METHOD FOR PROGRESSIVE PRELIMING OF DIFFUSION JUICE Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: sugar production. SUBSTANCE: diffusion juice is mixed with lime and first- saturation unfiltered juice return in amounts of 50 to 150% of the weight of diffusion juice in countercurrent mode, while alkalinity is increased in several steps until pH 10.8-11.6 is reached. Part of juice is withdrawn from the last section of preliming apparatus with above-indicated pH in amounts 25 to 75% of the weight of diffusion juice. Withdrawn diffusion juice is saturated in upright tubular saturator to achieve pH 7.0-8.5 and returned into preliming stage to be realkalized. Equal amounts of defoaming agent (0.001-0.005% of the weight of diffusion juice) are then added to prelimed juice before saturation and to saturated gas in the course of separation of saturated gas therefrom. As defoaming agent, fatty acid ester of ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymer is used. EFFECT: enhanced diffusion juice refinement efficiency and improved its quality characteristics. 1 tbl