Development and Performance of a Sugar Centrifuge

Abstract

I g b e k a A c e n t r i f u g e h a v i n g c a p a c i t y to p r o d u c e 8 0 0 k g of s u g a r p e r d a y w a s d e s i g n e d a n d f a b r i c a t e d in the N a t i o n a l C e r e a l s R e s e a r c h Institute, B a d e g g i . It h a n d l e s o n e of the unit p r o c e s s i n g o p e r a t i o n s in the I n s t i t u t e ' s c o t t a g e b r o w n s u g a r p r o c e s s i n g plant. T h e m a c h i n e is m a d e up of a p e r f o r a t e d internal b a s k e t w h i c h is s u s p e n d e d on a v e r t i c a l shaft that obtains drive f r o m a 2 0 h p v e r t i c a l m o u n t e d e l e c t r i c m o t o r through p u l l e y s and belts. T h e w h o l e m a c h i n e rests on a U - c h a n n e l frame. Test r e s u l t of t h e m a c h i n e s h o w s that it h a s m a x i m u m m o i s t u r e e x t r a c t i o n efficiency of 8 9 - 9 2 . 4 % for a l o a d i n g c a p a c i t y of 8 - 1 0 k g o f m a s s e r c u i t p e r batch. The m a c h i n e c o u l d also run about 160 c y c l e s p e r day. T h e o p e r a t i o n of the m a c h i n e is s i m p l e a n d its m a i n t e n a n c e is also easy. It is thus found useful in the s m a l l s c a l e s u g a r p r o c e s s i n g industry.