ACHIEVING LOW STEAM ON CANE WITH DIRECT CONTACT JUICE HEATERS

After the 2008 season, it was identified that significant maintenance was required on the shell and tube secondary juice heaters at Rocky Point mill. A decision was made to install a direct contact secondary heater to replace the existing shell and tube heaters because of the advantages of low capital cost, no chemical cleaning cost, low approach temperature, good control, no impact on crush rate and low on-going maintenance costs. The potential disadvantage is that the water added to the juice has to be boiled out in the evaporators. This paper describes the changes that were made in the factory to accommodate the installation of a direct contact secondary juice heater, and also achieve a lower steam on cane result.