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US 2003/0196653 A1Published application
System to produce sugar from plant materials
AssigneeCO2 Solutions Inc.
InventorDavid O. Sanders
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process system that uses a reduced amount of lime or other base to clarify or purify juice obtained from plant material such as sugar cane, sugar beets, or sweet sorghum. Specifically, apparatus and methods to reduce volatile materials in juice providing a product that has an increased pH requiring the use of less lime or other base to achieve the desired pH values for clarification or purification.
Claims139
A method of purifying juice obtained from plant material, comprising the steps of:
- a. obtaining plant material;
- b. removing juice from at least a portion of said plant material, wherein said juice contains sucrose, non-sucrose substances, and water, and wherein an amount of said non-sucrose substances comprise dissolved material;
- c. exposing said juice to a mixture of gases;
- d. transferring a portion of said dissolved material from said juice to said mixture of gases prior to addition of base;
- e. generating an increased interface surface area between said juice and said mixture of gases;
- f. increasing transfer rate of said dissolved material from said juice to said mixture of gases;
- and
- g. reducing said dissolved material within said juice.
5 more elements
Juice having reduced dissolved gases in accordance with the process of 7, 8, or 9.
A method of purifying juice obtained from plant material, comprising:
- a. obtaining juice from plant material, where in said juice contains sucrose, non-sucrose substances, and water;
- b. reducing dissolved gases in said juice;
- c. preliming said juice;
- d. cold main liming said juice;
- e. hot main liming
- f. adding a first amount of carbon dioxide to said juice;
- g. precipitating a first amount of calcium carbonate;
- h. trapping a first portion of said non-sucrose substances with said calcium carbonate
- i. removing said first portion of said non-sucrose substances with said calcium carbonate from said juice;
- j. intermediate liming said juice;
- k. adding a second amount of carbon dioxide to said juice;
- l. precipitating a second amount of calcium carbonate from said juice;
- m. trapping a second portion of said non-sucrose substances in said calcium carbonate
- n. removing said second portion of said non-sucrose substances with said calcium carbonate from said juice;
- and
- o. crystallizing said sucrose.
13 more elements
A method of purifying juice obtained from plant material, comprising the steps of:
- a. obtaining plant material;
- b. removing juice from at least a portion of said plant material, wherein said juice contains sucrose, non-sucrose substances, and water, and wherein at least some of said non-sucrose substances comprise dissolved material;
- c. exposing said juice to a mixture of gases;
- d. transferring a portion of said dissolved material from said juice to said mixture of gases;
- e. generating an increased interface surface area between said juice and said mixture of gases;
- f. increasing transfer rate of said dissolved material from said juice to said mixture of gases;
- g. reducing the amount of dissolved material within said juice;
- and
- h. separating said mixture of gases containing said dissolved material transferred from said juice.
6 more elements
A method of purifying juice obtained from plant material, comprising the steps of:
- a. obtaining plant material;
- b. removing juice from at least a portion of said plant material, wherein said juice contains sucrose, non-sucrose substances, and water, and wherein at least some of said non-sucrose substances comprise volatile substances;
- c. exposing said juice to a mixture of gases;
- d. transferring a portion of said volatile substances from said juice to said mixture of gases;
- e. generating an increased interface surface area between said juice and said mixture of gases;
- f. increasing transfer rate of said volatile substances from said juice to said mixture of gases;
- g. reducing the amount of volatile material within said juice;
- and
- h. separating said mixture of gases containing said volatile substances transferred from said juice.
6 more elements
A juice purification system, comprising:
- a. juice obtained from plant material, wherein said juice contains sucrose, non-sucrose substances and water, and wherein said non-sucrose substances comprise at least one dissolved material that decreases pH of said juice;
- b. at least one gas having a partial pressure lower than said at least one dissolved material;
- c. a gas injector to mix said at least one gas with said juice;
- d. an interface at which at least a portion of said at least one dissolved material transfers from said juice to said at least one gas;
- e. atmosphere fluidicly coupled to said to said interface,
- whereby transfer of at least a portion of said dissolved material to said at least one gas increases pH of said juice.
3 more elements
A juice purification system, comprising:
- a. juice containing an amount of carbon dioxide;
- b. at least one gas responsive to an interface with said juice, wherein partial pressures of said at least one gas allow transfer of a portion of said amount of carbon dioxide from said juice to said at least one gas at said interface;
- c. at least one gas injector configured to mix said at least one gas responsive to said interface with said juice;
- d. a gas separator fluidicly coupled to said at least one gas, wherein said at least one gas further comprises said portion of said amount of carbon dioxide transferred from said juice.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.