Information

40/2002

Design and construction

of plants,

machinery and

equipment for the

sugar industry,

starch industry,

chemical industry

and food industry

Environmental engineering

Drying
 Preface

Dear Readers,

Permit us to cast a brief glance back at last year and an optimistic view to the future:

After several years of decline in your orders and consequently in our activities, last year eventually
scored a noticeable increase in turnover. Considering the rather rigid market segment we are working
in, this certainly is an improvement in our position in this market. We thank you for the trust you have
put in our company and are grateful for your continued support.

The restructuring measures we launched in our company last year are being supported, and even
refined and perfected, by all our employees. BMA’s full know-how is now available for each and every
task and to each and every person. Additional intensive talks and discussions shall now convey and
impart these positive effects to our “old” and our new partners in the whole world.

Several weeks ago, we started to ask your opinion on the quality of our services and products.
The BMA management requests your eager participation in this campaign, which we would
like to be a permanent one. Give us your opinion! Your satisfaction and your benefit from our
labours always come first. We have the firm intention to become even quicker and better
in many respects.

We expect that this issue of BMA Information, in its 40th year, will again attract great
attention worldwide, and as usual it covers the previous year’s technical highlights and
most interesting events at BMA.

We would be delighted if this new forward motion will contribute to maintaining your
highly esteemed interest in our company.

Yours sincerely,

Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt AG

Dr. Rolf Mayer Frank Lohrer

 BMA, SUGAR-Division

12 Fluidized-bed steam dryer for pressed pulp

15 BMA modernizes Moroccan beet raw sugar factory

16 Countercurrent cossette mixer upstream of horizontal extractor

7 Expansion of press station at Munzel sugar factory

8 Crystallization? Benefit from BMA’s know-how

11 Vertical cooling crystallizers

12 Vacuum pans and centrifugals for Russia

13 BMA batch centrifugals of the B-series

14 New 2nd-white sugar drying and cooling plant at Ochsenfurt

16 Fluidized-bed sugar cooler for Monitor Sugar

BMA, STARCOSA-Division

18 Jet extractor for the wheat starch industry

18 Plant for the production of crystalline fructose

19 New dextrose monohydrate plant for Pure Chem, Thailand

BMA, TAG DRYER-Division

20 SBS-dryer in Meppel

22 Prilling tower for plastic additives

22 Potato flakes dried on TAG drum dryers

22 Preserving sugar production process

BMA, Nederland

23 Process optimization by problem analysis

24 news & personalities

1
Fluidized-bed steam dryer for
pressed beet pulp
By tradition, Braunschweigische Maschi-
nenbauanstalt AG are manufacturers and
suppliers of plants, machinery and equip-
ment for industrial-scale processing of re-
newable raw materials, and one essential
item in BMA‘s line of supplies and services
is the drying technology, which is found
in BMA machines in a large range of ap-
plications and principles. BMA dryers are
available for the sugar and starch industries
and the food industry in general and for
the production of aromas and chemical
products.
In March 2001 BMA acquired an exclu-
sive worldwide licence covering the manu-
facture and sale of a high-capacity fluidized-
bed steam dryer for the sugar industry.
Of this type of dryer, which Niro A/S had
hitherto been selling to the sugar industry
as well, 12 units are installed at European
and US sugar factories.
Only a few months after the know-how
had been taken over, BMA received an
order from Nordzucker AG, Braunschweig,
Germany, for the supply of a fluidized-bed
steam dryer (FSD) for pressed sugar beet
pulp, which will go on stream at the Uelzen
sugar factory in the 2002 campaign. In
Nordzucker AG, BMA won the support of
a customer, together with whom, and on
the strength of an excellent partnership
relation and certainly due to the closeness
Steam dryer of size 10 at of the factory sites, BMA has over many
years been able to realize a great number
Klein Wanzleben of innovative and successful reference pro-
jects.
SUGAR-Division
This dryer, which is presently being manu-
factured at BMA‘s shops, has been subject-
ed to progressive development in several
respects. This refers, in particular, to its
drying capacity which at a water evaporation
of 50 t/h in the new size 12 unit is 25%
higher than that of previous plants.
As compared with conventional high-
temperature pulp dryers, the fluidized-bed
steam drying technology has the essential
advantage that more than 90% of the
energy introduced can be recovered, which
means a substantially reduced environ-
mental impact.
Technologically, the drying plant has the
following components:
Fluidized bed with product inlet and
outlet
Cyclone dust separator
Heat exchanger to superheat the circula-
tion steam by means of heating steam
Fan with drive
Distribution plate to distribute the circu-
lation steam in the cellular fluidizing
bed.
Details of the fluidized-
bed steam dryer
2
 Balance of fluidized-bed
steam dryer of size 12
Water evaporation 50,000 kg/h
Steam
70,710 kg/h
Heating steam
70,110 kg/h
26 bar abs.
231 °C
Ejector steam
600 kg/h
26 bar abs.
231 °C
Pressed pulp
75,000 kg/h
30 % DS
50 °C
Fan power required
1,062 kW
In the BMA fluidized-bed steam dryer,
these components are extremely compact.
In addition to the energy that the heat ex-
changer transfers to the circulation steam,
further energy is transferred into the bed
via heating panels. This direct contact of
the pressed pulp with the heating panels
provides for most efficient heat transfer.
The bed of fluidized pressed beet pulp
forms in an annular space surrounding
the central heat exchanger. The stream of
circulation steam required for this purpose
is generated by a fan arranged below the
heat exchanger.
Benefits
Vapour
50,600 kg/h
3.8 bar abs
Condensate
70,110 kg/h
Dried pulp
25,000 kg/h
90 % DS
The diagram shown above is a typical
balance of a size 12 fluidized-bed steam
dryer operating at an absolute heating
steam pressure of 26 bar. At a water evap-
oration of 50 t/h, the dryer can therefore
process 75 t/h of pressed pulp containing
30% dry substance into dry pulp containing
90% dry substance.
BMA‘s progressive development of
the dryer is focussed, in the first place,
on improving its availability during the
campaign. Essential modifications, besides
other design details, are:
Most energy-saving method of pulp
drying
Water evaporation up to 50 t/h
Use of standard motors for the fan
wheel
Optimized flow pattern
BMA can provide every pulp drying
technology
Fan drive and bearing modifications
allowing the use of a standard motor
and permitting motor repairs without
the need to open the dryer
New diameter/height ratio optimizing
the fan rotor for the operating point
Most advanced numerical computation
methods to improve the degree of fluidi-
zation required for pressed pulp drying
Design and size of inlet and outlet locks,
based on the proved operating principle,
adapted to the size 12 dryer to cope with
the higher pulp throughput
 SUGAR-Division

Two feeder screw conveyors to supply Fluidized-bed steam drying, in addition

the pressed pulp into the first bed cell to high-temperature and low-temperature
to reduce the danger of choking in this drying, now enables BMA to offer a com-
area. plete range of new and conventional press-
ed pulp drying technologies. For the custom-
A size 12 fluidized-bed steam dryer can er this opens up the possibility to choose
process all the pressed pulp resulting from one technology and the associated equip-
a beet slice rate of 10,000 t/d into dry pulp. ment from this range and to have it optimally
For smaller drying capacities BMA can adapted to his specific requirements such
supply sizes 8 and 10, the design of which as the sugar factory‘s processing rate or
has also been optimized. The diagram below energy balance. BMA is the customer‘s
shows the water evaporation capacities competent partner in providing advisory
of the different dryer sizes subject to the services to elaborate an economically and
heating steam pressure. technically perfected solution.
This new product and the order placed Dr. Lothar Krell
for it will both challenge and stabilize BMA‘s
highly qualified technological and technical
capabilities. Considering the great interest,
worldwide, in the fluidized-bed drying
technology for pressed pulp, it is of great
importance that BMA has the certification
for manufacture according to AD Code
of Practice HP 0 and to ASME with „U“
stamp for pressure vessels, and is thus
qualified for the realization of complete
FSD projects.
Water evaporation (t/h)

55
50 Size 12

45
Size 10
40
Water evaporation vs.
35
heating steam pressure 30
Size 8
25
20
15

14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28

Heating steam pressure, absolute (bar)

4
BMA modernizes Moroccan beet
raw sugar factory

In the spring of 2001, BMA was awarded an

order from Cosumar, Compagnie Sucriere
Marocaine et de Raffinage S.A., Morocco,
for conversion of the Sidi Bennour beet
sugar factory to the production of white
sugar. The order covers the supply of the
complete white sugar station, as well as
equipment required for modernization of
the existing raw-sugar, low-raw sugar and
evaporator stations.
BMA will supply the following equip-
ment:
one vertical 4-chamber vacuum pan for
continuous production of 2nd-white
sugar massecuite
one batch pan for the production of
seed magma
three batch centrifugals for 2nd-white
massecuite, for 1,750 kg/charge each
one fluidized-bed dryer/cooler for
2nd-white sugar, plus ancillary equip-
ment such as filters and conveyors
two continuous centrifugals of type
K 2300 M for raw and low-raw masse-
cuite
one vertical 3-chamber vacuum pan
for continuous production of low-raw
massecuite
one vertical cooling crystallizer, equipped
with oscillating cooling tubes, for low-raw
massecuite
one falling-film evaporator providing
3,000 m² heating surface
various mixers, pumps, heat exchangers,
tanks and ancillary equipment
Benefits
Engineering and equipment from one
single source
Optimized energy economy
Short construction time
Integration of locally manufactured
equipment
The time between the day the contract
was signed in May 2001 and the sched-
uled commissioning at the end of April
2002 left less than 12 months for engi-
neering, manufacture of the equipment A contract is signed by
and assembly/erection. This is an extreme-
ly short time for a project of this size. Co- Carl-Gerrit Deilmann, Mohamed Lazaar
sumar‘s and BMA‘s project teams were
and Mohamed Jawad Khattabi
constantly exchanging planning documents
via the Internet, thus enabling the partners (from left)
on the other side to continue their work
without delays.
Part of the equipment was fabricated by
Moroccan companies under the supervision
of BMA. The equipment supplied by BMA is
assembled and erected in conformity with
the schedule established by the customer
and BMA, and this work is supervised by
BMA personnel.
After numerous orders for centrifugals
and massecuite pumps, BMA now has
been awarded a contract for a major project
in Morocco.
Steffen Kaufmann / Bernd Stolte

The contract also covers extensive design

and engineering work for incorporation
of the new equipment into the existing
factory.
Another task, in addition to the con-
version to white sugar production, is to
improve the energy economy of the factory.
The ambitious goal is not to allow the
factory‘s steam consumption for white
sugar production to rise beyond that for
raw sugar production.
During erection

5
BMA countercurrent cossette mixer
upstream of horizontal extractor
Circulation juice 350 - 450% o.b.
Cossettes
Defoamed juice
Gas
Raw
juice
For the 2001 campaign, another BMA
countercurrent cossette mixer installed
upstream of an RT drum extraction plant
has successfully been commissioned at
the Coruche sugar factory of Sociedade
de Desenvolvimento Agro-Industrial S.A.
(DAI), Portugal. The design capacity of the
mixer is 6,000 t/d.
This combination of a countercurrent
cossette mixer and an RT extractor fits into
quite a number of plants, which have been
built and employed worldwide since 1980
in different sizes. Since 1980, BMA has
supplied and commissioned a total of 15
such countercurrent cossette mixers to
Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy and Spain.
The 16th plant for the Linares sugar factory
of Azucareras Reunidas de Jaen S. A.,
Spain, is under construction and will be
shipped in the second quarter of 2002.
SUGAR-Division
Installation of the
cossette mixer
Press water
Fresh water
80% o.b.
Optimization
of the horizontal
extractor
Wet pulp
Apart from the fact that it substantially
improves the overall energy balance by
the production of „cold“ raw juice, a coun-
tercurrent cossette mixer installed upstream
of a horizontal extraction unit has the ad-
ditional effect that the thermal preparation
of the cossettes is much better at the time
they enter the extraction drum. This extends
the extraction length proper, which in turn
means less raw juice draught at the same
extraction losses or reduced losses at the
same draught.
BMA received the order for Coruche/
Portugal, in November 2000. The plant was
shipped on schedule in April 2001 and, after
smooth assembly and installation, went
on stream in July 2001 in due time for the
campaign. Günter Pohner
Benefits
Reduced energy consumption by cold
raw juice
Reduced extraction losses
6
Expansion of press station at
Munzel sugar factory

The HP 4000 L pulp press installed at

The presses of
1993 and 2001
Nordzucker AG, Germany, has awarded
BMA another order for the supply of a ver-
tical pulp press of type HP 4000 L for their
Munzel sugar factory.
The excellent experience they have
gathered from the HP 4000 press installed
in 1993 and operating since then without
any trouble, has certainly contributed much
to their decision to employ another BMA
pulp press, which has persistently been
improved over a period of almost 10 years.
Now the prototype supplied in 1993 stands
beside the latest model of this successful
series. In the 2001 campaign, no short-time
or even long-time press failures have been
reported.
In some respects, the design of the
press, i.e. the spindle contour, the shape
Benefits
Munzel for the 2001 campaign is basically
High throughputs
identical with the one that went into oper-
High dry substance content >32%
ation in 2000 at Südzucker AG‘s Ochsen-
Extremely reliable
furt sugar factory (see BMA Information
Minimum maintenance and repair
39/2001), though the screen surfaces have
costs
again been improved.
After on-schedule installation of the press
for the 2001 campaign, it went through a
successful performance test and has han-
dled an average pressed pulp throughput
of 31.5 t/h for a final dry substance content
of some 32% (see diagram).
The new BMA HP 4000 L pulp press Technical data of HP 4000 L pulp press
installed at the Munzel factory is the final Drive power installed 10 x 55 kW
link in the pressing process chain; its Overall height* approx. 19,400 mm
throughput can be conformed to the wet Length of spindle 13,900 mm
pulp produced as and when required. This Outside diameter 5,000 mm
expansion of the pressing station now is a Dia. of screen basket 4,000 mm
great thermal relief to the pulp drying plant, Nominal torque 10,600,000 Nm
as the pressed pulp supplied to the dryer Operating torque 8,600,000 Nm
has a higher dry substance content.
Rüdiger Hille / Timm Ibs * incl. pressed pulp hopper
HP 4000 L
performance test
Pressed pulp (t/h)

34
of the screen surface, the drive concept
33
and some other components, have been
32
decisively improved over the previous
31
model, which means a great advance in
30
terms of technological results. In addition,
many details have been improved with a 29

view to minimizing maintenance costs and 28

requirements. When the campaign is over, 27
nothing has to be done for many years than 26
just clean the press. To date, this standard 31,0 31,5 32,0 32,5 33,0
BMA has achieved is unequalled.
Pressed pulp (% DS)

Meas. values Performance curve Avg. performance

7
Crystallization? Benefit from
BMA’s know-how!
Crystallization is the essential technological
step in the production of crystal sugar to
recover the sucrose dissolved in the thick
juice. Over the past 20 years, BMA has
intensively dealt with the technical and
technological development and advance-
ment of crystallization equipment and
methods and set itself the following goals:
Provision of equipment which can cope
with today‘s demands on industrial-scale
production of foodstuffs
Flexible and modular design of compo-
nents, allowing to offer individually
and optimally composed crystallization
equipment and plants on a fast and
competitive basis
Development of equipment for high
sugar yields and for the production of
high-quality sugar
SUGAR-Division
Automation of the crystallization process
and of the other process steps involved
Largely continuous operation of the crys-
tallization process
Reduction of primary energy consump-
tion
Minimization of maintenance and repair
costs.
The core item of the crystallization equip-
ment BMA has on offer is the vacuum pan
equipped with a stirrer and designed for
internal circulation (see drawing). This pan,
which from a technological point of view is
an ideal stirring vessel, has won through in
the world‘s cane and beet sugar industry
for the crystallization of sugar. The fact that
many, even older, vacuum pans are now
being retro-fitted with stirrers emphasizes
the great importance of mechanically as-
sisted circulation in sugar crystallization.
The double-conical bottom, by its stream-
lined design, contributes to better circulation
of the massecuite and at the same time
provides a small starting volume. A special
calandria manufacturing technique allows
the provision of more heating surface per
square meter of tube plate than conven-
tional techniques. In addition, this goes
along with a considerable reduction of in-
crustations in the continuous process.
Optimized steam flow in the calandria
and forced dissipation of non-condensible
gases provide for constantly efficient oper-
ation of the pan. The vapour chest is equip-
ped with an integrated entrainment sepa-
rator, which stands out for its excellent
efficiency.
The calandria, i.e. tube plates, heating
tubes, downtake and baffles, can be made
in mild steel or stainless steel, subject to
the product involved and the customer‘s
requirements. The other components of the
pan can be in mild steel, stainless-steel clad
mild steel or solid stainless steel.
8
Stand-alone units of this BMA vacuum
pan are employed for the production of
seed and for batch crystallization of all
massecuites in the beet and cane sugar
industry.
BMA‘s vertical continuous vacuum pan
normally consists of four or five series-
connected units or chambers of the above-
outlined design. Chamber-wise composition
of the continuous pan allows the layout
to be conformed to local conditions. The
chambers can be placed one on top of the
other (VKT) or side by side (VKH). It is even
possible to place two chambers on top of
another two.
Simple setpoint control systems allow
individual adjustment of the crystallization
conditions in each chamber.
9
For cleaning purposes, one VKT or VKH
chamber is disconnected from the process,
while crystallization goes on in the other
chambers. By raising the massecuite level
and by increasing the heating steam pres-
sure in the three or four remaining chambers
it is possible to maintain the throughput at
almost the same rate. Numerous measures
have been taken to extend the intervals
between chamber cleaning cycles.
The biggest vertical continuous vacuum
pan BMA built so far can produce 175 t/h of
2nd-white sugar massecuite.
Every continuous vacuum pan is design-
ed for retrofitting a fifth chamber, permitting
easy increase in throughput at a later date.
Benefits
Energetically and technologically opti-
mized designs
Reduced energy requirements
Largely continuous operation
High sugar yield
Large range
The two upper
chambers of a VKT
Optimized
vacuum pan

A low massecuite level and forced circu-
lation of the massecuite by stirrers allows
operation at very small temperature differ-
ences between heating steam and mas-
secuite, which means reduction of primary
energy consumption and production of mas-
secuites with a high crystal or dry sub-
stance content. A particularly energy-saving
technology is BMA‘s double-effect pan
boiling process, where the pan vapours
from B- and C-massecuite crystallization
are used for heating purposes in white-
sugar crystallization. (For details, see BMA
Information 33/1995 and 34/1996.)
BMA‘s continuous vacuum pans are suc-
cessfully employed in all crystallization
stages in the cane and beet sugar indu-
stry.
The new VKH cascade
at Frauenfeld
In 2001, BMA supplied:
One 5-chamber VKT for 2nd-white sugar
to Union-Zucker Südhannover GmbH,
Nordstemmen. (Apart from this VKT,
Nordstemmen‘s crystallization station
presently has a continuous VKH for raw-
sugar massecuite, a VKT for low-raw
massecuite, and batch pans for 1st-white
massecuite.)
One 4-chamber VKH for raw-sugar mas-
secuite and one pan for 2nd-seed mag-
ma for the Frauenfeld factory of Zuckerfa-
briken Aarberg / Frauenfeld, Switzerland
(since 2000, Frauenfeld already has a
low-raw massecuite VKT).
One 2nd-white VKT and associated 2nd-
seed batch pan, for the Doukkala factory
of Compagnie Sucrière Marocaine et de
SUGAR-Division
Raffinage S.A., Morocco. (These pans
were supplied in connection with an or-
der BMA received for conversion of the
Doukkala factory from the production
of raw sugar to the production of 2nd-
white sugar.)
Besides batch pans and continuous pans,
BMA’s range also includes discontinuous
cooling crystallizers for the production of
low-aggregate 1st-seed magma, efficient
cooling crystallizers for low-raw massecuite,
and many other items of equipment for the
crystallization of sugar.
BMA’s extensive and flexible supply line
helps solve many crystallization problems.
Heinrich Hartmann
Vertical cooling crystallizers

Vertical cooling crystallizers equipped with

oscillating cooling elements (VCC) are win-
ning more and more recognition in the
world. In the course of the past 18 months,
BMA commissioned, or received orders
for, the following VCCs:
This great demand is another indication
of the outstanding advantages of the VCC
technology. The special design of the mas-
secuite distributor and the optimized mas-
secuite discharge provide for an excellent
residence time spectrum. Together with uni-
form and gentle cooling, it is possible to
obtain very high crystal contents and, con-
sequently, to substantially reduce the mo-
lasses purity. At the San Nicolas sugar
factory in Mexico, for example, the reduction
in molasses purity was approx. 4% on a
yearly average. Subject to the duration
of the campaign and the molasses purity
difference, the capital the factory invested
will soon pay off by the higher sugar yield.
As the VCC allows cooling of the low-raw
massecuite down to 40 °C, its viscosity
must then be reduced again considerably
for smooth conveyance and centrifuging.
The ideal means to this end is the BMA
molasses/massecuite mingler which is fed
with almost saturated heated molasses;
Benefits
Distinctly reduced molasses purity
Reduced incrustations due to moving
cooling tubes /self-cleaning effect
Controlled massecuite viscosity due
to molasses/massecuite mingler
Quick return on investment
Vertical cooling
almost no damage of crystals and melting
of sugar. The current of the molasses/mas- crystallizer ...
secuite mingler stirrer is used to control
the quantity of molasses to be added, thus
preparing the massecuite in an optimum
manner for separation in the centrifugals.
A molasses/massecuite mingler therefore
dispenses with a heating zone in the VCC.
A detailed description of the VCC system
providing features and advantages can also
be found in BMA Information 35/1997 and
37/1999 and especially in BMA’s “Crystal-
lization plants” brochure. By the way: You
can download this brochure from our home-
page at www.bma-de.com / Brochures.
Jörg Schmidt /
Steffen Kaufmann

... and molasses/

massecuite mingler

in Japan

Factory Country Volume Cane/beet

San Nicolas Mexico 330 t cane
Risaralda Colombia 330 t cane
Olmedo Spain 981 t beet
Nitten Memuro Japan 243 t beet
Sidi Bennour Morocco 330 t beet
Elsdorf Germany 612 t beet
Konya Turkey 712 t beet
Frauenfeld Switzerland 510 t beet
Savannah USA 330 t cane
Liepaja Latvia 330 t beet
Marijampole Lithuania 330 t beet

11
 Vacuum pans and centrifugals
for Russia
In late 1999, BMA received an order from
the Wyselki sugar factory, Russia, for re-
construction of its white-sugar station.
Wyselki is among the 16 most successful
factories in the Krasnodar area, which es-
sentially contributes to Russia‘s supply with
sugar. BMA has excellent references in this
Licence for the area: Close by there is the Timaschewsk
sugar factory which BMA built more than 30
manufacture of
years ago and which still is the biggest and
most productive factory in the Krasnodar
vacuum pans
district.
The essential items of the contract were
four new vacuum pans for 60 tons each, the
associated condenser, and four white-sugar
Benefits
centrifugals of type B 1300. At the cus-
Pans complete in stainless steel
tomer‘s request, the vacuum pans are in
Extremely short erection
stainless steel throughout, and for the very
GOST certification
first time in this area, pans of this size
Less energy consumption and higher
have been equipped with forced-circulation
sugar quality
systems. The white-sugar centrifugals are
the first machines of the new B-series ever
supplied to Russia
In addition to technical and technological
requirements, the reconstruction of the
white sugar station meant considerable
organizational and logistical challenges
to the parties involved. Things were so
difficult because the factory operates a
3-month beet campaign plus a 6 to 7-month
cane raw sugar processing campaign. As a
result, there were only about 6 weeks left
The vacuum pan under
construction at
BMA’s shops
SUGAR-Division
for demolition of the old and installation
of the new equipment. For this reason it
had been agreed that BMA would manu-
facture the vacuum pans as complete units
and deliver them to the site by sea; the
centrifugals were simultaneously carried
there by land.
It should be emphasized that for manu-
facture of these pans and centrifugals in
accordance with the import regulations of
the Russian Federation and the regulations
for pressure vessels, BMA had to be cer-
tified first in conformity with current GOST
standards. The permit for operation of the
pan, which had to be issued by the local
inspection authorities, was obtained by
close co-operation between the factory
and BMA. The concerted efforts of all
those involved made sure that installation
was completed on schedule and the new
equipment could be optimized for beet
processing during a short raw sugar cam-
paign. The customer completed the station
with an automatic boiling process system
and a new strike receiver manufactured
according to BMA specifications. As early
as after the first campaign it was proved
that the new equipment has a great positive
influence on both the factory‘s energy
consumption and the sugar quality.
Harald Veleta
BMA batch centrifugals of the B-series
Since the time they were successfully
launched, more than 115 BMA centrifugals
of the B-series went into operation at sugar
factories worldwide, e.g. in Austria, China,
Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Italy,
Mexico, South Africa and the USA. These
machines have proved a success under
most different conditions and have oper-
ated for several years to the customers’
full satisfaction. Many customers placed
follow-up orders for centrifugals of this
series.
The B-series, designed for 1,100 kg,
1,300 kg, 1,500 kg, 1,750 kg, 1,900 kg
and 2,200 kg of massecuite, fulfills the
customers’ each and every wish, from small
to big machines. It incorporates quite a
number of innovative solutions and designs.
Previous issues of BMA Information
(37/1999, 38/2000 and 39/2001) provided
detailed reports and information of advanced
components such as the basket, bearing
system, screens used, discharger, syrup
separator, control hardware and software,
operator panel, and centrifugal drive.
13
High-lights are:
Product-contacted parts of the centri-
fugal housing in stainless steel as
standard
Novel discharger design, drastically re-
ducing the discharging time and allowing
more cycles per hour, without the need
for a more powerful drive
New syrup separator integrated in the
centrifugal for optimum separation of
the syrup and, consequently, reduced
recirculation of colour and nonsugars
in the wash syrup, and for adjustment
of the required green syrup purity,
which results in a distinctly reduced
massecuite quantity in the following
crystallization stage.
In addition, BMA offers several options
for both the mechanical and the electrical
equipment, e.g. the innovative BMA drive
system. A team of specialists is conti-
nuously occupied with the progressive
development of these components, so
that the customers can be served from
one single source. For those customers
who, due to their local markets and to
electrical equipment already installed
in their factories, give preference to a
certain brand, BMA can offer appropriate
customized solutions.
Left: Centrifugals at
Laredo/Peru;
right: at Pongola/South Africa
Benefits
Stainless steel as standard
Extremely short discharge time
Integrated syrup separator
Very high efficiency
Progressive development
Systematic standardization of most centri-
fugal assemblies to reduce the number
of parts involved, use of more standard
parts, and utilization of advanced production
planning software (PPS) provide for smooth
manufacturing sequences and shorter de-
liveries. The centrifugals are designed and
constructed in compliance with the world’s
most stringent safety regulations so as to
ensure utmost reliability in operation. All in
all, this reliability, the high efficiency and
the low maintenance requirements of BMA
centrifugals mean that capital expenditure
and operating costs result in an extraordi-
narily small sum.
Enquiries for spare parts can now be
made via the Internet: Just go to www.bma-
de.com / Service / Spare parts.
The services as outlined above clearly
indicate BMA’s position as the world’s
leading developers and manufacturers of
batch and continuous centrifugals.
Dr. Mohsen Makina
New 2nd-white sugar drying and
cooling plant at Ochsenfurt
The Ochsenfurt factory of Südzucker AG,
Germany, had been faced with the neces-
sity to replace its 2nd-white sugar drying
and cooling plant and at the end of the
2000 campaign, BMA received an order to
supply and erect a new plant. In view of
the awkward layout inside the building, the
customer decided in favour of a plant which
consists of a drum dryer combined with a
fluidized-bed dryer arranged underneath.
BMA’s supplies covered:
Wet-sugar feeder screw conveyor
Cocurrent drum dryer for a sugar through-
put of 80 t/h
Fluidized-bed cooler, including input-end
and output-end rotary air locks
Heat exchanger for ingoing air
Filter of class F7/G7 for ingoing air
Pipelines for ingoing air
Fans with silencers for ingoing and out-
going air
Setting up the equipment in the building
in cramped conditions and with difficult
accessibility was not an easy task and re-
quired special measures: No cranes could
be used to move the dryer and the fluidized-
bed cooler to their final location in the buil-
ding.
As ordered, the drying and cooling plant
was commissioned in time for the 2001
campaign, and throughout the campaign
the BMA components operated without
any trouble. The figures guaranteed for the
plant were successfully proved during a
2-day performance test.
Lifting blades are the only internal com-
ponents of the dryer drum. The dryer always
produced a residual sugar moisture well
below 0.03%. The drum is driven via a gear-
box and a ring gear welded to the drum.
Sturdy riding rings, together with a rigid
support structure, make sure that the drum
operates very smoothly. Exactly adjusted
trunnions provide for a long service life
and low wear.
The cooler reliably fluidizes the sugar
above the specifically designed screen
bottom, and the intense contact of the cool-
ing air with the sugar results in excellent
cooling. The height of the fluidized-bed is
determined by the discharge weir. Any
lumps of sugar which might form during the
drying process can be removed from time
to time by opening it manually.
SUGAR-Division
The control system of the plant comprises
five special matching control circuits for:
ingoing-air temperature; aspirated air
dried in a condensate-heated preheater
exhaust-air temperature, dried in the
cooling-air heaters
sugar temperature at the cooler outlet
by the cooling-air preheaters
vacuum in the dryer drum generated by
the axial ingoing-air fan
bed fluidization pressure by the cooler
exhaust air fan.
The well-tried concept of a drum dryer and
fluidized-bed cooler combination has again
proved a great success - even in very cramp-
ed conditions.
Dr. Andreas Lehnberger
Benefits
Smooth rotation of drum
Minimized wear
Proved drum-dryer / fluidized-bed
cooler combination
Transport and ...
 ... completion of the

drum dryer

15
Fluidized-bed sugar cooler
for Monitor Sugar Co.
In 1989, BMA integrated the fluidized-bed
drying technology in its product range.
Since then, 43 units have been put into
operation worldwide. Another four units are
in the construction phase at present.
In connection with an intended increase
in capacity, maintaining the high product
quality in their existing sugar drying and
cooling plant, Monitor Sugar Co., Michigan,
USA, has entrusted BMA with the overall
planning and with modifying / supplying the
following equipment:
Modification of the existing drum dryer/
cooler (2.8 m dia x 16.5 m) to serve as
a real drum dryer
The old entrance Supply of a fluidized-bed sugar cooler
Dust separating system for the cooler
building
exhaust air
Fresh air filter and exhaust air fan
Pipeline engineering.
In connection with the new project, the
existing BMA drum dryer/cooler (built
1985) was converted into a real drum dryer.
Internal lifting facilities in the area of the
former cooling zone were updated so as
to ensure optimum drying at an increased
throughput.
Details of the
fluidized-bed cooler
SUGAR-Division
When the capacity had been increased to
a sugar throughput of 60 t/h, the residual
moisture of the sugar leaving the modified
drum dryer was still < 0.03% at a mean
crystal size of MA = 0.4 mm.
To provide for efficient cooling, a fluid-
ized-bed cooler was installed downstream
of the drum dryer. Via a specially designed
distributor plate, air passes through the
granular product to be cooled, the voids
volume in the product bed being adjusted
in such a way that the individual crystals
are fluidized and move very turbulently. The
high mixing efficiency is not achieved with
additional mechanical drives, but only by
the streaming air. When the air streams
have passed through the sugar bed, they
unite in the separating chamber of the
cooler, where entrained sugar crystals are
recovered from the exhaust air.
A specific feature of fluidization, at a
defined velocity, is the gentle treatment
of the crystals retaining their brightness
and avoiding abrasion, which in turn means
only little dust.
The fluidized-bed cooler practises the suc-
tion technology, its great advantage being
that the cooling air temperature does not
rise by increasing the pressure of a fan,
which in turn minimizes the differential tem-
perature between ambient air and cooled
sugar.
Fluidization of the sugar crystals allows
to utilize almost the full product surface
as a contact surface for the cooling air.
Hence results an intensive heat and mass
transfer for highly efficient dissipation of
the product heat. Subject to the cooling
air temperature range, the sugar is cooled
to the design temperature of 22 - 29 °C,
related to an ingoing sugar temperature
of 55 °C.
As an energy saving measure, the cooler
exhaust air - separated from dust - is re-
circulated and is then used to preheat am-
bient air to the temperature allowed for
entry into the fluidized-bed cooler. Despite
ambient air temperatures as low as -12 °C,
it is thus possible to fully dispense with
heat exchangers in the air suction route.
The two drying zones in the drum dryer are
also supplied with recirculated air from the
cooler, which is another BMA contribution
to minimization of energy requirements.
No other dryer/cooler combination yields
equally good results.
The combination we selected, i.e. a
rotary dryer and a downstream fluidized-
bed cooler, is a mechanically simple solution
which utilizes the specific technological
advantages of both the rotary dryer and
the fluidized-bed cooler. If the respective
requirements can be met, such measures
allow to increase the throughput of existing
plants by up to 1.5 times.
The plant was put into operation for the
2001 campaign under the supervision of
BMA specialists and could immediately
be integrated in the regular production
process. Carsten Klemp Benefits
Planning and realization from one
single source
High utilization of the sugar‘s intrinsic
heat
Reduced sugar cooling by countercur-
rent drying
Less consumption of heating steam
by using cooler exhaust air
Low expenditure for maintenance and
repairs
Views into the
modified drum dryer
Components for the starch industry
Jet extractor for the wheat starch
industry
After it had tested a STARCOSA 3K10 jet
extractor for one year, Manildra Group, Au-
burn, New South Wales, Australia, replaced
its existing screening station by a new
screening and washing station consisting
of five jet extractors. These jet extractors
were delivered at the end of 2001 and will
be used in the separation of fine fibres. The
particle size of these fibres separated from
the wheat starch milk is >60 µm.
These STARCOSA machines, which
reckon among the slide-screen centrifuges,
are available as jet extractors and jet re-
finers. The machines have an integrated
washing system, which means screening,
centrifuging and thorough washing with
water under pressure can proceed in one
go. This integrated washing system allows
starch milk screening and fibre extraction at
a substantially reduced water consumption.
The machine housings have no dead corners
where product can deposit and where
germs and fungi can develop. This involves
an essential advantage for the customer,
as cleaning intervals can thus be much
longer.
Novel sintered stainless-steel screens
ensure a long service life and reduce the
percentage of coarse matter in the filtrate.
The totally enclosed design meets the
requirements of highly hygienic production
and so makes hygiene management much
easier for the starch producer.
Benefits
High level of hygiene
Long screen service life
Efficient separation of fine fibres
Jet extractor
for Australia
STARCOSA-Division
Plant for the production of
crystalline fructose
In 2000, STARCOSA received an order from
Turkey for a crystallization system and a
centrifugal station for the production of
crystalline fructose. The contract covered
not only the key components, but also
technological know-how for fructose crys-
tallization, which of course is the core item
of such a plant.
The raw material used in the production
of crystalline fructose is a 95% fructose
syrup made from saccharified corn starch.
The necessary peripheral equipment was
locally fabricated by the customer himself,
on the basis of BMA engineering and in
close cooperation with BMA. Assembly and
installation of the crystallization system and
of the centrifugal station was completed
in the summer of 2001. Commissioning of
the two crystallizers and the two B 1750
centrifugals, which followed immediately
thereafter, was largely accomplished by
specialists of the Turkish customer and
therefore only required short-time assign-
ments of BMA experts.
Commissioning went so successful that
the customer, on his own accord, renounc-
ed the contractually agreed guarantee run.
Since the middle of 2001, the customer
continuously produces crystalline fructose,
which he supplies also to his factories in
West European countries for use in the
refinement of various other products.
Benefits
Integration of equipment locally ma-
nufactured according to BMA basic
engineering
Commissioning largely accom-
plished by the customer
Customer‘s quality expectations
greatly exceeded
18
Basic design
of a cooling
crystallizer
New dextrose monohydrate plant for
Pure Chem, Thailand
In 2000, Pure Chem Co., Ltd., Bangkok,
Thailand, one of STARCOSA‘s good custo-
mers since the eighties, has ordered from
STARCOSA a vertical continuously operating
cooling crystallizer to double its production
of dextrose monohydrate. The order also
covers know-how, detail engineering for a
horizontal pre-crystallizer, as well as basic
engineering for the crystallizer periphery
and measuring and control equipment.
To date, Pure Chem has been using the
previous version of the continuous STAR-
COSA crystallizer, which was a disk type
equipped with scrapers. However, the new
vertical oscillating crystallizer has also been
successfully employed in the production
of dextrose monohydrate and crystalline
fructose, and - regardless of the equipment
already installed - the customer therefore
decided in favour of the advanced version.
It is an essential advantage of the STAR-
COSA crystallizer that in spite of the ab-
sence of mechanical scrapers, it suffers
hardly any malfunctions caused by product
deposits. The multi-stage cooling system
integrated in the crystallizer allows the
operator to adjust a highly discriminating
temperature profile precisely conformed
to the product requirements - a feature no
other crystallizer can offer.
Assembly and erection of the crystal-
lization plant was supervised by STARCOSA
specialists and was professionally accom-
plished by Pure Chem‘s highly cooperative
staff within a very short time. Commission-
ing, also accompanied by STARCOSA
specialists, took place in December 2001.
The customer is most delighted that the
dextrose monohydrate crystallized in the
new plant is much coarser than that produc-
ed in the old plant. This advantage of the
STARCOSA crystallizer facilitates separation
of the mother solution and provides for
more efficient centrifugation.
Wilfried Bartsch (3)
Benefits
Precise adjustment to the customer‘s
requirements
Fast assembly and erection
Production of coarse crystals
Spray-belt dryer in Meppel
The city of Meppel, in the South West of
the Drenthe province, The Netherlands,
is the domicile of Zuivelfabriek De Kievit
bv, which was founded in 1984 and, since
1999, belongs to Friesland Coberco.
Initially, the company was in the milk
drying field, but in the past 20 years Kie-
vit has changed into one of the biggest
suppliers of dried ingredients for the food
industry.
The cornerstone of the company’s po-
sitive development always has been and
still is the conversion of innovative ideas
into new products. Among these are basic
materials for instant drinks, coffee whiten-
ers, new recipes for soups and sauces,
various fat powders for bakeries, flavourings
for chocolates and ice creams, as well as
functional food additives.
New products always call for extra de-
velopment work. The long way from the
first idea to production is characterized by
a huge number of laboratory and research
unit tests. The production of representative
samples at an industrial-scale plant such as
Kievit’s requires at least 5,000 kg of wet
matter, and the outcome of test productions
is always afflicted with uncertainty.
For the production process Kievit has
three spray-belt drying plants for water
evaporation rates between 1,500 and 2,800
kg/h. Consequently, the percentage of
non-usable dry matter can be relatively
high.
The TAG pilot spray-belt drying plant
Kievit now purchased, and successfully
commissioned, is a research-unit dryer
which requires only very small quantities of
test material and thus speeds up the devel-
opment of new products. A wet product
quantity of 150 to 200 kg is sufficient for
this pilot plant to produce representative
samples, as its temperature/time behaviour
compares to the conditions prevailing in an
industrial-scale drying plant of this type.
This was one of the weightiest argu-
ments for Kievit to purchase the plant from
TAG DRYER-Division. Another argument
was the dryer’s high flexibility. As BMA’s
own research centre in Braunschweig has a
dryer of the same type and capacity which
is available for tests and experiments, the
customer could be convinced of the plant’s
performance on the spot.
The TAG spray-belt system combines
the advantages of a spray dryer with those
of a belt dryer. The fact that the drying pro-
cess proper is divided into several separate
drying zones allows optimum adjustment
and individual control of the drying parame-
ters by separate air streams and separate
air conditioning.
Primary drying / spraying zone
A high-pressure nozzle atomizes the product
to be dried in the primary drying zone,
where most of the water is removed from
the wet product and the particle structure
begins to form. The product, which at this
point has a relatively high residual mois-
ture content, drops down on a special air-
permeable conveyor belt. This belt then
conveys the product layer into downstream
drying and cooling zones.
The drying air required for the primary
drying zone is supplied by two separate
systems, i.e. their air streams only merge
in the drying zone itself. It is possible in
TAG DRYER-Division
this way to conform both the quantity and
the temperature of the air in the product
atomization area to the requirements of
the wet product.
In the spray-belt system, the total drying
air is sucked through the product layer and
the belt and is then dissipated underneath
the belt. The product “cake” on the belt
acts as a filter, producing agglomerated
low-dust material and minimizing product
losses. Due to the small quantities of dust
produced, the total exhaust air can be
passed through a cyclone separator into
the atmosphere.
Secondary drying / cooling
Downstream of the primary zone follow
several secondary-drying and cooling zones,
which can be utilized variably, i.e. according
to requirements. The air entering these
zones is dehumidified, and its temperature
is controlled in separate heat exchangers
for each zone. Thus, the drying conditions
for each zone can be individually conformed
to the product concerned. The residence
time is adjusted by the linear speed of the
conveyor belt.
When it has passed through the cooling
zone, the belt returns to the primary drying
zone. At the point where the belt turns back,
the product comes off the belt and drops
into a screw conveyor which discharges it
from the dryer.
A scraper blade and an air blast tube
serve to remove product particles still
clinging to the belt. In addition, a washing
system integrated in the system can be
activated to wet-clean the belt during the
drying process.
Hoisting the
dryer in place
20
Delivery and installation
The pilot plant as supplied is a complete
system and was designed and pre-assem-
bled in such a way that the time for installa-
tion at site could be reduced to a minimum.
The dryer proper was shipped and hoisted
in place in the building in one piece. Subject
to the time and work required to incorporate
the dryer in upstream or downstream treat-
ment systems, installation can be complet-
ed within approx. 3 weeks.
Scope of supplies:
SBS dryer
SBS plant control system
Display and operator panel
Powder dosing and feeding system
CO2 dosing system
Steel structures
Assembly and installation
Since it is an experimental plant, the dryer
can be modified in many ways. For example,
a cooling/heating system allows to set a
defined wall temperature for the double-
walled primary drying zone. Certain process
steps can be deliberately influenced via the
control system. The spray and belt zones
can be separately controlled in terms of
both time and energy. All these features
make the system a highly flexible one.
TAG’s CO2 dosing system is designed
for 0.1 - 3 kg/h liquid CO2. The injection
of liquid CO2 into the high-pressure zone
can directly influence the properties of
the finished product. Combining the two
systems (SBS and CO2) allows addition
of a defined quantity of CO2 into the wet
product stream. Variations in wet product
21
feed during start-up and shut-down phases
are minimized by the CO 2 flow control.
Such a CO2 dosing system can easily be
retrofitted in existing dryers.
Tests and experiments are indispensable
in the development of new products, and
this involves frequent changes of the
product to be tested. An integrated CIP
(Clean In Place) system largely automates
general cleaning, and a change to another
formula can be made - even after wet
cleaning - within a very short time. The plant The research-unit dryer
was designed and constructed in conformity
with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practise) speeds up the development
standards and ensures a high standard
of hygiene, which permits the dryer to of new products
be employed even in the pharmaceutical
industry.
Dryer capacity and applications
The TAG pilot plant is suited not only for
drying tests and experiments in the devel-
opment of new products.
At a water evaporation of 50 - 70 kg/h,
the spray-belt system reaches a level which
is sufficient for the production of small
market test charges or which would justify
its employment as a production-scale dryer
for high-priced products.
Benefits
An identical system is available for tests
High plant flexibility
at BMA’s research centre in Braunschweig,
Practical tests with the customer‘s
where one can convince himself of the
product at BMA‘s research centre
possibilities and capabilities of this dryer
Low-cost production of samples and
and where tests and experiments are made
small charges
on behalf of international customers.
Shorter development periods for new
Dr. Mirko Löhn
products
CO2 dosing system can easily be re-
trofitted in existing dryers
 Components from the
TAG DRYER-Division

TAG DRYER-Division

Prilling tower for plastic additives A preserving sugar production

In the spring of 2001, TAG supplied a pril-
ling plant to Ciba Spezialitätenchemie
GmbH, Lampertheim, Germany. This plant
is employed to give plastic additives a
defined commercial shape.
For this purpose, the product melt is
atomized in the prilling tower and crystal-
lized with chilling gas. Appropriate systems
then discharge the resultant prills (beads
produced by spray crystallization) from
the tower and convey them to a packaging
plant.
TAG did all the planning and supplied the
prilling tower, cooling system, discharging
system, air supply and exhaust system
Photo: Ciba
(except the filter), and all pipelines and air
Installation of the conduits. All plant components have been
designed for an operating pressure of -100
prilling tower to +100 mbar.
The plant was successfully commission-
ed in the summer of 2001.
technology is winning through
The third plant for the production of preserv-
ing sugar, which practises the technology
developed together with Nordzucker AG
(see BMA Information 39/2001) will be
set up in Scandinavia. The plant in Kant-
vik, Finland, will supply the demand of
DANISCO/Suomen Sokeri Oy for preserving
sugar. DANISCO decided on this relatively
new technology, as they want to offer their
customers a higher quality product. The
final coating of the agglomerate produced
in the first zone of the fluidized-bed system
provides a higher resistance to abrasion
and almost completely excludes de-mixing
of its constituents. As compared to other
processes, this new technology requires
much less gelling agent. Another great
advantage is the product’s stability, even if
it should be a very long way to its end user.
Hartmut Stolte (3)

Every 3rd potato flake made in

Germany is produced on TAG
Benefits
drum dryers
Higher product quality
Besides other potato products MKV, Meck-
Distinctly reduced use of gelling
lenburger Kartoffelveredelung, Hagenow,
agent
Germany, produces potato flakes for various
purposes. The major part, in the form of
purée, goes to end users and large-scale
caterers. Over the past few years, sales
have continuously increased at high growth
rates, and in the meantime MKV’s market
share in Germany has reached 35% - not
least due to the high and constant quality
of the potato flakes produced on TAG drum
dryers.
Now, this customer’s factory has been
up for an expansion, and as if it was a
matter of course the decision was taken
in favour of the world’s biggest drum dryer
(see also BMA Information 37/1999), and
with that MKV now has a total of six TAG
drum dryers.

22
Uticon Dynatherm: Process optimization
by problem analysis
The highly reputed multidisciplinary engi-
neering company Uticon Dynatherm B.V.
(Netherlands), an affiliate of BMA AG and
part of the BMA Groep Nederland B.V.,
is making great progress in its “Energy
and Process” division. In this division the
company, which has four branches with
a total staff of 160, closely cooperates
with Solutherm B.V. (Solutions in Thermo-
dynamics).
Quite frequently, “traditional” energy
saving technologies do not suit a particular
production process. However, the projects
handled by Uticon Dynatherm and Solu-
therm often disclose why energy saving
measures are so important and why this is
the way to achieve extraordinary results the
customer would not have thought possible
before. This singular technique can be
applied to both new and existing plants and
in almost every case yields outstanding
results.
The key to success in this course of
action is a profound knowledge of produc-
tion processes, thermal processes and
product characteristics. Uticon Dynatherm
and Solutherm have combined their powers
and capacities in the “Energy and Process”
division in an effort to give their customers
optimum support and assistance.
As at Uticon Dynatherm every project
is internally discussed with specialists of
all disciplines, all possible ways and means
which could lead to process improvements
are considered - even if these should not
be covered by the original order.
A project we handled for a renowned
producer of foodstuffs shall serve as an
example to show the potencies and strong
points of Uticon Dynatherm’s “Energy and
Process” division:
23
Nederland
Due to the fact that the packing of a pro- The original order covered the installation of
duct had to be altered, this firm found it- a second production line for 1,800,000 EUR.
self compelled to subject the production However, this order could be optimized, as
process to radical modifications. The con- the new pasteurizer design, which worked
sequences were highly momentous. In out at a mere 135,000 EUR, did not only
order to maintain the product output at the come up to, but even exceeded the cus-
same level, the capacity of a pasteurizer tomer’s expectations. In addition, this so-
belt conveyor had to be increased by about lution reduced energy costs by 54,000 EUR
24%. The customer believed the only way per year and increased the original produc-
out was to install a second production line. tion capacity by 20%.
Uticon Dynatherm therefore got the order This example clearly shows the impor-
to work out a new design meeting the tant role Uticon Dynatherm’s “Energy and
following requirements: Process” division can play for a customer.
Increase the belt capacity by 24% We call that “Looking beyond the tip of
Keep within the budget of 1,800,000 one’s nose”. What we do is think with and
EUR for the benefit of our customers.
Simon Bruijnooge
Basically, this was an order many engineer-
ing offices can execute in a way that it
meets its requirements and all those con-
cerned are satisfied in the end. However,
there are only a few who would execute
this order as Uticon Dynatherm did. For
Uticon Dynatherm thinks one step further.
During a project meeting the “Energy and
Process” specialists soon found out that
the pasteurizer was the bottleneck in the
process, and they were convinced that
there were certain possibilities. So, this
pasteurizer was subjected to a thorough
functional check. And this check gave a
clear picture of how this situation was to
be optimized. Now, what was the outcome
of all this?
news & personalities
A group from DANISCO Sweetener, Xyrofin Oy, Kotka,
Finland, on a visit to Braunschweig
Modification of alcohol
rectification plant
In late 2000, STARCOSA received an order
from VLSF, Berlin, Germany, for the supply
of engineering, machinery and equipment
to modify an existing mash distillation and
rectification plant.
A new concentration column system con-
nected to the existing mash column, plus pe-
ripheral facilities, was to produce 20,000 l/d
alcohol with a strength of 95% by volume
from fermented molasses mash with 8%
alcohol by volume.
Efficient separation of aldehyde and
fusel oil and extended automation were
further parts of the order and entailed ad-
ditional supplies of measuring and control
Benefits
Engineering and equipment from one
single source
Optimum adaptation to existing plants
and buildings
Short construction time
Short commissioning phase
Automation for reduced labour force
Customer‘s quality expectations
greatly exceeded
A delegation of Sudanese
Sugar Company pays
a visit to BMA
equipment, a fusel oil separator and peri-
pheral equipment.
The machinery and equipment was ma-
nufactured at BMA‘s shops in Braunschweig
and could be delivered long before the
contract deadline. Early delivery was of
great importance to the customer, as the
civil work to be carried out before installation
of the equipment in the process building
took quite a long time.
Thanks to the very close cooperation
between VLSF and STARCOSA, installation
of the equipment could be completed still
in 2001, and so the plant is in operation
since January 2002.
Rüdiger Fischer / Eckard Maedebach
24
Continuous centrifugals of the
2000 series
In the previous business year, BMA in-
creased worldwide sales of its continuous
centrifugals by 15%, which underlines our
good relations with the sugar industry.
Several innovations of the 2000 series
machines have been successfully tested
during last year’s campaign and will now
be included as standard.
Stainless-steel screens were fitted into
a K 2400 basket. The advantage of these
screens is that they have a longer service
life than chromium-nickel screens. At
the end of the campaign, the screen
segments had no visible signs of wear;
deposits could be wiped off easily.
Massecuite feed has been improved in
the sight glass area.
A programmable control system for fully
automatic operation of continuous cen-
trifugals has been developed and tested.
The inherent advantage is the optimally
controlled feed of auxiliary media, even
during the starting phase. Outstanding
features of this control system are oper-
ator convenience and clear display of
process parameters.
In practical operation with low-raw beet
sugar massecuite the K 2400 centrifugal
processed 16 t/h, at an excellent sugar
quality and with minimum use of water and
steam. Eckhard Bartsch /
Hans-Heinrich Westendarp
Cooperation of BMA and Walkers
It has always been BMA’s philosophy to
intensify its presence near its customers
so as to be able provide them with most
advanced products and first-class service
in a better, quicker and more efficient way.
This goal can be achieved, for example, by
establishing strategic partnerships.
In view of that, BMA and Walkers Pty.
Limited, Mayborough, Australia, made in
May 2001 a marketing and engineering
agreement for the Australian market and
neighbouring territories.
The agreement refers to cane and ba-
gasse diffusers, vertical cooling crystallizers
and falling-film evaporators, supplementing
BMA’s supply line for the cane sugar in-
dustry and allowing to offer and process
complete diffuser projects - from the cane
receiving station through to the dewatering
mill - from one single source.
This cooperation between Walkers as
mill manufacturers and BMA as diffuser
manufacturers provides a huge potential for
the diffusion technologies in these markets,
increases the benefits for the customers
by well-matched solutions, and pushes
continuous progressive development of all
components involved.
Dr. Mohsen Makina
K 2300 at Monitor
Sugar, USA

During centrifugal installation
at the Jangji, Tunhe Group,
P.R. of China
Batch centrifugals for Chevrières
A master contract BMA concluded with the
French sugar producers Eridania Béghin-
Say covers the supply of approx. 30 batch
centrifugals till the year 2006 (see BMA
Information 39/2001).
The first three batch centrifugals for
1,750 kg massecuite per charge supplied
under this contract were put into operation
at the Chevriéres factory for the 2001 cam-
paign. These machines are equipped with
BMA’s new syrup separator (see BMA In-
formation 38/2000) and with a housing
washing system which is integrated in the
centrifugal cycle control.
BMA batch centrifugals already operate
at the EBS factories in Connantre (one ma-
chine since 1990), Chalons-sur-Marne (six
since 1991), Villenoy (two since 1994) and
Sillery (seven since 1996).
Heinrich Hartmann
BMA massecuite pumps
BMA’s supply line also includes massecuite
pumps of the proved FF series, which we
manufacture and sell in large numbers.
Last year, such pumps have been supplied
to Australia, El Salvador, Hungary, Sweden,
Spain, U.A.E. and the USA.
The various pump sizes that are available
allow delivery rates of 1 - 100 m³/h. Espe-
cially for high-viscosity media such as low-
raw massecuite after cooling crystallization,
BMA pumps are the optimum choice. Their
technological advantages are, in the first
line, high delivery rates at low rotor speeds
and absence of leakage due to the use of
mechanical seals. In addition, FF pumps ex-
cel in high reliability and low maintenance.
Harald Veleta

Falling-film evaporator for Groß Gerau

A new BMA falling-film evaporator of the
Epsilon type went into operation at the Groß
Gerau factory of Südzucker AG, Germany, at
the beginning of the 2001 campaign. In this
type of evaporator, separation of entrained
juice takes place in a cyclone installed in
parallel to the calandria. The guarantees
for evaporation and vapour purity were
fully met. In conjunction with the new con-
densate system, steam consumption was
reduced by approx. 2 kg per 100 kg beets. In
addition, thick juice colours were distinctly
lower than before. Erwin Farwick

26
 Fayoum sugar factory in Egypt goes
into operation
After a short test campaign in 2001, the new
beet sugar factory of Fayoum Sugar Works
Company, Egypt, designed for a slice rate
of 7,000 t/d, now goes into full operation.
As reported before, BMA received large
orders covering the supply of equipment,
engineering services, supervision of erec-
tion and commissioning of the major part
of the main process. During the 2002 beet
The pulp drying plant
Here comes the
bread for the
lunch break
27
campaign, a BMA team of experts suc-
cessfully commissioned and optimized the
plants supplied and handed them over to
the customer. Two things to be emphasized
are the employment of vertical pulp presses
of type HP 4000 and that, for the very
first time in the Egyptian sugar industry,
all three boilings in the sugar house take
place in vertical continuous vacuum pans
(VKTs).
Reinhold Hempelmann
View of the factory premises and
housing estate (top left)
Talking in Braunschweig: Kenji Nakamura
and Isamu Hori of Nitten Hokuren, Japan,
with Dr. Rolf Mayer and
Uwe Schwanke of BMA (from left)
www.bma-de.com
Visit us on our homepage! Besides latest
news, you will also find
More information about our products
Questionnaire for direct enquiries for
spare parts (Service/Spare parts/Enquiry
for spare parts)
Questionnaires for different products
(Sugar/Delivery program, …)
Questionnaire concerning our custom-
ers‘ satisfaction „Are we doing a good
job?“ (Service/Claims management)
Various brochures you can download
(Brochures/Brochures and symposia
papers)
You can also download this issue of BMA
Information and the previous one (39/2001).
New management and continued close
connection with BMA’s majority share-
holder
At the beginning of 2002, after many
years of operational responsibility and of
dedicated engagement for our company,
Carl-Gerrit Deilmann has entered the man-
agement of our majority shareholder, Deil-
mann-Montan GmbH. From this position
and by his work in our supervisory bodies,
he will continue to exert influence on the
strategies and targets of BMA and thus
assist us even in the future.
In November 2001, BMA’s management
was already reinforced by Frank Lohrer
who, together with Dr. Rolf Mayer, will
now bear the operational responsibility for
our company.
28
Published by: Text and illustrations by: Printed on
BMA BMA non-chlorine Maximago paper
Braunschweigische Design and layout by:
Maschinenbauanstalt AG Ideeal Werbeagentur, Braunschweig
Germany Lithography by:
May 2002 Rolf Neumann, digitale bildbearbeitung,
Braunschweig
Printed by:
roco-druck, Wolfenbüttel
Braunschweigische
Maschinenbauanstalt AG
Postfach 32 25
D-38022 Braunschweig
Germany
Phone +49 5 31· 8 04-0
Fax +49 5 31· 8 04-216
www.bma-de.com
sales@bma-de.com
Nominal charge 4,– w