Sugar liquification system and process

A continuous sugar liquification process comprising the steps of:

• a) continuously feeding dry particulate sugar to a first inlet of an eductor-mixer,
• b) continuously pumping a pressurized working fluid including water to a second inlet of the eductor-mixer to enable mixing of the working fluid and the sugar in the eductor-mixer to form a liquified sugar solution,
• c) delivering solution from the eductor-mixer to a tank system,
• d) pumping solution from the tank system through a solution measuring circuit and back to the tank system,
• e) measuring the sugar content of solution in said solution measuring circuit and comparing the measured sugar content of the solution to a target sugar content,
• f) if the measured sugar content is different from the target sugar content, automatically adjusting at least one of the following amounts to adjust the sugar content of the solution:
• (1) the amount of sugar fed to the first inlet of the eductor-mixer;
• and
• (2) the amount of water in the working fluid fed to the second inlet of the eductor-mixer, and
• g) if the measured sugar content is substantially equal to the target sugar content, continuously conducting finished solution from the tank system to a desired location.

A continuous steady-state mixing system comprising

• an eductor-mixer having a first inlet for receiving dry particulate product from a product feed system, a second inlet for receiving a pressurized working fluid adapted to mix with the dry particulate product to form a fluid mixture, and a discharge adapted for discharging the mixture,
• a tank system for receiving mixture discharged from the eductor-mixer,
• a liquid supply line for adding a liquid to the working fluid conducted to the second inlet of the eductor-mixer,
• a mixture measuring circuit for conducting mixture from the tank system and then back to the tank system,
• a measuring device in said mixture measuring circuit for measuring the product content of said mixture,
• a control system for automatically adjusting at least one of the following amounts if the product content of the mixture, as measured by said measuring device, is different from a target product content:
• (1) the amount of product supplied to the first inlet of the eductor-mixer;
• and
• (2) the amount of liquid supplied to the second inlet of the eductor-mixer, and
• a finished mixture outfeed line for conducting finished mixture from the tank system to a desired location when the product content of the mixture is substantially at said target product content.

A continuous steady-state mixing process comprising the steps of:

• a) continuously feeding dry particulate product to a first inlet of an eductor-mixer,
• b) continuously pumping a pressurized working fluid including a liquid to a second inlet of the eductor-mixer to enable mixing of the working fluid and the dry product in the eductor-mixer to form a fluid mixture,
• c) delivering mixture from the eductor-mixer to a tank system,
• d) pumping mixture from the tank system through a product measuring circuit and back to said tank system,
• e) measuring the product content of mixture in said product measuring circuit and comparing the measured product content of the mixture to a target product content,
• f) if the measured product content is different from the target product content, automatically adjusting at least one of the following amounts to adjust the product content of the mixture:
• (1) the amount of dry product fed to the first inlet of the eductor-mixer;
• and
• (2) the amount of liquid fed to the second inlet of the eductor-mixer, and
• g) if the measured product content is substantially equal to the target product content, continuously conducting finished mixture from the holding tank to a desired location.