Abstract: In a continuous sugar centrifugal, an imperforate thin, open ended, truncated cone, of high strength corrosion-resistant material is placed on the working screen within the centrifugal basket. The cone extends part way up the working screen and protects the working screen from damage from high impact particles being released from an accelerator bell.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing reduced crystal damage in a sugar centrifugal includes provisions for avoiding scratching and other crystal damage by eliminating asperities and sharp edges at the transition between the screening zone and the discharge zone of a centrifugal basket. In addition, the distance on an upper shroud ring across which high velocity crystals slide is minimized to reduce the likelihood of scratching crystals on the surface of the shroud ring. Finally, the tangential velocity at which crystals are released from the centrifugal basket is minimized to reduce impact damage to the crystals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing sugar, crystal impact damage and lump formation in a centrifugal provides a resilient barrier ring which absorbs most of the impact energy of the crystals and which deflects the crystals so they are not struck by trailing high speed crystals. An air flow causes vibration of the barrier ring to prevent crystal sticking which could lead to lump formation. This air flow also reduces moisture content in the sugar housing to further reduce lump formation.

Abstract: A sugar centrifugal operates at decreased speed to reduce crystal damage but suffers no loss of sugar crystal/molasses separation rate. This is accomplished by superposing a partial vacuum on the molasses chamber of the centrifugal which promotes removal of syrup and water from the sugar crystals through the centrifugal basket wall. Additional drying of the separated crystals is provided by injection of air above the sugar chamber to replace that which is extracted through the centrifugal basket wall.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing sugar, crystal impact damage and lump formation in a sugar centrifugal includes a resilient deflector ring which absorbs most of the impact energy of the crystals while deflecting the crystals out of the path of trailing high speed crystals. An air flow parallel to the local surface of the deflector ring causes vibration of the deflector ring to reduce the tendency for crystals to stick while addition of a supply of water aspirated and atomized by the air flow maintains the ring surface free of syrup build-up which could cause crystals to adhere to the ring surface and form lumps.

Abstract: A body, centrally bored, has a threaded inlet section which threadedly, and adjustably receives a through-bored nozzle. The nozzle has an inner end which intrudes into a transverse passage formed of two, communicating holes formed in the body. The holes ingest fluent material, and the nozzle is selectively locked in a given axial position, in the body, by an internally and externally threaded lock bushing. The bushing threadedly engages an end of the nozzle and is torqued up against the body to hold the nozzle in place.

Abstract: A water-conducting lance, fitted with a spray nozzle at an end thereof, is fixed to the top of a massecuite-separating centrifuge which has a rotating basket, to dispose the nozzle in adjacency to the top of the basket. The nozzle addresses the top of the basket, perpendicularly, and sprays pre-wetting water onto sugar crystals thereat, to insure a good mix of the crystals with subsequent mixing liquid (also water) in a mixing liquid zone, in order that a lump-free high brix magma will be produced.

Abstract: An annular compartment is disposed below the mixing ring of a rotating-basket, massecuite-separating centrifuge, to receive the magma therein. Eductors arrayed in the compartment receive hot water, and ingest magma, to eject the mix therethrough and to centrifuge the mix, while melting the sugar crystals in the magma. The melted crystals, now high brix sugar liquid, is overflowed into a companion compartment; from thence the liquid is passed over a weir, into a sub-compartment, for subsequent discharge.