix rise during thin juice disshyplacement with thick juice results in insignificant thin juice carry-over to the sugar end (dilution)

I OCM$

II Backwa~tllng

Figure 6-Diagram of the Bi1A Gryiius deliming process

_poundter regeneration with thick juice the respective exchanger is switched again into the loading stage Then thin juice starts again to be delimed A fractional displacement of the thick juice is recommended the thick juice in the exchanger first being displaced by a med ium juice 2nd finally with the thin juice itshyself The discharged solution down to approximately 40 Bx passes to the thick juice the rest is recycled as a medium juice which is then again used for the next sweeteningoff Subsequentshyly this exchanger is available again for the normal softening procedure

According to the eHecl ot the thin juice filtration a more or less heavy accumulation of mud will gradually take place in the resin bed Depending on this filtration effect approxishymately every 10 to 30 days a single separate backwashing will become necessary This backwashing can be carried out with thin juice Herewith the backwashing medium is passed from below into both chambers of the body Part of the resin is being washed into a separate overhead backwash con tainer the remainder stays in the exchanger body Backwashing is carried on until the mud particles have been washed out of the resin

In Table 2 the results obtained in a large-scale plant are shown The average softening effect obtained of approximately 85 was considered sufficient for this case

286 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

Table 2-0perating figures obtained in a Hungaian ~ugar factory with the Gryllus process

Lime salts in the thin juice DeliJning

Operating mg CaO IOOoBx effect

period Before deIiming after delillling Sept 23-30 1066 142 86 7 Oct 1-10 841 84 900

11-20 134 3 139 897 21-31 1232 250 797

Nov 1-1 0 1563 340 783 11-20 2145 334 845

Average 1365 215 843

The periodical fluctuation of the lime salt contents in the thick juice discharged after regeneration did not influence the subsequent processing at the sugarend In Table 3 the extreme fluctuation values are shown at different stages of production

Table 3-Range of fluctuation of the lime salt content in the different products when applying the BMA Gr)lIus process

Lime salts

Product Min Max

Thin juice 108 161 T hick juice before filtration 66 270 Th ick juice from vacuum pan suppl y lank 70 201 vVhite olasseclilte 104 125

It becomes evident that the very large fluctuations of the lime salt content in the thick juice after regeneration decrease more and more so that the variations in the white massecuite are already less than in the thin juice In the first thick juice fractions the lime salt content may reach double and triple the original value of the thin juice Of course these thick juice fractions can become oversaturated solutions with regard to their lime salt content so that part of the lime salts precipitate The precipitated lime salts are removed by the thick juice filters It was found that with input values of an average of 155 mg of CaO per 100deg Bx approximately 25 mg on 100deg Bx can be eliminated from the thick juice by precipitation and filtration This is a much higher value than the decrease of lime salt during evaporation without thin juice softening This eliminated lime salt content decreases the quantity of the nonsugar substances in the juice and has thus a positive influence on the resultant molasses quantity In any case the BMA Gryllus deliming process avoids an increase of the molasses output by alkali concentrashytion in the juices

As no water is added during the whole deliming process the evaporator station does not -have to cope with additional evaporation

In his report made before the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists on the occasion of the meeting in Minshy

VOL 16 No4middot JANCARY 1971 287

neapolis in 1966 Muller3 gave a companson of costs on the basis of the experiences gained in Eaton sugar factory for delimshying by means of ion exchangers and boilingout with addition of soda (Table 4)

Table 4-Cost o[ conventional d eliming

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing Item deliming without deliming

Boil out steam and Jabor Boil out chemicals Soda process Sal t regene ration Resins 10 per )ea1 Operating Jabor Sugar loss 02 lbsft resin Evaporation dilution vater

04 02 03 18 05 07 03 04

08 05 11

Investment Subtotal 10-year amorti za tion

46 40

24

G)and total 86

The costs for conventional deliming are even higher than those for soda addition and boilout it must however be conshysidered that - as stated in Mullers paper - the thin juice hardness was only approximately 007 CaO 100deg Bx (ie below 10 dB (German hardness) or 200 ppm CaC03 ) As already explained in the beginning at such a low lime salt content in the thin juice it is doubtful whether deliming is economical at all Ieverthe1ess this is an attempt of a comparison of costs as stated by YIullcr and as incurred by the BMA Gryllus process (Table 5)

Table 5-Cost of BlIfA Gryllus dcliming versus conventional system

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing without BMA Gryllus

Item deJiming (2) deliming (2) process

Boil out steam and labor 04 08 Boil ou t chemicals 02 05 Sod a process 03 11 Salt regeneration 18 Resins 10 per year 05 05 Operating labor 07 03 Sugar Joss 02 lbsft3 resin 03 Evaporation dilmion water 04

Subtotal 46 24 08 Investment IOmiddotyear amortization 40 20

Grand total 86 24 28

D A Mull er 14th General Meeting of ASS13T 1966 lOll exchange deliming at Ea ton factory

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630

285 VOL 16 No 4- JANUARY 1971

thick juice con tainer A rapid Brix rise during thin juice disshyplacement with thick juice results in insignificant thin juice carry-over to the sugar end (dilution)

I OCM$

II Backwa~tllng

Figure 6-Diagram of the Bi1A Gryiius deliming process

_poundter regeneration with thick juice the respective exchanger is switched again into the loading stage Then thin juice starts again to be delimed A fractional displacement of the thick juice is recommended the thick juice in the exchanger first being displaced by a med ium juice 2nd finally with the thin juice itshyself The discharged solution down to approximately 40 Bx passes to the thick juice the rest is recycled as a medium juice which is then again used for the next sweeteningoff Subsequentshyly this exchanger is available again for the normal softening procedure

According to the eHecl ot the thin juice filtration a more or less heavy accumulation of mud will gradually take place in the resin bed Depending on this filtration effect approxishymately every 10 to 30 days a single separate backwashing will become necessary This backwashing can be carried out with thin juice Herewith the backwashing medium is passed from below into both chambers of the body Part of the resin is being washed into a separate overhead backwash con tainer the remainder stays in the exchanger body Backwashing is carried on until the mud particles have been washed out of the resin

In Table 2 the results obtained in a large-scale plant are shown The average softening effect obtained of approximately 85 was considered sufficient for this case

286 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

Table 2-0perating figures obtained in a Hungaian ~ugar factory with the Gryllus process

Lime salts in the thin juice DeliJning

Operating mg CaO IOOoBx effect

period Before deIiming after delillling Sept 23-30 1066 142 86 7 Oct 1-10 841 84 900

11-20 134 3 139 897 21-31 1232 250 797

Nov 1-1 0 1563 340 783 11-20 2145 334 845

Average 1365 215 843

The periodical fluctuation of the lime salt contents in the thick juice discharged after regeneration did not influence the subsequent processing at the sugarend In Table 3 the extreme fluctuation values are shown at different stages of production

Table 3-Range of fluctuation of the lime salt content in the different products when applying the BMA Gr)lIus process

Lime salts

Product Min Max

Thin juice 108 161 T hick juice before filtration 66 270 Th ick juice from vacuum pan suppl y lank 70 201 vVhite olasseclilte 104 125

It becomes evident that the very large fluctuations of the lime salt content in the thick juice after regeneration decrease more and more so that the variations in the white massecuite are already less than in the thin juice In the first thick juice fractions the lime salt content may reach double and triple the original value of the thin juice Of course these thick juice fractions can become oversaturated solutions with regard to their lime salt content so that part of the lime salts precipitate The precipitated lime salts are removed by the thick juice filters It was found that with input values of an average of 155 mg of CaO per 100deg Bx approximately 25 mg on 100deg Bx can be eliminated from the thick juice by precipitation and filtration This is a much higher value than the decrease of lime salt during evaporation without thin juice softening This eliminated lime salt content decreases the quantity of the nonsugar substances in the juice and has thus a positive influence on the resultant molasses quantity In any case the BMA Gryllus deliming process avoids an increase of the molasses output by alkali concentrashytion in the juices

As no water is added during the whole deliming process the evaporator station does not -have to cope with additional evaporation

In his report made before the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists on the occasion of the meeting in Minshy

VOL 16 No4middot JANCARY 1971 287

neapolis in 1966 Muller3 gave a companson of costs on the basis of the experiences gained in Eaton sugar factory for delimshying by means of ion exchangers and boilingout with addition of soda (Table 4)

Table 4-Cost o[ conventional d eliming

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing Item deliming without deliming

Boil out steam and Jabor Boil out chemicals Soda process Sal t regene ration Resins 10 per )ea1 Operating Jabor Sugar loss 02 lbsft resin Evaporation dilution vater

04 02 03 18 05 07 03 04

08 05 11

Investment Subtotal 10-year amorti za tion

46 40

24

G)and total 86

The costs for conventional deliming are even higher than those for soda addition and boilout it must however be conshysidered that - as stated in Mullers paper - the thin juice hardness was only approximately 007 CaO 100deg Bx (ie below 10 dB (German hardness) or 200 ppm CaC03 ) As already explained in the beginning at such a low lime salt content in the thin juice it is doubtful whether deliming is economical at all Ieverthe1ess this is an attempt of a comparison of costs as stated by YIullcr and as incurred by the BMA Gryllus process (Table 5)

Table 5-Cost of BlIfA Gryllus dcliming versus conventional system

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing without BMA Gryllus

Item deJiming (2) deliming (2) process

Boil out steam and labor 04 08 Boil ou t chemicals 02 05 Sod a process 03 11 Salt regeneration 18 Resins 10 per year 05 05 Operating labor 07 03 Sugar Joss 02 lbsft3 resin 03 Evaporation dilmion water 04

Subtotal 46 24 08 Investment IOmiddotyear amortization 40 20

Grand total 86 24 28

D A Mull er 14th General Meeting of ASS13T 1966 lOll exchange deliming at Ea ton factory

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630

286 JOURNAL OF THE A S S B T

Table 2-0perating figures obtained in a Hungaian ~ugar factory with the Gryllus process

Lime salts in the thin juice DeliJning

Operating mg CaO IOOoBx effect

period Before deIiming after delillling Sept 23-30 1066 142 86 7 Oct 1-10 841 84 900

11-20 134 3 139 897 21-31 1232 250 797

Nov 1-1 0 1563 340 783 11-20 2145 334 845

Average 1365 215 843

The periodical fluctuation of the lime salt contents in the thick juice discharged after regeneration did not influence the subsequent processing at the sugarend In Table 3 the extreme fluctuation values are shown at different stages of production

Table 3-Range of fluctuation of the lime salt content in the different products when applying the BMA Gr)lIus process

Lime salts

Product Min Max

Thin juice 108 161 T hick juice before filtration 66 270 Th ick juice from vacuum pan suppl y lank 70 201 vVhite olasseclilte 104 125

It becomes evident that the very large fluctuations of the lime salt content in the thick juice after regeneration decrease more and more so that the variations in the white massecuite are already less than in the thin juice In the first thick juice fractions the lime salt content may reach double and triple the original value of the thin juice Of course these thick juice fractions can become oversaturated solutions with regard to their lime salt content so that part of the lime salts precipitate The precipitated lime salts are removed by the thick juice filters It was found that with input values of an average of 155 mg of CaO per 100deg Bx approximately 25 mg on 100deg Bx can be eliminated from the thick juice by precipitation and filtration This is a much higher value than the decrease of lime salt during evaporation without thin juice softening This eliminated lime salt content decreases the quantity of the nonsugar substances in the juice and has thus a positive influence on the resultant molasses quantity In any case the BMA Gryllus deliming process avoids an increase of the molasses output by alkali concentrashytion in the juices

As no water is added during the whole deliming process the evaporator station does not -have to cope with additional evaporation

In his report made before the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists on the occasion of the meeting in Minshy

VOL 16 No4middot JANCARY 1971 287

neapolis in 1966 Muller3 gave a companson of costs on the basis of the experiences gained in Eaton sugar factory for delimshying by means of ion exchangers and boilingout with addition of soda (Table 4)

Table 4-Cost o[ conventional d eliming

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing Item deliming without deliming

Boil out steam and Jabor Boil out chemicals Soda process Sal t regene ration Resins 10 per )ea1 Operating Jabor Sugar loss 02 lbsft resin Evaporation dilution vater

04 02 03 18 05 07 03 04

08 05 11

Investment Subtotal 10-year amorti za tion

46 40

24

G)and total 86

The costs for conventional deliming are even higher than those for soda addition and boilout it must however be conshysidered that - as stated in Mullers paper - the thin juice hardness was only approximately 007 CaO 100deg Bx (ie below 10 dB (German hardness) or 200 ppm CaC03 ) As already explained in the beginning at such a low lime salt content in the thin juice it is doubtful whether deliming is economical at all Ieverthe1ess this is an attempt of a comparison of costs as stated by YIullcr and as incurred by the BMA Gryllus process (Table 5)

Table 5-Cost of BlIfA Gryllus dcliming versus conventional system

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing without BMA Gryllus

Item deJiming (2) deliming (2) process

Boil out steam and labor 04 08 Boil ou t chemicals 02 05 Sod a process 03 11 Salt regeneration 18 Resins 10 per year 05 05 Operating labor 07 03 Sugar Joss 02 lbsft3 resin 03 Evaporation dilmion water 04

Subtotal 46 24 08 Investment IOmiddotyear amortization 40 20

Grand total 86 24 28

D A Mull er 14th General Meeting of ASS13T 1966 lOll exchange deliming at Ea ton factory

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630

VOL 16 No4middot JANCARY 1971 287

neapolis in 1966 Muller3 gave a companson of costs on the basis of the experiences gained in Eaton sugar factory for delimshying by means of ion exchangers and boilingout with addition of soda (Table 4)

Table 4-Cost o[ conventional d eliming

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing Item deliming without deliming

Boil out steam and Jabor Boil out chemicals Soda process Sal t regene ration Resins 10 per )ea1 Operating Jabor Sugar loss 02 lbsft resin Evaporation dilution vater

04 02 03 18 05 07 03 04

08 05 11

Investment Subtotal 10-year amorti za tion

46 40

24

G)and total 86

The costs for conventional deliming are even higher than those for soda addition and boilout it must however be conshysidered that - as stated in Mullers paper - the thin juice hardness was only approximately 007 CaO 100deg Bx (ie below 10 dB (German hardness) or 200 ppm CaC03 ) As already explained in the beginning at such a low lime salt content in the thin juice it is doubtful whether deliming is economical at all Ieverthe1ess this is an attempt of a comparison of costs as stated by YIullcr and as incurred by the BMA Gryllus process (Table 5)

Table 5-Cost of BlIfA Gryllus dcliming versus conventional system

Cents per short ton beets

Convent ion exchange Processing without BMA Gryllus

Item deJiming (2) deliming (2) process

Boil out steam and labor 04 08 Boil ou t chemicals 02 05 Sod a process 03 11 Salt regeneration 18 Resins 10 per year 05 05 Operating labor 07 03 Sugar Joss 02 lbsft3 resin 03 Evaporation dilmion water 04

Subtotal 46 24 08 Investment IOmiddotyear amortization 40 20

Grand total 86 24 28

D A Mull er 14th General Meeting of ASS13T 1966 lOll exchange deliming at Ea ton factory

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630

288 JOURNAL OF TH E A S S B T

The ony remaining operating costs arise for resin make-up and for operating labor which costs are even lower as a regenshyerating station is not necessary ror the BMA Gryll us process The mere operating costs ~ mount under the same condtions to only 08 cents per short ton of beets The investment costs are also considerably lower as compared with a conventional equipshyment since a small er range of quipment is necessary and thus even if the investment cos ts are included only a slightly higher amount is incurred as against the costs determined by Muller for the operation without any deliming at all This slight addishytional expenditlEe is doubtlessly balanced by tile considerable impr ovements in the heat economy resulting from the installation of a deliming plant

Lilrature Cited

(1) CARRUTHERS A and ]Fl OLDnELD 196J I oncnaustauscltverfahren in d e r Zucker inclustrie Zei tsch r ift fijI die Zuckerinduslrie 85-fJO

(2) LITVAK I rvl a nd L D BOBROWIIK 1961 Primenenie ionitow w ~ach a rn Jm pro iswodstwe Trudy Kiew technol in st pistsch pom W yp 24 lsd P istsh e promisd a t l ~o skwa

(3) O LEANS L P T A H ARRIS L V NORIAN and H IV KELLER l Cmiddot65 O pe ra t ion of ju ice so fte ners in a b eet sli gar facto r y ] Am Soc Sugar Bee t Techno 11(4) 296-303

RAMCNDT D 1963 Ap ikace m e nicu io ntu v cukrO arnictvi Listy Cukrova rn icke 228-232

(5) VLASAK Janel K e I7 1965 Zmekcovalli Jehke stavy a tepellle h ospoclarstvi cukrov aru Li st ) Cukrovarnicke 165-169

(6) ZAGRODZKI S and H ZAORSK A 1931 bfluenza d ella decalcificazion e c1e i sughi zu cd1erini sulle perdite di Zllcch ero ne m elasso LInshydu stria Saccari lcra ltaliana 223-229

(7) ZSIG YIOND A and E GRYLLUS 1966 N eue verfahrenstechnische Erkenntnisse b~ i c1 e r Anwenclun g von lonena ustau schern auf e inige n GebiCten d er Lehe nsmittelinclu stri e Zucke r 621-630