SUGAR DUST GENERATION AND ITS

CONTROL
 Definition of Sugar Dust
• Sugar dust defined as any particles <500 um

• Sugar dust only problematic when released

into air or bagged as product

23-Jan-20 2
 About Sugar Dust
• Sugar dust in the atmosphere poses explosion
hazards and health issues

• Sugar dust impacts final product quality and

reduces the yield

• Every factory desires to minimize the presence

of sugar dust
3
Quantifying Sugar Dust Formation
• Crystallization Pans – secondary nucleation
– Sieving analysis after centrifuge

• Mechanical chipping of edges

– Centrifuge Ploughing
– Grading action
– Breakage from the height of silos
– What is its contribution to formation?

23-Jan-20 4
 Quantifying Sugar Dust Release
• Formation + Release = Generation

• Explore causes / dependence of release

• Points of possible release

– Fluidized bed drier
– Transfer points
– Inside Grader
23-Jan-20 5
Where does the dust go?
• Released into the air

• Captured by FBD / Rotary Dryers

• Miss-bagged as product

• Recycled as seed

23-Jan-20 6
Todays Presentation
• Understanding the sugar dust formation and
release

• Locate and quantify sources of sugar dust

• Identify hazards of sugar dust present in

Factory

• Explore ways to reduce sugar dust

7
 Where does dust come from?
Released

To atmosphere

Formation
Captured
•FBD scrubber
•Selected transfer points
2nd nucleation Mechanical
•Pan Boiling •Grading action Miss-bagged in
•Breakage from height in final product
silos

Recycled seeds

8
 Secondary Nucleation in Process
• Sugar dust formed during secondary
nucleation in pans
– Result of pan boiling, Crystallisation
– Not easily controlled
– Necessary for future seeds (>0.2 mm)

9
 Reasons for secondary nucleation /False Grain
• Due to low temperature of feeding liquors to vacuum pans (during stagnation due
to higher house stocks/ long breakdowns)
• Due to sudden fall in steam pressure or sudden rise in vacuum, the temperature
of the boiling massecuite is lowered that induces the formation of new grains.
• Due to introduction of a longer drinks of feed liquors into the pan, the massecuite
gets very much diluted which on concentration forms the secondary crop of
crystals.
• Due to poor quality of boilings in case of production for bold grains and fast
boiling : if the rate of boiling is fast or there is rapid decrease in the temperature,
then instead of sugar depositing on the crystal surface, the new set of crystals get
formed. The only way to prevent the formation of new set of crystals i.e. sugar
fines or sugar dust, the massecuite boilings should be at a speed proportional to
the crystal surface area and the final size of of crystals needs to be produced.
• Due to non maintaining of boiling zones of super saturation, if the degree of
super-saturation is pushed too high after granulation, the spontaneous nucleation
takes place thereby increasing chances of generation of sugar dust.
• Due to poor circulation in vacuum pans. This can be
responsible for high super-saturation and thereby for the
formation of fine grains. The pan water boiling should be closely
monitored and done judiciously to overcome this problem.
• Due to high viscosity of feeding material :high viscosity has
great deterrent effect in sugar boiling operation.
• Due to high turbidity of juices or syrups. The formation of false
grain occurs in the most notable degree when working with
turbid juices or syrups. This is because the small particles
present in the turbid juices act as nuclei for the formation of
secondary grain even at low degree of super-saturation. When
this is the cause of false grain formation, then no attempt will
be of any help.
• Due to higher concentration the pan will go into the level of
labile zone from meta- stable zone, there will be spontaneous
formation of fine crystals
• Unsulphured Syrup Brix is to be maintained form 60 ± 2Degree
• B & C Melt Brix is to be maintained 64 to 65 Degree
 Mechanical Breakage
• Main types of breakage
– Chipping of edges – impacting hard surface
– Bigger particles may undergo grinding and chipping, mainly
caused by processes such as vibrations in the grader and
breakage from falling into the silos. This mechanical
breakage usually results in one main crystal with many tiny
particles.
– Grinding of crystals – repeat contact
• Greater impact, more breakage
• Critical impact speed ~ 10 m/s

23-Jan-20 13
 Where Does the Dust Go?
Released
To atmosphere

Formation
Captured
•FBD scrubber
•Selected transfer points
2nd nucleation Mechanical
•Pan Boiling •Grading action Miss-bagged in
•Breakage from height in final product
silos

Recycled seeds

14
Sugar Dust Settling
Stokes’ Law:
Settling
Air drag Velocity (m/s)

Weight
Diameter (um)

• Vs = 0.14 – 0.7 m/s for 60 - 300 um particle

• Dependent on humidity through agglomeration (changes D)

15
Sugar Dust Release
• When upward velocity is greater than downward
terminal velocity, sugar dust is released
• Upward velocity provided by sources like air, elevator
bucket and grader vibration
Upward
Upward
Velocity
Velocity (m/s)

Released

Not Released
Settling
Velocity Diameter (um)
23-Jan-20 16
 Sampling Settled Dust

Vacuum
Pan

Massecuite

Wash Water

Centrifuges Pump Dust-free

Exhaust Air

Sugar Dust to
Melt
FBD
Grasshopper
Conveyor

HOT COOL AIR

AIR

17
Settled Dust
Bucket Elevator

Rori to Sugar Melt

Sugar Crystals

Grader

Silos 1 Silos 2 Silos 3

Sugar
In
Weighing
and
Discharging
Facilities
18
Sieving Results of Settled Sugar Dust
FBD outlet dust distribution(mm)
45.0%

40.0%

35.0%

30.0%
percent by weight

25.0%

20.0%

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

0.0%
<0.15 0.15-0.212 0.212-0.3 0.3-0.5 0.5-0.6 >0.6

It follows a normal-like distribution with the peak at 0.2 – 0.3mm. Due to

practical constraints, we have no means to obtain the size distribution of
dust captured by the FBD scrubber directly, but we believe that this
distribution is indicative, to some extent, of the size of dust captured by the
scrubber. 19
Sieving Results of Settled Sugar Dust
Elevator inlet dust distribution(mm)

30.0%

25.0%

20.0%
percent by weight

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

0.0%
<0.15 0.15-0.212 0.212-0.3 0.3-0.5 0.5-0.6 0.6-0.85 >0.85

Large presence of >0.5mm indicates very high upward velocity

At elevator inlet has an unusual peak at <0.15mm size. Moreover, the
amount of 0.3-0.5 mm size dust increases from the FBD outlet. These
indicate that there could be substantial breakage of the larger crystals at
20
the elevator, which subsequently releases these smaller particles
Sieving Results of Settled Sugar Dust
Grader outlet dust distribution(mm)

40.0%

35.0%

30.0%
percent by weighy

25.0%

20.0%

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

0.0%
<0.15 0.15-0.212 0.212-0.3 0.3-0.5 >0.5

Large quantity of <0.15 mm release indicates possible generation

at the Grader seed outlet area, there is a marked increase in the amount
of dust of size under 0.15mm from the elevator. Assuming that the speed
of the elevator is sufficiently high such that the existing fine particles in
the mixture are already being removed at the elevator, this result 21
indicates the formation of the fine dust in the grader.
 Calculation of Sugar Velocity in
Silos
• Theory of Free Fall
– Assume negligible air
resistance in presence
of surrounding sugar

10 m
– Height of 1 empty silo
= 9 – 10 m
– Assuming a fall of 5 m
(half-filled silos),
calculated impact
velocity = 10.8 m/s
22
 Silos Dust Generation
• Took dust measurement for products before
and after storage in silos
• Over two times more dust in the output
M Sugar
0.400%

0.350%

0.300%

0.250%

0.200% Inlet
Outlet
0.150%

0.100%

0.050%

0.000%
<0.3 0.3-0.5
23
Silos Dust Generation
S Sugar
0.400%

0.350%

0.300%

0.250%

0.200% inlet
outlet
0.150%

0.100%

0.050%

0.000%
<0.3 0.3-0.5 0.5-0.6

According to Rein [3], when the sugar crystal velocity exceeds 10m/s upon
impact with a surface, mechanical breakage due to impact is highly
possible. Typically silos operate at 30% capacity, which translates to a final
velocity of 12.5 m/s, causing significant breakage. Chipping is even greater
as the silos are usually emptied by the end of a shift, translating to a
24
greater free fall height at the start of the next batch.
Sieving Results of Settled Sugar Dust

• Silos inlet, silos outlet, give 85% dust <0.15 mm

• Grader dust almost all <0.15 mm

Overall Dust formation and release

The results suggest that the major fine dust formation
points are at the grader and silos, and dust released to
the air is substantial at the grader, the silos, and the
elevator.
The FBD, while removing a large amount of <0.15mm
materials, also removes considerable amount of potential
seeds

25
Impact of Sugar Dust
• Explosion and fire hazard
– Sugar dust/air suspension can ignite under certain conditions:
• Minimum Explosible Concentration (MEC) = 45g/m3
• Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) = 4mJ
– Primary and Secondary Explosions

• Health concerns
– Temporary, reversible respiratory irritation
– Skin sensitization and inflammation
• Sugar quality
– ICUMSA value increases with sugar dust
• Pure sugar = range of 80
• Sugar dust = range of 200 – 250
– Sugar clumping as sugar dust is hygroscopic

23-Jan-20 26
 Explosions and fire Hazards
• Imperial Sugar Explosion1 (2008, 14 died and 36 injured)
– A new enclosure installed on the steel conveyor belt, no
explosion vents or dust collection equipment's connected
• created a confined, unventilated space
• sugar dust easily accumulate above MEC
– Secondary explosion
• routine housekeeping policies

1 U.S. CSB investigation report on SUGAR DUST EXPLOSION AND FIRE.

23-Jan-20 27
Explosion at Imperial Sugar Industries

Imperial Sugar Company, Port Wentworth GA.

Explosion and Fire
Feb. 7, 2008
14 Dead and Numerous serious injuries
Sugar Explosion Incidence happen in India

• LH Sugar Mill Explosion in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit

district in Dec. 2016, one person was killed and five
others were injured after an tank explosion took place
at a sugar mill , when eight to nine workers were
collecting sugar in bags at a factory unit.
Basic principle for Dust explosion

• Policies, practices and procedures designed to keep the

conditions necessary for a fire from coming together
(explosive pentagon)
– Fuel (dust)
• Dust is dry
• Dust is at MEC
– Oxygen
– Ignition source
– Confined or enclosed space
– Mixing of fuel and oxygen Explosive Pentagon
Zones of Explosive Dust Atmosphere

• Hazardous areas are classified into zones based upon the frequency of
the occurrence & duration of an explosive dust atmosphere, as
follows:

➢ Zone 20: An explosive atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of

combustible dust in air, is present continuously, or for long periods
➢ Zone 21: An explosive atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of
combustible dust in air is likely to occur in normal operation
occasionally.
➢ Zone 22: An explosive atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of
combustible dust in air is not likely to occur in normal operation but, if
it does occur for a short period only.
Dust explosion in a work area

Dust Dust settles on flat

surfaces
Some event
disturbs the
settled dust
into a cloud
Source of Ignition

Dust cloud is
ignited and
explodes
Pg 32 of 16
A Review of Explosion Cause
Ignition Sources

Airborne sugar First primary

dust above explosion
MEC

Or other Vibration
Airborne sugar
ground or dust above MEC
elevated
sugar dust

Ignition Sources 23-Jan-20

A series of secondary explosions

33
 Primary deflagration inside process equipment

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 300 325

Time, msec.
(Timing of actual events may vary)
Primary deflagration breaks out of the equipment
enclosure - creating a source of ignition

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 300 325

Time, msec.
 Secondary Deflagration is propagated through
the dust clouds

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 300 325

Time, msec.
 Secondary
deflagration bursts
from the building

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 300 325

Time, msec.
Video on Dust Explosions

23-Jan-20 38
 A Review of Explosion Cause
• Airborne sugar dust above MEC is dangerous.

• Accumulated ground and elevated sugar dust

may be lifted into air and cause a series of
secondary explosions.

• The secondary explosions are the most

destructive part.
23-Jan-20 39
 HOW TO AVOID EXPLOSIONS?1
• Primary Explosion
– Avoid potential ignition sources
1. Open Flames
2. Electric Spark Ignition: Electrical devices rated
for use in hazardous work locations
3. Hot Surface Ignition (Minimal Ignition Temp:
3500C)
4. Friction Sparks
5. Static Electricity

23-Jan-20 40
 HOW TO AVOID EXPLOSIONS?1
• Secondary Explosion
– Regular housekeeping
• Eliminate accumulation on the ground and
equipment surface
• Use cleaning methods (like vacuum) that do not
generate dust clouds, especially if ignition
sources are present
– Employee training

23-Jan-20 41
 Review on Sugar Dust
Released Explosion and
To atmospherehealth hazards

Formation Captured
•FBD scrubber
•Selected transfer points
2nd nucleation Mechanical
Miss-bagged inImpact final
•Pan Boiling •Grading action
•Breakage from height in
final productproduct quality
silos

Recycled seeds
23-Jan-20

42
Dust At Graders

23-Jan-20

43
 Current Situation

• Dust Accumulation recommended to be <1/32 inch1 thick

1 OSHA, Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program, 2008

23-Jan-20 44
 Free Fall Causes Breakage in
Silos
Silos (Medium)
0.250%

0.200%

10 m
0.150%

Inlet
Outlet
0.100%

0.050%

0.000%
< 0.15 0.15-0.3 0.3-0.5

45
 Intentional Dust Release In Silos
• Silos covers are open to release dust formed in
silos:
Release dust to avoid high
content in final product

Other impurities may go into

silos

23-Jan-20 46
 Silos Improvement
• Sugar dust is formed in silos due to mechanical breakage of crystals. To minimize
breakage, the speed at which sugar impacts a surface needs to be reduced. This
can be achieved with the use of simple, speed-arresting equipment such as a sock
with perforates at staggered positions, as illustrated in figure below. A commercial
product, named the ‘Helter-Skelter slide chute’, uses a similar concept to gently
transfer quicklime into silos so that the original vertical speed of impact is
converted to a lower, horizontal speed and reduces crystal breakage. Alternatively,
a telescopic chute that extends and retracts according to the sugar level in the silo
was proposed in our final presentation, and this technique, which will involve
some extent of capital cost, can be looked into as well.

Use of sock or slide chute to slow down speed of sugar

 Solutions to Sugar Dust in Silos
• Decrease formation
• Maintain sufficient height in silos during
operation
– Already using Level control in the Silos
– Silos Design Improvement, e.g. use of speed-
arresting equipment
• Dust collection system may be adopted

23-Jan-20 48
 Dust Collection Systems

• With an understanding of dust release, dust collection systems can be

implemented at specific points of major release to capture the dust. Based
on the experimental results, the major dust release points were identified
to be located at:
– Bucket elevators inlet
– Silos inlet
– Grader seed outlet

• According to Rein [3], the locations most prone to explosions are the
transfer points at the bucket elevators inlet and the overheads in the silos,
due to the highest concentration of the dust present. Dust collection
system consists of hoods over these transfer points and ducting carrying
the dust pneumatically to central collection points. The following shows
some steps to size the ducts appropriately and then choose the best dust
collector.
23-Jan-20 49
Choice of Dust Collector
• De-dusting equipment is essential to remove the dust entrained in air-
streams in the ducts before they are discharged to the atmosphere. In this
way, dust can be collected and recycled thereby reducing loss of yield, and
also, reducing any possible environmental impact.

• There is a variety of dust-collectors available in the market, and they can

generally be categorized into wet and dry collectors. The FBD scrubber is
an example of the wet separator. Cyclone is and electrostatic precipitators
are also dry separators. Each type of collector has its own advantages and
disadvantages, and they are summarized in this table :
Equipment Advantages Disadvantages
Bag filters • Highest efficiency possible, • Batch process, need to clear
dust concentrations in accumulated dust at intervals
discharged air can be as low • High pressure drop due to
as 1mg/m3 clogging on fabric
• Cost efficient • Efficiency highly dependent on
air moisture content – humid
air results in blinding of filters

Wet gas scrubber • Reasonably-high efficiencies • Promotes growth of micro-

of >95 % organisms in water tanks
• Continuous process
Standard dry cyclones • Trouble-free operation • Low efficiencies
• Higher efficiencies possible by
upgrading to multi-stage
cyclones
• Continuous process
Electrostatic precipitators • High efficiencies (>99%) • Bulky
(ESP) • Very costly
• High risk of explosion due to
high dust concentration and
use of electricity
Bag Filters
Wet Scrubber Type Dust Collector
Wet Scrubber Type Dust Collector
Wet Scrubber Type Dust Collector
Cyclone Type Dust Collector
 Sizing of Ducts
• A set of procedure can be used to size the duct system, as
summarized below:

The recommended velocity of air flow in a duct to remove the heaviest

dust (of wood or metal) and prevent clogging in ducts is about 4500 feet
per min or equivalently 23 m/s .
At the point of contact with the sugar dust, the velocity should only be 0.5
– 1 m/s to avoid removing larger particles that could become seed.
 Secondary dust-capturing points
Bucket Elevator

Rori to Sugar Melt

Sugar Crystals

Seeds

Grader

Silos 1 Silos 2 Silos 3

Sugar
In
Weighing
Facilities

23-Jan-20 58
Work that can be done
1. Check ignition sources, to avoid first primary explosions.
• Avoid dust cloud around open flame and hot work
• Check electric device standards to avoid electric spark
• Separate hot equipments from dust or keep them clean to ensure hot
surface <3500C.
• Earth equipments to ground to minimize static electricity
• Equipment regular check to avoid friction spark
2. Weekly housekeeping on all surfaces, to prevent dust accumulation which
may cause secondary explosions. As needed, increase frequency of cleaning
on a place by place basis depending on accumulation rate. Also, use
cleaning methods that do not generate dust cloud, such as vacuum cleaner.

3. Installation of gauze windows around dry house, to prevent animals’ visits

and dirt in air into dry house.

4. Install higher shield or covers to avoid unnecessary sugar spillage at pipe-

joints and transfer points. Sock sealing of several pipe-joint points could be
improved too.
5. Continue to advise operators to use face mask when working at the drier-
house
6. Daily steam or chlorinate the FBD wet scrubber to prevent bacteria growth –
weekly check purity of FBD sweet water effluent
Steps that can be taken to prevent an accident from occurring:

1. Clean floors, ducts, pipes, hoods, ledges and beams regularly to avoid dust build up.
2. Remove any accumulation of dust on floors and other surfaces that is greater than 1/32 of
an inch in depth.
3. Use sweepers or vacuum cleaners that are approved for the hazard classification.
4. Design dust collector systems to prevent stray dust particles from accumulating. There
should be enough velocity in the ducts to ensure that both fine and coarse particles can be
easily transported.
5. Be sure that all the components of dust collector systems are made from non combustible
materials and have spark detection and explosion/deflagration suppression features.
6. Use an ignition control system to dissipate any electrostatic charge that could occur while
dust is traveling through the ductwork of dust collector systems.
7. Ground duct systems, dust collectors and dust-producing machinery.
8. Position relief venting away from employees.
9. Prohibit employees from smoking around dusty areas.
10. Train employees about the hazards of combustible dust.
Thank You !
International Standards & Explosive Dust Group

• The IEC 60079-10 has following standards for area classification:

➢ IEC 60079-10-1 Ed 2.0 Sep 2015:

Classification of Areas – Explosives Gas Atmospheres

➢ IEC 60079-10-2 Ed 2.0 Jan 2015:

Classification of Areas – Combustible dust

• IEC designates Explosives Dust Atmospheres as Group III.

• Dust Group III is further subdivided based on type of dust present as under: