Sweet solutions for the sugar industry
Decanter centrifuges for sugar mud dewatering
Sugar cane processors around the world face the same challenges in sugar mud clarification: open systems, high water and energy use, operational complexity, and recurring losses in sugar quality and yield.
With GEA decanter centrifuges, sugar mills can now switch to a closed, more efficient and cost-effective dewatering process - already proven in multiple reference installations.
Why change the current process?
Today, most sugar‑cane mills rely on:
- Rotary Vacuum Drum Filters (RVDF)
- Belt Filter Presses (BFP)
Both systems have been industry standards for decades but their open design, low separation efficiency, and high utility consumption significantly limit process performance.
GEA decanter centrifuges offer a future‑ready alternative that reduces impurities, saves energy and water, cuts operational cost, and improves overall plant performance.
Sugar Mud Dewatering Reinvented: “Would you like a little less?”
Less impurities. Less steam and water. Less manpower. Less sugar loss. Less headache.
Based on results from real customer installations, switching to decanters delivers:
- Up to 60% less product loss compared to RVDFs
- Up to 40% less compared to BFPs
- ~50% smaller footprint compared to RVDFs
- Lower energy and steam consumption thanks to a closed process - less temperature drop
- Less water consumption
- No bagacillo required
- Less rework, fewer recirculated impurities, lower MOL consumption
With GEA decanter centrifuges, sugar mills can now switch to a closed, more efficient and cost-effective dewatering process when it comes to sugar mud clarification.
Where decanters fit into the sugar production process
After extraction, liming, and settling, mills separate the concentrated sugar mud from clarified juice.
This is traditionally done with RVDFs or BFPs — but can now be replaced by a decanter‑based clarification line.
Typical process sequence with a decanter:
- Raw juice is treated with lime milk and flocculant in the clarifier.
- Clarified juice flows to evaporation.
- Concentrated mud (10–20% of flow) is mixed with flocculant and fed directly into the decanter — no bagacillo needed.
- The decanter separates solids (mud cake) and centrate (liquid).
- Clean centrate is returned to the process; mud cake is removed for disposal or further use.
The result: a simpler, safer, and more controlled system. The entire process line is closed which results in a significantly lower temperature drop compared to RVDFs and belt filter presses.
Sugar mud dewatering with decanter centrifuges
How decanter centrifuges work
Decanters use the same physical principle as sedimentation tanks or settling clarifiers - separation by density difference - but accelerate it by applying up to several thousand g.
Inside the decanter:
- The product enters through a feed tube into a rotating bowl.
- Centrifugal force pushes solids to the bowl wall.
- A scroll conveys solids to the discharge.
- Clarified liquid exits through a separate outlet.
With its closed design, the decanter prevents contamination, reduces heat loss, and ensures consistently higher separation efficiency.
Decanter centrifuges vs. rotary vacuum drum filters in sugar mud dewatering processes
When compared to traditional filtration technologies for sugar mud dewatering, decanters bring the following benefits:
- Consistently higher clarity of centrate through high g‑forces
- Fully enclosed operation for improved hygiene and reduced heat loss
- No need for filter aids, enabling cleaner operation and lower disposal volumes
- High thermal efficiency, keeping the juice warm and energy usage lower
- Compact layout, allowing easier installation and reduced civil‑works investment
- Automated cleaning (CIP) for hygienic, low‑touch operation
- Lower sugar losses, confirmed by reference installations
- Stable performance independent of fiber content
Decanter centrifuges vs. belt filter press in sugar mud dewatering processes
Decanters stand out in comparison with belt filtration due to the following benefits:
- High cake dryness, resulting in lower disposal mass
- Closed design, supporting microbial control and reducing thermal losses
- Minimal water needs, reducing overall water and steam consumption
- Consistent performance, even at varying feed conditions
- No belts or open areas, supporting safer and cleaner operation
- Lower flocculant dosage, depending on installation
- Precise, automated operation with minimal manual intervention
- Lower sugar losses, contributing directly to higher overall factory yield
Decanter centrifuges: Key advantages in sugar‑mud dewatering
1. High-performance separation and stable product quality
Decanters achieve a consistently high degree of separation thanks to powerful centrifugal forces and a closed system design. This leads to cleaner centrate, reduced recirculation of impurities, and stable juice quality throughout the crushing campaign.
2. Closed process for improved hygiene and thermal efficiency
The fully enclosed decanter system and process line protect the juice from contamination and minimize temperature loss. This helps maintain optimal process temperatures and supports lower energy consumption further downstream.
3. Reduced water and energy use
Because decanters operate without large amounts of wash water and maintain process warmth, they help mills significantly reduce water intake and steam generation needs, contributing to improved overall resource efficiency.
4. Smaller footprint, easier integration
Decanters offer a compact layout with low structural requirements, making them ideal for plant upgrades, debottlenecking, and factory modernizations, even where space is limited.
5. No filter aids and minimized waste volume
Decanters do not depend on filter media such as bagacillo. The absence of filter aids, combined with high cake dryness, reduces the total volume of solids for disposal and supports cleaner, more streamlined operations.
6. Low sugar losses backed by real‑plant performance
Reference installations demonstrate low sugar losses in the discharged solids and a highly consistent separation process helping mills protect valuable yield with every ton of cane processed.
7. Safer, cleaner, and more automated operation
With no open rotating surfaces and minimal manual interaction, decanters support safer working conditions. Automated operation and CIP options reduce manpower needs and ensure transparent, hygienic conditions.
