GB1334367A - Method and apparatus for recovering juice from sucrose bearing materials - Google Patents

Abstract

1334367 Extracting sugar FRENCH OIL MILL MACHINERY CO 17 Dec 1970 [18 Dec 1969] 59831/70 Heading C6B [Also in Division B1] A continuous process for the extraction of juice from material such as sugar cane utilises a mechanical screw press with a plurality of sequentially arranged sections and means for collecting liquid separately from a drainage cage for each section and recirculating it back to the material passing through the preceding section. As shown, raw sugar cane C passes through a chopper 12, crusher 15 and shredder 24 to a conveyer 28 by which it is transferred to the inlet hopper 48 of a screw press 50. The bagasse emerging from the press is transferred by conveyer 100 to the hopper 115 of a further screw press 120 which it leaves at 84. The screw press 50 is driven through a gearbox 57 which causes the worm 53 of the inlet section to be rotated at higher speed than the worms of the succeeding sections 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d. Radially adjustable breaker bars 55 are provided at one or more locations where the worm 53 is interrupted, and the worm is surrounded by spaced screen bars 54. The worms of the succeeding sections consist of separate members 60a 1, 60a 2, 60a 3 etc. separated by collars 66 and surrounded by spaced screen bars 72 and breaker bars 68. The worm member at the discharge end of each section, e. g. 60a 3, increases to a larger diameter at its downstream end. Bagasse is discharged through a ring 64. Each section of the press discharges liquid to a sump 88, 88a .... 88d provided with a pump 90, 90a .... 90d. Fresh water fed to a manifold 110 over the upper end of the conveyer 100 passes through the bagasse into a collecting pan 111 whence it joins liquid extracted by the press 120 and passing through a conduit 125 to a manifold 105 at the lower end of the conveyer 100. This liquid is collected in a pan 106 and pumped to an injector 85 in the last section of the press 50 the drainage from which is pumped into the preceding section, and so on back to the section immediately following the feed section where liquid withdrawn by the pump 90a is delivered to a manifold 38 at the upper end of the conveyor 28 to pass through the shredded cane to a pan 44 and thence to a further pan 44 at the lower end of the conveyer where it joins liquid passed through the cane from a lower manifold 38 to be collected in a tank 132 for pumping to the boiling house. The lower manifold 38 is fed with liquid from the pump 90 draining the feed section of the press 50. Depending upon the setting of valves 135, 137 the cane entering the shredder may be supplied with liquid from the pump 90 or juice from the crusher 15.