Abstract: A process for separating a ketose from a feed mixture comprising a ketose and an aldose which process comprises contacting the mixture with an adsorbent comprising a X zeolite containing one or more selected cations at exchangeable cationic sites thereby selectively adsorbing a ketose from the feed mixture and thereafter recovering the ketose. Preferably, the ketose will be recovered by desorption from the adsorbent with a desorbent material.

Abstract: A process for producing a gasified solid product comprising an undissolved gas in a matrix of solid material comprising a fusible sugar. In the process, an aqueous solution of fusible sugar is continuously fed to an evaporator. The solution is continuously heated while it is flowed through the evaporator to drive off water and produce a concentrated fused sugar composition whose moisture content is low enough so that, at room temperature, the composition will congeal to a glass having a viscosity high enough to contain pressurized gas bubbles therein. The concentrated fused sugar composition is continuously discharged from the evaporator and a gas at a pressure of at least about 400 psig is introduced into a stream of the concentrated fused sugar composition.

Abstract: A process is provided for utilizing the waste heat content of condensate and/or vapor produced in the manufacture of sugar in which thin juice is cooled, subjected to one or more stages of flash evaporation to concentrate and further cool the juice, after which it is heated with condensate and/or vapor produced elsewhere in the sugar manufacturing process and with incoming thin juice thereby heating the outgoing juice to substantially its original temperature and providing the cooling of the incoming thin juice. In another embodiment completely purified thin juice is concentrated in a multiple effect evaporating plant wherein the vapor produced in the final evaporator is compressed and is returned selectively to one of the preceding evaporators of the evaporating plant for use in heating the juice.

Abstract: An admixture of granular activated carbon (GAC) and bone char (BC) can be effectively employed to decolorize and to deash white cane sugar liquors. Use of this admixture in place of bone char exclusively results in significantly improved decolorization. The GAC/BC admixture can be effectively reactivated at a temperature within the limit of 900.degree. F. to 1200.degree. F.

Abstract: A massecuite processing system of the type generally used in the separation of sugar crystals from molasses in the so called "High Grade Massecuites" produced in the process of making sugar from sugar cane and sugar beet. The massecuite is evenly spread over the perforated belt of a belt conveyor while a vacuum is maintained under the belt to aspirate the molasses through the belt into vacuum chambers located under the belt. The perforations of the belt are sized to prevent the aspiration of the sugar crystals with the molasses and in this way the sugar crystals are effectively separated from the molasses. The separated molasses is collected in the vacuum chambers from which it is transferred to a separately mounted molasses separating tank which is also under vacuum and from which the molasses is pumped to the molasses storage tanks generally used in sugar factories.

Abstract: Apparatus for the purification of evaporated sugar solution prior to cryslization in which the evaporated sugar solution is mechanically transformed in an in-line continuous process into a homogeneous creamy mixture of sugar solution and hydrophobic particles of non-sugars attached to micron size bubbles from which the sugar solution is separated. The apparatus through which the evaporated sugar solution is passed to so transform it for purification includes, in order, an open-top pump supply tank into which the solution is discharged to revolve about an outlet in the tank so as to form a vortex in the tank outlet drawing large bubbles of air into the solution, a standpipe connecting the tank outlet to the inlet of a centrifugal pump having a high speed impeller with straight radial blades, the standpipe and supply tank having such a relationship to the pump as to provide a pump suction static head only slightly greater than the vapor pressure of the evaporated sugar solution.

Abstract: A process for the purification of evaporated sugar solutions prior to cryllization, utilizing the discovery that most of the suspended non-sugar particles within the evaporated sugar solution are hydrophobic in nature and thus thrown out of solution during the loss of water during the evaporation process, by thoroughly mixing air in large quantities with the evaporated sugar solution containing such particles and repeatedly subjecting the mixture of air, sugar solution and non-sugar particles to high shear forces by a surging flow with flow reversals through an aerator so as to produce a uniform creamy mixture of micron size bubbles to which the non-sugar particles are intimately and mechanically attached, having moved out of the evaporated sugar solution because of the hydrophobic character of the particles. Optionally, this aggregation of the particles with the micron size bubbles may be further increased by a controlled addition of an anionic partially hydrolized polyacrylamide following aeration.

Abstract: A method of purifying industrial sugar solutions using ion exchangers, in which the starting solution is always situated underneath the water to be displaced, and the column is eluted from above. The ion exchanger may have resin column components which may further constitute exchange and adsorption stages. The method results in a maximum utilization of the column capacity with a minimum amount of dilution of the purified and of the non-sugar solutions.

Abstract: A process of the operation of simulated moving bed is disclosed in which said bed is packed with a solid sorbent and provided with a plurality of pipes acting as a feed stock inlet, a desorbent inlet, a sorbed component outlet and a non-sorbed component outlet and the upstream end and the downstream end of the bed are interconnected to form a loop path, and a fluid containing the sorbed component and the non-sorbed component, and a desorbent are supplied to the bed and the sorbed component and the non-sorbed component separated are recovered. An improvement comprises the flow rate of the fluid is controlled on the basis of the concentration distribution of the sorbed and the non-sorbed components whereby the separated components are recovered in high purity and in constant composition.

Abstract: A method for forming dried, solid, particulate product from complex sugar solutions by drying the solution in a current of heated air and in the presence of separately introduced recycled dried solids which have undergone additional conditioning to have a moisture content of not greater than about 0.5 percent therein.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing growth of precipitates in systems requiring separation of undesirable contaminants. Cane sugar juice, as exemplary, is introduced at an elevated temperature into an apparatus having means for separately introducing chemical treating agents, such as milk of lime and coagulants. The juice flows through a treating zone where the agents are introduced, into a holding zone and over a dispersion cone before being withdrawn from the holding zone by a siphoning means. The dispersion cone and holding zone bottom permit rapid growth of the insoluble particles while simultaneously diverting the flow direction gently so as to prevent breakup of the particles. The flow down through the treating zone, over the dispersion cone, down the conical holding zone bottom, and back up the siphoning means permits sufficient residence time for rapid growth of the insoluble particles so that coagulants need not be added in the subsequent clarification process.

Abstract: The aqueous acid-containing xylose solution is first passed through an ion exchanger to remove the strong acid which was added to the raw material in the xylane hydrolysis and xylose extraction system and then subjected to evaporation in an evaporator. The evaporated water, acetic acid and formic acid of the solution is then condensed and is partly re-cycled and partly subjected to recovery processes. The concentrated xylose solution in the evaporator is then passed through a second ion exchanger to remove any traces of acetic acid or formic acid.

Abstract: There is described a process and apparatus which compares the pressure at the interface between the upper surface of a granular bed and the liquid in which it is submerged with the pressure above the liquid to maintain a predetermined head of liquid above the bed irrespective of expansion and contraction of the bed.

Abstract: Method of treating cut sugar cane, which comprises depositing the cane on a conveyor, spraying steam on the cane to melt and remove wax and field dirt on the surface of the cane, and removing the melted wax and condensed steam below said conveyor. Sugar cane juice, produced by subjecting the steamed cane to roller action, is treated with active carbon to yield a clarified juice. The clarified juice is evaporated to form direct white sugar and edible molasses. The wax is collected, purified and molded into cakes. Adding an alkaline material to the expressed juice precipitates out soaps.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating sugar-works molasses wherein the third stage part of the mother liquid-hot saccharate suspension is reheated in a heat exchanger before mixing the same with the cool filtrate of the second stage to increase the temperature of the mixture to the precipitation temperature of hot saccharate.

Abstract: An endless belt gravity filtration apparatus which includes a vacuum system for removing filter cake and for cleaning and keeping filter belt porous through reverse air flow on the endless belt filter. The belt filter has extensions along each of its continuous edges, these extensions having chains which mate with sprockets on the filter chamber to assist in driving the filter belt and to keep it aligned and from being stretched or wrinkled during the filtration process. The apparatus may be used for filtering fluids such as sugar cane juice.

Abstract: A method of, and a system for, processing or treating raw sugar juice wherein raw sugar juice produced in a crushing mill is delivered to a first section of a partitioned surge chamber from which section it is withdrawn and subjected to a degritting process in one or more cyclone separators, the juice which is relatively free of heavy solids being subsequently delivered to a second section of the partitioned surge chamber from which section it is withdrawn for clarification in a clarifier and from which clarifier mud is withdrawn for subsequent treatment in one or more centrifugal separators, the removal of heavy solids, such as dirt and grit, during the degritting process being such as to reduce wear and erosion of the components in the centrifugal separators for processing the clarifier mud.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for manufacturing dry, solid molasses of greatly improved storage stability uses thin-layer cooling to ensure that the dried molasses has been cooled to the core. The cooled molasses is then precrushed and pulverized by impact without crushing or significant friction.

Abstract: A method of continuous precipitation of insoluble solids formed by the reaction of a liquid solution and a reactant by hydrodynamic agitation of the solution and the reactant in a continuous hydrodynamic precipitation apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for reacting diluted molasses with lime in a tank 5 includes a pair of heat exchangers 12, 17, a pair of four-way valves 10, 14, an inlet circuit 2, 15 for the tank, and a circuit 8, 19 for recirculating part of the reacted molasses back through the tank. The positions of the valves are periodically switched which reverses both the circuit couplings of and the directions of flow through the heat exchangers, to thereby dissolve any built up deposits and crusts in the heat exchangers.