Energy saving and optimisation in sugar factories

Beet or cane sugar plants require a large amount of process heat for production purposes and this energy must be used as efficiently as possible. As energy is neither produced nor eliminated but only transformed from one status into another, the idea is to reduce the amount of primary energy, either by pure energy saving or by replacing old steam-consuming machines with modern, more efficient, electrically driven ones. The following article presents a brief overview of energy balancing within beet and cane sugar factories. Additionally, an overview is presented of energy optimisation by using optimal plant design and new technology, such as boiling with special footing material. Example calculations are given for variable speed drives in controlling devices. Other examples of actual energy savings with installed automation systems in the sugar house are covered.