Sucropedia.com - Classification - White Sugar

By Bento, Luis San Miguel
Posted on 2006-09-19    Last edited on 2009-12-07
http://sucropedia.com/entries/E0035


White sugar, after drying contains crystals with different dimensions. In order to have an uniform grain size, sugar must be screened. The main objective of this operation is to separate the fine and gross grains. Fine grains normally corresponds to a size lower than 0.200 mm. The crystals that remain over the larger screen used are named “overs”.

In order to obtain sugars with different grain sizes the sugar is classified using different screen sizes. This operation is done in Classifiers, vibrating screens with two or more screens. Sugar is fed to the upper screen, with larger apertures. From the top of this screen are separated the crystals with a larger size and small lumps (agglomeration of sugar crystals). Sugar passing the upper screen will be classified in the intermediate screens till the lower screen. Small size crystals and dust pass this screen and are removed. Sugar retained in the intermediate and lower screens is used as commercial white sugar. 

E 0035