The Sugar Engineers

Flotation Clarifier for Syrup Rapid Design

Raw syrup can contains particles of insoluble solids which cause elevated turbidity of the liqour and these solids must be removed before crystallisation. A flotation clarifier achieves this well without much cost. Air bubbles are entrained in the liquor by means of an aerator, polyelectrolite as floculent is added in an inline mixer and the liquor is then fed to the flotation clarifier. The liquor flows up the expanding riser to reduce the velocity and hence turbulence. The liquor overflows the riser and enters the clarifing section of the vessel. The entrained air bubbles rise and carry with them the particulate solids which have have been flocculated and formed into a scum by the polyelectrolite. Slowly rotating rakes push the scum to the outer periphery of the clarifier and into the scum launder. The clarified liquor flows out of the clarifier through equally space outlet nozzles into a ring header. The liquor flows into an adjustable weir box which can be adjusted manually (or automtically if required) to maintain the scum level.

The Sugar Engineeers' flotation clarifier design is based on the designs and experience of 30 years in the sugar industry. The design will be rapidly implememted using state of the art tools, inlcuding 3D CAD and computation fluid dynamic analysis (CFD).

The features of the Sugar Engineeers' flotation clarifier are:

  1. Carefully designed using CFD to optimise the design for each specific installation, using
  2. Well established design principles
  3. Residence time and surface loading are the major design criteria
  4. Liquor outlets sized according to the Knäbel criterion
  5. Scum launder sized for open channel flow according to the Chézy formula
  6. The scum outlet pipe sized for self venting flow according to the Hills criterion.

The design will include:

  1. A detailed and fully dimensioned CAD drawing sent by email
  2. An Engineering specification document
  3. A Process datasheet showing the flows and temperatures and pressures

We are also able to offer Project Management Services for the design, engineering, fabrication and erection of your equipment to ensure it is delivered on time, in budget, to the correct quality.

A partially dimensioned drawing indicative of the design you will receive is available for download.