Modelling Of Cross-Flow Microfiltration Coupled With Bentonite Treatment In Sugar Beet Molasses Purification

The removal of colourants and other non-sucrose compounds from sugar beet molasses opens the possibility for more acceptable and effective recovery of sucrose, which is the most valuable sugar industry product. In the presented study, the feasibility of the sugar beet molasses purification process, which combines sodium bentonite pre-treatment and microfiltration with an embedded static mixer, was examined. Molasses pre-treatment with sodium bentonite consisted of a bentonite suspension addition (7 g/L) under the following conditions: pH 5, temperature 50 degrees C, and contact time 30 min. Sugar beet molasses separation from bentonite was performed by cross-flow microfiltration using a 200 nm TiO2 ceramic tubular membrane with static mixer absence or presence and variation in the sugar beet molasses flow rate and dry substance. The molasses purification process efficiency was validated through the permeate flux values as well as colour and turbidity measurements. Higher molasses colour (20-60 %) and turbidity reduction (83.4-99.2 %) was achieved in the experiments with static mixer absence, while static mixer introduction greatly increased the final and especially steady-state permeate flux.