Cane Sampling and Analysis

• Core sampler

The core sampler consists of a horizontal tube or probe fitted with a cutting crown at its
tip. It can travel from 1 to 4 m above ground level.

The probe is mounted on a platform which moves on rails to allow free to and fro
movement of the equipment, thus enabling a sample to be taken at any point in the cane
load.

In operation, the probe penetrates the cane load diagonally at 45o . The sample remains
inside the probe and is ejected by means of an internal piston.

• Shredder

This machine shreds the cane sample to a size which is suitable for juice extraction by the
hydraulic press.

• Hydraulic Press

The hydraulic press is used to extract juice from the prepared cane sample. The sample is
placed in a perforated bowl and a pressure of 200 tonnes is applied for 2 minutes by means
of a piston. The extracted juice is analysed and the residual cake is weighed.

• Weighing Scale
 An electronic weighing scale is used for weighing samples and residual bagasse cakes. It
is of the single pan type with an optical scale, with a range of 0 to 3000 g.

• Digital Universal Refractometer (DUR)

The digital universal refractometer is used to determine the brix of the juice. The readings
are automatically corrected to a temperature of 20oC. The refractometer is connected to
a printer and the readings are recorded automatically to a computer.

• Automatic Saccharimeter

This apparatus is used to measure the Pol or apparent sucrose content of the juice sample.
The juice must first be clarified using basic lead acetate and then filtered. The clarified
filtrate is poured into the funnel of the flow-through tube of the saccharimeter. The Pol
reading is obtained on a digital display . The apparatus is connected to a printer and a
computer to record the data. The accuracy of the instrument is regularly checked using
standard quartz plates and distilled water.

• Cane Analysis

The basic parameters for assessing the sucrose content of the cane are:

•
o The Brix of the Juice
 o The Pol of the Juice
o The Purity of the Juice
o The Weight of the residual bagasse cake which gives the fibre % cane
First the load is probed diagonally at 450 by means of a core sampler. The sample can be
taken on either side of the load.

The sample is reduced to a finely divided state by passing it through a shredding machine.

A 1 kg sub sample of the shredded cane is subjected to a pressure of 200 bars for 2 minutes
in a hydraulic press to obtain the juice and a residual bagasse cake. The latter is weighed
and the readings are automatically recorded to a computer.

The juice is divided into two portions for Brix, Pol and Purity determinations according to
established procedures.

All measurements are recorded automatically in a computer.

Other data provided by the factory and the weighbridges are also used to determine the
quantity of sugar, molasses and filter cake accruing to growers.

•
o Infracana

The CAD has shifted to Near Infra-Red technology for the analysis of sugarcane samples.
This method is rapid, reliable and requires minimal manual handling of cane samples.

The Infracana is also a transparent system where sample analysis can be seen from start
to finish and requires no chemicals or reagents.
 Sugar Storage and Handling Unit – SSHU
Sugar Storage and Handling
The Sugar Storage and Handling Unit (Ex-Mauritius Sugar Terminal Corporation) is located
on a piece of reclaimed land having an area of 10.93 hectares at Les Salines, adjacent to
Robert Ewdard Hart Garden and about 3 km from the City Centre of Port Louis. The
terminal which is the third largest in the world came into operation on the 23rd June 1980.
Following the dismantling of the sugar protocol and the cessation of raw sugar production
and exportation, the activities of the sugar storage and handling unit are mainly the sugar
receipt, storage and delivery of both plantation white sugar and non-originating sugars to
the two refineries of the island.

The unit is headed by a director who oversees the day to day management of the Unit.

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• Receiving Station

Raw sugar produced by the sugar factories is transported to the terminal by heavy duty
lorries/trailers onto which are mounted three or four sugar boxes of 6.5 tonnes capacity
each. Fully computerized weighbridges ensure accurate weighing of the sugar lorries at
the receiving station. The sugar boxes are then tipped using electro-mechanical
equipment to unload the sugar onto conveyor belts which is then conveyed to the storage
sheds.

• The Storage Sheds

Two-storage sheds, each having a storage capacity of 175,000 metric tonnes harbours in
bulk, the plantation white sugar as well as the non-originating sugar. The sheds
infrastructure are so designed to resist cyclonic winds of 300 km/hr. The storage sheds are
protected against any fire outbreak through a state of art fire detection and fire fighting
system.
Since 2009, Shed No. 2 is dedicated for the storage of special sugars in 1 tonne bags
destined for exportation.

• Delivery of Sugar to Refineries

Plantation White Sugar (PWS) and Non-Originating Sugar (NOS) from shed number one
are delivered through a new conveying system (C14) inside the shed. The lorry is
positioned under discharging hoppers where an operator triggers the pneumatic gate to
load the sugar boxes. The lorry is then weighed at the receiving station and directed to
the refineries namely Alteo and Omnicane. Delivery of non-originating sugar is also done
through the out-loading conveyors and reclaimed at the return bin of the sugar quay.

• Maintenance and Repairs

All equipment and machinery undergo rigorous maintenance phases based on a pre-
planned preventive maintenance programme and coupled to that, critical equipment are
routed to a conditioned-based monitoring cycle.

Most of the maintenance and repair works are carried in-house except for big projects
which are outsourced. The workshop is equipped with specialized tools and equipment
and among others this include a lathe, a milling machine, a hydraulic press, welding
equipment both arc and gas, heavy duty drilling machine. Two mobile cranes facilitate
transportation of heavy loads, tarring of weighbridges, maintenance of sugar boxes and
working at heights with the man-platform attachment.
 In view of the geographical position of the Terminal and being exposed to the saline
environment, the whole structure which is made of steel and aluminium cladding are
subject to adverse environmental impacts. The total built-up area is approximately
43,000 m².

Bagged Sugar Storage and Distribution (BSSD)

In the context of the rationalization of the service providing institutions to improve cost
effectiveness, quality services and optimal use of human resources, Cabinet, at its meeting
on 22nd August 2014, had agreed to the transfer of the operations of the Bagged Sugar
Storage and Distribution Co Ltd to the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority. The Bagged
Sugar Storage and Distribution Co Ltd has been removed from the Register of Companies,
under Section 309(1)(d) of the Companies Act 2001, on 31st December 2014. All assets
and liabilities have been transferred to the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority with effect
from 1st January 2015.

Principal Activities of BSSD

The principal activity of the Bagged Sugar Unit comprises of the receipt, storage and
distribution of bagged sugar as follows:

• Special Sugars are received from sugar estates for export markets
• White Refined / Raw Sugars are received from sugar estates for local market
• Imported Sugars are received from overseas suppliers for local market and bottlers

To this end, the Unit operates three warehouses held on operating lease at the following
locations:

• The Albion Docks

• MCIA Shed No 2
• Caudan

The sugars are handled in 25 kg, 50 kg and one- tonne bags.

Responsibilities of BSSD

The Bagged Sugar Unit is also responsible for the following:

• Receipt of empty bags ordered by the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate from overseas and
local suppliers for onward delivery to the sugar estates
• Receipt of steel bars and liners ordered by the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate from overseas
and local suppliers for onward delivery to the sugar estates
 The Air Pollution Monitoring Unit (APMU)
Background
Launched in October 1998, it was a project developed by the Mauritius Cane Industry
Authority (formerly Mauritius Sugar Authority). A team, comprising of one Air Monitoring
Officer, one Technical Assistant, one General Worker and a Heavy Vehicle Driver is
permanently attached to the Air Monitoring Unit. Expert from USA (EMET Services) and
UK (Monitor Labs Inc) provided training to the Air Monitoring Team.

The Air Monitoring Unit has the competency to perform the following test:

1. Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) monitoring using an environmental mobile laboratory.

2. Continuous Source Emission Monitoring (CEM) using another environmental mobile
laboratory.
3. Particulate Matter (PM) sampling from stack emission using portable equipments
4. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring using portable handheld instruments.

All the tests are performed as per US EPA Standards.

NEED FOR POLLUTION CONTROL

Awareness of the harmful effects of various air pollutants on materials, living organisms,
and health has given rise to air pollution control. Both developed and undeveloped
countries have been actively involved in this type of control and Mauritius as well is
participating in this global effort to minimise or limit emission with the help of the Air
Pollution Monitoring facility of the MCIA.

AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING

Ambient air quality monitoring is the monitoring of the quality of the air which people
breathe. An automated system equipped with analysers, measure the following
parameters:
1. SO2(sulphur dioxide),

2. NOx(oxides of nitrogen),

3. O3 (ground level ozone),

4. CO (carbon monoxide),

5. PM10(particulate matter below 10 microns in size, per cubic metre),

6. TSP (Total Suspended Solid Particles)

Measurements are based on dry absorption emissions methods. The system is also
equipped with meteorological sensors for wind direction, wind speed, humidity and
atmospheric temperature and pressure. The analysers give real time measurements,
which can be averaged over 15 minutes or more and stored in a data logger. Remote
sensing of these data can also be made through a modem using the GPRS (General
Packet Radio Services) technology.

CONTINUOUS SOURCE EMISSION MONITORING (C.E.M)

This type of monitoring consists of analysing gaseous emissions from stationary sources,
such as factory chimneys. This system is an automated mobile laboratory equipped with
analysers for gaseous emissions such as:

1. SO2 (sulphur dioxide)

2. NOx(oxides of nitrogen)

3. CO (carbon monoxide)

4. CO2(carbon dioxide)
5. O2(residual oxygen)

Sampling is made directly from a port, with a probe inserted into the stack via a heated
sample line to give unbiased readings.
 Figure 1 – Continuous source emission monitoring

PARTICULATE MATTER MEASUREMENT

Particulate Matter (PM) is fine solid particles emitted together with the flue gas from
chimneys.

PM concentration in flue gas is determined using a computerised High Volume Sampler

(Figure 2).

The sampling is performed iso-kinetically (sampling at the same speed as the flue gas
speed) through a probe inserted in the stack.
 Figure 2 – High Volume Sampler

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Indoor air quality (IAQ) broadly refers to the environmental characteristics inside
buildings that may affect human health, comfort, or work performance. We monitor IAQ
because we spend approximately 90% of our time breathing “indoor air”. Poor IAQ
contributes to both short and long term health issues which can lead to decreased
productivity and increased absenteeism. Portable equipments (Figure 5) are used to
measure the following Indoor air quality parameters:

1. Room Temperature & Humidity

2. Ventilation air flow

3. Carbon Dioxide

4. Respirable & Inhalable Dust Particles

5. Total Volatile Organic Compounds

6. Formaldehyde

7. Carbon Monoxide

OUR CLIENTS
The Air Pollution Monitoring Unit receives requests for performing air quality tests from
various organisations every year. The requests come from a wide range of industrial
activities including sugar factories, Textile factories, Chemical factories, Cement
processing factories, Stone crushing plants and others. These tests are performed as per
various requirements, namely:

1. Assessment of compliance to environmental guidelines and/or standards.

2. Assessment of efficiency of boiler or power plant. (Need to modify air/fuel ratio)

3. Assessment of efficiency of existing pollution control equipment.

4. Use of primary data for the design of a new pollution control system.

5. Research

6. Covers a wide variety of industrial areas (Sugar, Chemical, Textile, Cement / Stone
Crushing Plants, Consulting Engineers…)