How do you separate sugar from cane juice?

1. Straining: The first step in separating sugar from cane juice is to strain the juice to remove any solid impurities, such as dirt, leaves, and pieces of cane. This can be done using a fine mesh sieve or a cheesecloth.

2. Clarification: The strained juice is then clarified to remove suspended solids and impurities that can affect the quality of the sugar. This is done by adding a clarifying agent, such as lime (calcium hydroxide) or phosphoric acid, to the juice and then heating it to a specific temperature. The heat and the clarifying agent cause the impurities to form a floc that rises to the surface and can be skimmed off.

3. Filtration: The clarified juice is then filtered to remove any remaining solids. This can be done using a filter press or a rotary vacuum filter.

Sugar crystallization:

1. Evaporation: The filtered juice is then concentrated by evaporation. This is done by boiling the juice in a vacuum evaporator until the water content is reduced and the juice reaches a specific density.

2. Crystallization: The concentrated juice is then cooled to a specific temperature to induce crystallization. This can be done in a vacuum pan or a crystallizer. As the juice cools, sugar crystals begin to form.

3. Separation: The sugar crystals are then separated from the remaining liquid, which is known as molasses. This is done by centrifuging the mixture. The sugar crystals are retained in the centrifuge basket, while the molasses is discharged.

4. Drying: The sugar crystals are then dried to remove any remaining moisture. This can be done using a hot air dryer or a rotary dryer.

5. Refining: The dried sugar crystals are then refined to remove any impurities and improve the quality of the sugar. This involves dissolving the sugar in water, filtering it to remove any remaining impurities, and then recrystallizing the sugar.

The refined sugar is then ready for packaging and distribution.