Cooling crystallization applied to the "extract" of a chromatographic separation process (SMB) of beet raw juice

The idea that the current technology of beet sugar manufacture needs great changes in order to make the technology itself more environmentally compati ble is gaining more and more ground. Such changes concern energy and water saving, gaseous emissions, and, in particular, the removal of limestone con sumption and, as a consequence, of waste materials, i.e. carbonation sludge s. The research of alternative solutions dictates the use of new technologi es including membrane separation processes, chromatography and cooling crys tallization. Beet raw juice has been microfiltered without the traditional calcocarbonic purification step, softened and put through a chromatographic separation process using a SMB (Simulated Moving Bed) pilot plant. The fra ction rich in sugar. "extract", has been crystallized through subsequent co oling crystallization steps with the purpose of obtaining commercial white sugar. The results of the trials, which emphasize the characteristics of th e sugar obtained and the crystallization yields, are presented and discusse d. The morphology of crystals obtained from the different crystallization s teps is particularly pointed out. In fact, the peculiar composition of the non-sucrose fraction present in the "extract" promotes the formation of cry stals showing particular shapes.