Liquid Sugar Refining Process
Ion Exchange Resin
Demineralization System
JUNE 16, 2011
Organo THAILAND CO.
Organo Corporation
1. Introduction
Ion exchange resins (IER) have been employed in the sugar
refinery process for the purpose of decolorization and
demineralization (deashing) of sugar liquor. Compared to the
remelting of white sugar, higher decolorization rate and extremely
high sugar yield can be obtained by the direct demineralization of
clear liquor or fine liquor. Organo has developed an efficient IER
system the “SUPER FINE LIQUOR SYSTEM” (A-MB system),
which consists of an anion exchange resin tower and a mixed bed
tower of anion exchange resin and cation exchange resins. This
system has been applied to many sugar refinery factories in Japan
and has an excellent reputation for the high quality.
Organo Corporation
2. Liquid Sugar Products in Japan
Sucrose type
Liquid Sugar
Ion exchange resin
refined liquid sugar
・High quality
Large scale production
(demineralization)
Remelt liquid sugar
（granulated sugar）
・Quality depends on
granulated sugar and water.
Small scale production
・Distinct flavor
Invert Syrup
(Hydrolyzed sugar
syrup)
・Nongenetically modified
(compared to isomerized sugar
made from cornstarch)
Molasses type
・Low cost
Liquid Sugar
（Ingredient of sauce）
Organo Corporation
3. Refining Process (Japan)
Raw Sugar
B sugar from Australia, Thailand etc.
Affination
Remelt
A-MB System
Carbonation
Filtration
Active carbon
or
Bone char
600～
1000 I.U.
Ion Exchange Resin
Deminiralization
60～
150 I.U.
Concentration
Concentration
Crystalization
Ion Exchange Resin
Decolorization
20～50
I.U.
Crystalline Sugar
Sterilization
Filtration
Liquid Sugar
<10 I.U.
Organo Corporation
4. Required Quality of Liquid Sugar
(Example)
Bx
pH
particles
purity
yeast
mold
bacteria
reducing sugar
ash
color
68+0.3,-0
6.0～7.0
< 1μm
> 99％
< 5/10ml
< 5/10ml
< 25/10ml
< 0.5％
< 0.05％
<12RBU
arsenic　(As)
copper (Cu)
lead
(Pb)
2sulfite (SO3 )
flavor, odor
acidic taste
carbonate floc
alcohol floc
insoluble content
< 1.0mg/kg
< 1.5mg/kg
< 0.5mg/kg
< 6.0mg/kg
not abnormal
not abnormal
no formation
no formation
< 1mg/kg
Organo Corporation
5. Refining Process (Thailand)
Affination
Sugar cane
Remelt
Crushing &
Extraction
Carbonation
Carbonation
Filtration
300～600 I.U.
Filtration
Ion Exchange Resin
2 steps
100～300 I.U.
Concentration
Concentration
Crystallization
C sugar
B sugar
Crystallization
A sugar
Refined
sugar
～45 I.U.
＜
White
sugar
Brown
sugar
45～100 I.U.
400～1000 I.U.
Organo Corporation
6. Liquid Sugar Production Process
Present process
Affination
Remelt
Proposed process
Carbonation
Filtration
Ion Exchange Resin
2 steps
Ion Exchange Resin
Demineralization
Concentration
A-MB System
< 20 IU
< 1.0mS/cm
Concentration
Crystallization
Sterilization
Filtration
Liquid sugar
Organo Corporation
7. Total Demineralization Process
Present process
Affination
Proposed process
Remelt
Carbonation
A-MB System
Filtration
Ion Exchange Resin
Demineralization
Ion Exchange Resin
2 steps
Concentration
< 20 ICUMSA
< 1.0mS/cm
Concentration
Crystallization
Crystallization
Refined
sugar
＞
White
sugar
Brown
sugar
Organo Corporation
8. Principles of Demineralization
Demineralization
Regeneration
Clear liquor or
Fine liquor
Anion
exchange
resin
NaOH
HCl
Cation
exchange
resin
Liquid sugar
（Super fine)
NaOH＋NaCl
Organic acids
NaCO3
Color etc.
Adsorption of color, ions, organic acids etc.
HCl＋CaCl2
NaCl, KCl
etc.
Organo Corporation
9. Conventional Ion Exchange Systems
Reverse system
（Ａ－Ｋ）
Mixed Bed system
（ＭＢ）
Anion exchange Cation exchange
tower
tower
Mixed bed
tower
・High total throughput
・High quality
・Low quality
・Low total throughput
Organo Corporation
10. A-MB System
・High quality
・High total throughput
Anion exchange
tower
Mixed bed
tower
Organo Corporation
11. Comparison of Ion Exchange Systems
30
A-K reverse system
MB mixed bed system
A-MB system
Color (ICUMSA unit)
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10
20
30
Throughput (BV-total resin)
40
Graph 1 Outlet color analysis of conventional systems and A-MB system
Conditions: 50℃, Flow rate 4 L/L-SBAER・h
Feed:
Fine Liquor (Brix 50%, EC 98 mS/cm, pH 7.3, 71 I.U.)
Organo Corporation
12. Column Test Results (Thailand)
System
Factory A
Factory B
Factory C
Factory D
Softening-AMB
A-MB
A-MB
A-MB
Clear
Liquor
(Feed)
Color (I.U.)
854
450～600
380
580
Conductivity
(mS/cm)
137
80～100
33
100
Super fine
Liquor
(Outlet)
Color (I.U.)
3～15
3～10
2～7
10～20
Conductivity
(mS/cm)
0.3～1.0
0.5～1.5
0.2～0.5
0.2～0.8
Organo Corporation
13. Column Test Results (Example １)
Feed Analysis （Clear liquor)
Brix
pH
Conductivity
Color Value
55%
7.8
90 mS/cm
600 ICUMSA Unit
10
45
9
40
8
35
7
30
6
25
5
Color
20
4
pH
Conductivity
15
3
10
2
5
1
0
ｐH, Conductivity (μS/cm)
Color (I.U.)
A(OH)-MB　（Used Resin）
50
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Feed Volume (BV)
35
40
45
50
Organo Corporation
14. Column Test Results (Example 2)
Feed Analysis （Clear liquor)
A-MB column test result
16
4.0
color
conductivity
14
Color (ICUMSA unit)
54%
8.2
137 mS/cm
854 ICUMSA Unit
3.5
12
3.0
10
2.5
8
2.0
6
1.5
4
1.0
2
0.5
0
0.0
0
10
20
Conductivity (uS/cm)
Brix
pH
Conductivity
Color Value
30
Bed volume ( against total anion exchange resin)
Organo Corporation
15. Column Test Results (Example 3)
Feed Analysis （Fine liquor)
Brix
pH
Conductivity
Color Value
60%
7.2
60 mS/cm
145 ICUMSA Unit
Color (ICUMSA Unit)
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
5
10
15
20
Bed Volume (L/L-anion resin)
25
Fine liquor
Column
outlet
Organo Corporation