Sugar Cane Processing with Lyure Screw Presses
Sugar Cane Processing with Lyure Screw Presses
Introduction
Lyure Screw Press specializes in screw press technology for processing sugar cane by-products and waste, focusing on applications beyond primary juice extraction. While sugar cane juice is typically extracted using large roller mills, Lyure’s screw presses are utilized for dewatering bagasse, extracting specialty sugars, and processing cane for ethanol or animal feed, offering sustainable solutions for sugar cane waste management.
Sugar Cane Processing Applications
Sugar cane processing with Lyure screw presses supports multiple applications:
Ethanol Production: Press liquor from sugar cane can be fermented into ethanol, a renewable biofuel.
Animal Feed: Press cake from cane and leaves is suitable for livestock feed.
Specialty Sugars: Extraction of sugars like xylose from bagasse for use in products such as chewing gum and toothpaste.
Paper Production: Dewatered bagasse serves as a cellulose-rich feedstock for paper mills.
Waste Reduction: Pressing reduces the volume of bagasse and other waste, minimizing landfill use and environmental impact.
Challenges in Sugar Cane Processing
High Moisture Content: Bagasse and cane waste retain significant water (60-70%), complicating disposal or further processing.
Fibrous Material: Cane and leaves are tough and fibrous, requiring robust equipment to handle high torque.
Low Sugar Content in Waste: By-products like bagasse have lower sugar content , making extraction less economical.
Environmental Concerns: Improper disposal of cane waste contributes to groundwater contamination and methane emissions.
Lyure Screw Press Solutions
Lyure Screw Press offers tailored solutions for sugar cane by-products:
Bagasse Dewatering: Presses like the ED series dewater clarifier underflow, producing press cake with 50% solids content, suitable for paper production or boiler fuel.
Whole Cane Processing: Shredded cane (with leaves and tassels) is pressed to yield ~50% press liquor (for ethanol) and 50% press cake (for animal feed). Juice yields range from 50-60%.
Specialty Sugar Extraction: Presses process bagasse to extract sugars like xylose, achieving low Brix (2-5°) in press liquor.
Leaf Processing: Leaves, with similar Brix to stalks (6-7°), can be pressed without removal, though whole cane increases torque requirements threefold.
Counterflow Washing: Removes minerals like chlorine from cane to reduce boiler corrosion, producing biofuel with 46-55% moisture.
Process Overview
Harvesting and Shredding: Sugar cane (whole or bagasse) is shredded to break plant cells and facilitate pressing.
Washing (Optional): Counterflow washing removes soluble minerals, reducing Brix to near zero for biofuel applications.
Pressing: Lyure screw presses separate press liquor (for ethanol or sugar extraction) from press cake (for feed, paper, or fuel).
Output Utilization:
Press Liquor: Fermented for ethanol or processed for specialty sugars.
Press Cake: Used as animal feed, mulch, or paper mill furnish.
Benefits of Lyure Screw Presses
Environmental Impact: Eliminates landfill needs by repurposing waste, reducing runoff and contamination.
Cost Efficiency: Lowers hauling costs by reducing waste volume and moisture.
Versatility: Handles whole cane, bagasse, or leaves with customizable press settings.
Durability: Built with corrosion-resistant materials for handling high-chlorine cane.
Scalability: Suitable for pilot testing or industrial operations
Limitations
Not for Primary Juice Extraction: Lyure presses are not designed to replace roller mills, which handle high-torque cane crushing at 600-1,500 horsepower.
Torque Demands: Whole cane with leaves increases torque requirements, necessitating robust twin screw presses.
Low Brix in By-Products: Press liquor from bagasse has low sugar content, limiting economic viability for some applications.
Moisture in Press Cake: Even after pressing, press cake retains 46-55% moisture, requiring drying for certain uses.
Conclusion
Lyure Screw Press technology provides efficient, sustainable solutions for processing sugar cane by-products, supporting ethanol production, animal feed, specialty sugars, and paper manufacturing. By addressing challenges like high moisture and fibrous material, Lyure presses reduce waste and environmental impact while creating valuable by-products. Though not suited for primary juice extraction, their versatility makes them ideal for secondary processing in the sugar cane industry.