The cooking stage is one of the most sensitive and strategic points in sugar production. It is at this moment that the level of exhaustion, the purity of the mother liquor, the quality of the crystal and the total batch time are directly defined. Small improvements in these parameters represent significant impacts on the global efficiency of sugar production.
Recently, Agimix completed the manufacture of four complete forced circulation systems for 1,000 hL pans, developed for a plant in the sugar-energy sector that seeks to increase the thermal and hydrodynamic performance of the pasta cooking process.
What makes the Agimix project different?
This system is not just an agitator commercially known as a circulator but a high-performance set manufactured by Agimix, designed specifically to optimize cooking in real conditions of high viscosity.
The equipment integrates two sets of large diameter impellers, with optimized hydraulic design to maximize internal dough renewal. The system operates with automation via a frequency inverter, using an intelligent cooking curve and torque control (amperage monitoring), allowing dynamic adaptation to rheological variations throughout the process.
Furthermore, the development was carried out in conjunction with specialized consultants in the sector, with validation using CFD simulation for flow analysis, elimination of dead zones and standardization of internal circulation.
The result is equipment that acts directly at the heart of the process, increasing operational stability, thermal efficiency and production predictability.
Engineering applied to results
Agimix manufactures circulators for pans with volumes between 35 and 100 m³, with powers ranging from 30 to 200 CV, always sized according to the specific characteristics of each plant.
In systems with natural circulation, it is common to observe a progressive drop in thermal efficiency at the end of cooking, a direct consequence of the increase in dough viscosity. This phenomenon reduces the rate of thermal exchange and compromises exhaustion.
With the Agimix forced circulation equipment, internal dough renewal increases substantially. The overall heat exchange coefficient remains high throughout the batch, and the mass remains homogeneous until the end of exhaustion. This provides greater supersaturation control, crystallization stability and better performance of subsequent steps.
Technical gains observed
In engineering studies applied to similar projects, it was observed that reducing batch time can achieve significant reductions, going from typical cycles of approximately three hours to levels of less than two hours. This improvement represents significant increases in production capacity without the need for structural expansion of the plant.
Likewise, the improvement in internal circulation allows greater depletion of the mass, reducing the purity of the mother liquor to more efficient levels, increasing sucrose recovery and reducing losses in the final honey.
In process analyzes carried out in previous projects, only the gain due to depletion represented additional potential in the order of tens of thousands of tons of sugar per year. When added to the increased throughput and reduced fouling, the total impact can exceed tens of thousands of additional tons annually, depending on the scale of the unit.
These numbers demonstrate that the circulator is not just a mechanical component, but a tool for optimizing economic results.
As an example of gains from an 800HL Mass B pot circulator:
- Reduction of batch time
- From 3.0 h to up to 2.0–2.4 h
- Potential capacity increase of up to 25–50%
- Greater mass depletion
- Reduction of mother liquor purity to ranges between 58–62%
- Additional sugar recovery Estimates indicate gains of the order of: 20,000 t/year* (conservative scenario)
- Effective increase in productivity Adding time reduction, greater throughput and less fouling: Potential of more than 50,000 t/year* of additional sugar
Estimates made based on a specific project.
Return on investment time
Projects of this size, even considering investments in complete equipment with specialized technical support, have an extremely reduced payback time when analyzed from the perspective of additional recovery and increased capacity.
In conservative scenarios, payback tends to occur within the harvest itself. In more aggressive optimization scenarios, payback can occur in a few weeks of operation.
Few industrial projects have such a direct relationship between engineering improvement and immediate economic impact.
While other manufacturers only deliver the equipment, Agimix delves into the complete process understanding of mass balance, thermal regime, rheological behavior, mechanical construction, structural durability and ease of maintenance. It is this integrated approach that differentiates the final result.
• Payback Time The investment for the complete set (two pieces of equipment + assembly monitoring) is less than 3 months, considering conservative scenarios.
Conclusion
The four forced circulation systems for 1,000 hL pans represent more than a mechanical update: they represent an evolution in the way of conducting industrial cooking.
By acting directly on the level of depletion, the purity of the mother liquor, the quality of the crystal and the total batch time, Agimix forced circulation transforms thermal efficiency into real productivity.
At Agimix, we develop solutions that don't just move dough — they move results.