ChElec 501 - Sugar Engineering 2

02-Affination (Mingling/Centrifugation/Melting)
A.) Affination - Mingling with syrup
Most of the impurities in raw sugar are in thin molasses film, only minute amount are occluded
within the crystals The first step in refining isaffination or washingthe raw sugar, which
consist of removing this adhering film. Molasses has a purity of about 65, and whereas the crystal
purity is 99+.
Affination involves mingling the raw sugar with barely unsaturated syrup near 75obrix, to loossen
the molasses film. Mingling is accomplished on a mingler (a scroll-type device which has blades)
wherein the raw sugar is mixed with syrup from a previous centrifugation of raw sugar magma,
causing a thorough mixing of raw sugar & syrup.
Feeding ratio is controlled to form a magma of 8-9%. At this density, the crystals will rub against
each other causing the adhering liquor on the surface to get wetted & soften.
The syrup temperature is maintained at 60-66oC prior to mixing
The mingler discharges the magma into a receiver/mixer for feeding into centrifuges.

B.) Affination - centrifugal station

The mixture is then purged in centrifugals, then washed with hot or cold water, or high purity
sweet water, after the syrup had been spun-off. The optimal temperature is 43oC (according to
Lyle). Operational adjusments are often made at the affination station to accommodate the quality
of the raw sugar.
Modern affination centrifugals are automatic (loading, purging, washing, & discharge) and
operate at high speeds (1100-1200 rpm), at cycles of less than 3 minutes, using 9-11 kg wash
water or sweet water at 80oC per charge. The amount of washwater or sweetwater determine the
degree of impurities removal. Underwashing leaves impurities on the crystals, and overwashing
diminishes the yield. Affination process is ideal for computer operation. Control parameters must
balance the degree of the desired decolorization against the target recovery at the remelt
station.
When the rawhouse is attached or integrated with the refinery, the raw sugar maybe washed more
heavily at the rawhouse centrifugals so the the refinery can operate without the affination
station.
The core of raw sugar is crystal is high purity (99.6-99.8) and the surface is covered with
partially dried liquor with purity 45-75% sucrose (depending on country of origin).
During the past 30 years, improvements in the raw sugar producers process capability have
increase the Pol of raw sugar from an average of 97.5 in 1960, to 98.3-98.3 in 1990.
This resulted to an accompanying increase in the purity of the affination syrup from
approximately purity of 80 to 82-84.
The mixers to feed the machines is usually opearted at full level to keep a constant head while
loading the centrifugals. Under this condition, there is less tendency for the machine to get
unbalanced while loading. This will give fewer fewer mechanical problems.
Centrifugal basket and screen
Basket walls are perforated
Either a stab liner or a 5-mesh woven screen wire (brass or stainless) is used as backing wire.
However, stab liner has the tendency to flatten and block the syrup from draining from the
basket. The present practice is the use of the 5-mesh screen with 8-mesh stainless steel
screen; and over this is a slotted brass sieve (BS-19 designation).
Some baskets are supprted by reinforment rings. These should be checked for thickness and
cracks every two years.
Centrifugal wash
In affination centrifugals, 1st and 2nd washes are generally used, and done by 2 methods:
> Method 1
o The 1st wash is not applied before the sugar wall is exposed, If the wash is applied
before the wall is exposed, poor washing will occur, or there is the possibility that
the wash will ride on the sugar wall. Either the wash will penetrate the wall at one
point, creating an imbalance on the machine; or the rpm of the wash on the wall
surface will be actually greater than the basket speed causing also a machine
imbalance.
> Method 2
o The 1st wash is applied as soon as possible after the charging gate is closed (usually
1-4 sec after the gat is closed) The wash will intermingle with the affination syrup,
reducing its viscosityand causing faster purge rate.
> o The 2nd wash is applied after the sugar wall is exposed.
Both methods will yield washed raw sugar of the same color, however after experience for
many years; the second method is preferred:
> Themethod 1takes longer time to purge the affination syrup to obtain a clear sugar wall

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 for the application of the 1st wash than it will take to have a clear sugar wall with the
for the application of the 2nd wash when themethod 2is used.
> Method 1 quantity of 1st wash & the 2nd wash are almost equal. Longer cycle time time
up to the application for of 2nd wash.
> Method 2 quantity of 1st wash is 20-30% only of the 2nd wash. This method is also
easier to control with changing quality of raw sugar.

C.) Dissolving/melting the washed sugar

The washed sugar is dissolved about half its weight of water in a melter, a mixing tank supplied with
steam. High purity sweetwater from the other refinery stations are used in melting, but it is
obviously a bad practice to contaminate the melted liquor with with sweetwater lower in purity than
the washed raw itself.

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