M30 heat exchanger boosts evaporation capacity at Australian sugar mill

In 1992 Mulgrave Central Mill installed an Alfa Laval M30 plate heat exchanger (PHE) as a clarified juice heater to increase evaporator station capacity. According to Production Manager Glenn Pope, the PHE has met all expectations in terms of heat transfer performance and trouble-free operation.

DATE 2023-11-28

Output increased, season extended

In 1992 Mulgrave Central Mill took over processing cane from a neighbouring mill area. This necessitated going from five-day per week operation to continuous operation, an increase in crushing rate, and an extended season length.

With this change, it was considered advantageous to increase evaporator station capacity. After considering the options available, Mulgrave decided to install a clarified juice heater. This would heat the juice prior to entry to the first effect of the evaporator set, increasing the heat available in that vessel for evaporation. The proposal was seen to offer a relatively low-cost option to boost evaporator capacity.

 

 

Products

Alfa Laval plate heat exchangers

The conventional type of Alfa Laval PHEs use heat transfer plates fitted with gaskets that seal off each channel from the next, and direct the fluids into alternate channels.They are used throughout industry as standard equipment for efficient heating, cooling, heat recovery, condensation and evaporation.

 Plate heat exchangers

Benefits

  • Suitable for fibrous media
  • Plate pattern designed for high turbulence and efficiency
  • Easy to clean with Cleaning-in-Place equipment or mechanically
  • Easy to expand capacity

Customer's Voice

Preheating of the clarified juice has increased the capacity of the evaporators by 2.5 to 5%.  The only maintenance done to the PHE is to clean it with a caustic solution about four times per crushing season.

Glenn Pope,
Production Manager

Mulgrave Central Mill
Mulgrave Central Mill is located in Gordonvale, Australia. The plant produces raw sugar as a grower co-operative, receiving cane from around 300 farms and approx. 200 suppliers. The mill has a cane crushing capacity of 11,000 tons of cane per day.