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Process improvements in Khandsari (cottage sugar industry) in India

Article in International Sugar Journal · February 2004

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 Process Improvements in Khandsari (Cottage Sugar Industry) in India
Avinash Kumar Agarwal 1#, Mukesh Sharma2 and L P Tewari 3
Departments of Mechanical 1 and Civil2 Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
National Sugar Institute3 Kanpur
Kanpur-208 016, India
Corresponding Authors Email#: akag@iitk.ac.in

Abstract
India is the birthplace, where the small scale Khandsari (sugar) industry was born and developed into
a modern industry. The khandsari sugar production, which was originally confined to the State of Uttar-
Pradesh only, is now spread all over the country. It has occupied an important place in the country’s sugar
economy. In 1991-92, Khandsari industry utilized about 42% of nearly 242 million tones of cane production in
India. At present, this sector utilizes about 45-50% of the total sugar cane produced in the country and
provides employment to about 2.5 million people. The brief manufacturing process includes cane crushing by
mechanical rollers, concentration of cane juice (through boiling), crystallization, extraction of sugar in
centrifuge and sugar drying. The fibrous residue left after extraction of juice from cane, i.e. bagasse, is burnt in
furnace to provide heat for boiling (concentrating) the juice.
There has not been much organized effort to modernize or improve the manufacturing process in
Khandsari industry. It was only recently that three institutions, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, National
Sugar Institute, Kanpur and Central Pollution Control Board, Kanpur have taken up the task of improving
manufacturing process and reducing the pollution. This paper specifically presents historical manufacturing
process and the improvements carried out in the process for enhanced sugar recovery. Some of the
improvements are already adopted by the industry, while someare under various stages of implementation.
Introduction and Objectives
The khandsari sugar manufactured from cane juice is a traditional technology in India. It uses
products available at villages and village technicians, who have perfected process of sugar manufacturing
over centuries. The village technology uses in-house resources available in village itself, including inputs and
knowledge. Villagers have known the science of producing khandsari sugar from purified cane juice since time
immemorial. Alexander the great (325 BC) ordered advisors of its returning forces to take sugarcanes and its
products with them as one of the invaluable bounties, they lay hands in India [1].

The British started the first sugar factory in 1894 at Motihari, Bihar. Although different regions of India
have their own techniques for producing khandsari sugar, but the basic technology is more or less the same.
There are two main processes followed in India. One is old indigenous method and the other is modern
sulphitation process, developed by National Sugar Institute, Kanpur. A typical khandsari industry has 8-15

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furnaces. Although the size of the khandsari units varies between 50-200 tons of cane crushing capacity per
day, the minimum economically viable size of modern unit is 100 tons per day. The cost of a new khandsari
unit of 100-ton capacity is about 1.5-1.7 million Indian Rupees (Approximately US$ 30,000). Such a unit has
an employment potential of about 185 persons (1.85 persons per ton of cane crushed). The recovery of sugar
ranges from 5.5 % (traditional process) to 7.5 % (modern process) of cane crushed.

Although the khandsari industry has grown several folds over decades, there has been no organized effort
to improve its performance, efficiency and sugar recovery. The reasons for continuation of old technology
include: (i) disorganized small-scale industrial sector, (ii) protected by government through subsidy, (iii) lack of
education/ technical knowledge of village entrepreneurs, and (iv) lack of willingness and affordability to adopt
new technical inputs.

With the initiative of the government to abolish the subsidies to small-scale industrial sector in the country
and stiff competition posed by sugar mills, the economical viability of khandsari units in severely jeopardized.
This is threatening closure of several khandsari units leading to large-scale unemployment problems in rural
areas of khandsari belt. It was only recently that three institutions, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
(IITK), National Sugar Institute (NSI), Kanpur and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Kanpur have taken
up the task of improving manufacturing process and reducing the environmental pollution. Specifically, NSI
has examined the manufacturing process for its improvements in terms enhanced sugar recovery and cost
reduction; IITK has examined the improvements in combustion processes, heat recovery, and pollution
prevention and control; and CPCB has provided a partial funding for improvements in pollution control.

The first paper of the research carried out on improvements in manufacturing processes is described
here with a comparison of historic and improved process. The specific technical modifications developed and
adopted by the industry are also highlighted such as advanced mechanical rollers for juice extraction,
improved sulphitation process for clarification of sugar cane juice, mechanical crystallizers etc.
Traditional Khandsari Industry: Manufacturing Process
In traditional khandsari industry, sugar manufacturing involves four basic steps:

1. Juice extraction
2. Juice purification
3. Juice concentration by open pan boiling
4. Solidification of concentrated juice
Following the crushing of the sugar cane (using animal power), clarification of cane juice is done by simple
mucilaginous extracts of vegetable plants [2]. The extract is gradually added in the heated juice just before it
starts boiling and scum rises to surface, which is removed by a perforated ladle leaving clear and transparent
juice in the heating pans. The clear juice is concentrated in open pans till the boiling mass attains a

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temperature of 106°C and the massecuite (rab) produced is allowed to crystallize. The sugar recovery in this
traditional process is about 5.5%. Today this process is being practiced is some units of smaller capacities
only.

Juice Extraction
In traditional process, grinding was used for juice extraction. Cane were cut into small pieces and kept
in a mortar made of stone. A large tree trunk served as a pestle for grinding the cane pieces. The pestle could
be moved inside the mortar with the help of bullocks or camels. Later, the technique of crushing evolved to a
two roller/ three-roller assembly, vertically driven by bullocks or buffalos. The roller could be moved by a rod
connected at the top of roller by one end and attached to wooden rectangular frame at other end in order to
pull it with pair of bullocks or the buffalo or some times by man also. It is worth mentioning here that all the
equipment required for extraction of juice were available at villages. Local artisans like blacksmith and
carpenters could fabricate the equipment. In modern Khandsari industry, mechanical rollers do same process
that was carried out initially with wooden rollers or village-made iron rollers. The mechanical rollers, conveyors
etc. for cane crushing in a modern Khandsari industry are shown in figures 1-2.

Design Improvements in Roller

The National Sugar institute Kanpur (NSI Kanpur) suggested and demonstrated at NSI Khandsari
Prayogshala (Laboratory) that extraction of juice can be improved by using horizontal three roller mills using
hydraulic pressure on mills. The milling tandem should contain two or three mills, each of three rollers. This
reduced the moisture content in the bagasse and loss of the sugar in bagasse. Complete manufacturing
drawing of six roller power crusher 13”× 8” size roller with cane carrier, cutter, intermediate carrier with
hydraulic loading arrangement for a 60 tons per day cane crushing unit on the basis of 16 hours working day.

Figure 1: Manual Feeding of Cane into Mechanical Rollers

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 Figure 2: Mechanical Conveyer Carrying Cane into the Mechanical Rollers

Juice Purification

In the traditional process, the purification of juice was carried out by addition of locally available
clarificants in villages. The mucilaginous extract of various clarificants was prepared either by taking out bark
or by taking lower portion of the tree etc. or using green stems and then soaking it in water for 24 hours. The
bark is then rubbed with hand till thick mucilaginous extract comes in water. Sometimes, the bark of roots has
to be crushed. The crushed material is left in water for some time and then rubbed by hand to give a thick
mucilaginous extract. Few clarificants and process of preparing extracts are described below.

(a) Deola (Hibiscus Ficulneus)

(b) Bhindi (Hibiscus Esculentus)
(c) Sukhlai (Kydia Calycina)
(d) Bark of Semal (Bombax Malabaricum )
(e) Bark of Falsa Tree (Grewia Asiatica)
(f) Groundnut (Arachis Ypogea)
(g) Castor Seed (Ricinus Communis)
The clarification efficiency in the descending order is as follows:
Deola, Groundnut, Bhindi, Semal, Falsa, Sukhlai and castor seed.

The vegetable clarificants have albumin, which coagulates on heating. This coagulated mass
encloses dehydrated colloids, coagulated colloids, protein matter of juice and rises to the surface in boiling
juice and forms scum. This scum is removed by means of bamboo sticks or wooden sticks (ladles). The
correct quantity of clarificants is judged when scum at the top of the juice becomes white. The village
technicians have an excellent idea of the correct time of addition of clarificants. The overflow of rising scum is
avoided by sprinkling water or emulsion of castor seed [3].

NSI standardized and prepared drawings of Khandsari site plan, layout, standard bel, juice
sulphitation tank, sulphur furnace, settling tank, A & B type crystallizers, crystallizer worm wheel, sugar drying
arrangement using hopper by hot air, wet bagasse furnace etc. for 60 tons per day unit. Complete

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specifications of modern machinery, equipment required for 60 TPD, 100 TPD and 125 TPD cane crushing
capacity were prepared and these are available in the NSI for the benefit of Khandsari sugar manufacturers.

The traditional Indian technicians, who started Khandsari manufacturing in Indian villages centuries
back, had no knowledge of the organic chemical composition of reactions involved. The development of
technology of clarification was available to the villagers, by trial of large number of vegetable extracts.
Elimination of undesired clarificants and selection of most suitable clarificant was done by villagers over
generations.

Juice Concentration by Open Pan Boiling

There are several different configurations of boiling pans for concentration of sugarcane juice by open
pan (in round bottom vessel called “bel” in local language) boiling, e.g. Meerut bel, Rohelkhand bel, and
Standard bel. Meerut bel and Rohelkhand bel are shown in figures 3-4. They differ from each other in number
of pans used for heating and orientation of pans. There are no technical reasons for the variation/ orientation.
These bels were developed locally independent of each other, based on experience.

Figure 3: Schematic Layout of Meerut Bel for Khandsari Sugar Manufacture

Figure 4: Schematic Layout of Rohelkhand Bel for Khandsari Sugar Manufacture

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 The figures 5-6 show a typical khandsari industry and arrangement of different heating pans for each
of the furnaces. The sugarcane juice heating pans are made of iron and thickness of these pans may vary
from 3” (75 mm) to 5” (125 mm) depending on their location in the hot flue gas flow path.

Figure 5: Khandsari Industry with a View of Heating Pans

Figure 6: Sugarcane Juice Pans for Heating and Concentrati ng of Juice

The juice after clarification is transferred by means of Pauna (Ladle) to the round bottom bels. These
bels are heated by firing bagasse (locally known as khoi) in the furnace. The juice is heated to 96-98°C and
then concentrated at temperatures between 105-106°C in various pans. Figure 7 shows heating and transfer
of concentrated juice from one pan to another.

Figure 7: Heating, Concentrating and Transfering of Concentrated Sugarcane Juice

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Solidification of concentrated Juice

The solidification and crystallization of the concentrated juice is done in crystallizers shown in figure 8.
The crystallizers used in traditional process deliver non-uniform crystals of sugar. This sugar is generally of
lower quality visually and fetches lower price in the market [4].

Figure 8: Sugar Crystallizers

Improvements in Traditional Khandsari Process

The recovery of Khandsari sugar is as low as 5.5 % in the traditional process. The sugar recovery can
be enhanced by adopting the following modifications in the traditional Khandsari industry. It is noteworthy that
most of these improvements have been implemented by khandsari industry leading to enhanced sugar
recovery up to 7-7.5%.

(a) Extraction:

The extraction of juice in the Khandsari sugar industry ranges from 55-65%. The industries were advised
to carry out the following modifications:

Using improved design of crushers

Using hydraulically loaded mills.
Using 3 or 4 set of mills consisting of 3 rollers each.
Installing knives for preparation of cane.
Using imbibitions (sprinkling water) at last or last but one mill for extraction of juice. This
device will also reduce the loss of sugar in bagasse and consequently help in increasing recovery of
khandsari sugar.

(b) Process Improvements

Using SO 2 gas and limewater as clarificants instead of plant origin clarificants.
Use of settling agents for faster settling.
Use of filter press to reduce the loss of sugar in filter cake (Press Mud).

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 Using crystallizers with stirrer. This has helped in faster crystallization of sugar and improved
uniformity in sugar crystals. The sugar produc ed after this improvement was of such uniform
quality that it was difficult to differentiate between the khandsari sugar and mill sugar. This sugar
fetches almost the same price as mill sugar.
Using seeding technique, rate of crystallization could be inc reased.
Cutting of crystallized massecuite will help in making bolder grain khandsari sugar hence better
exhaustion of mother liquor.

All these improvements were incorporated in new improved sulphitation technique, developed by NSI,
Kanpur, which is described below.

Improved Sulphitation Process

The improved process is simplified form of single sulphitation process, as employed in vacuum pan
process of sugar mills (Figure 9). As a result, it is now possible to get a recovery of 7.0 to 7.5 % sugar in cane
of average quality. The first quality sugar produced using this process is quite comparable with vacuum pan
process, used in sugar mills.

Raw Juice

SO2 Gas Juice Sulphiter Milk of Lime (12-15° Be, 1.2-1.5 %v/v)

Sulphited Juice pH=7.0-7.1

Boiling Bel

Heated Juice (Temp=100°C)

Filters Muddy
Juice Settling Tanks

Filtered Juice
Mud Clear Juice

Standard Bel Rab Crystallizes

Final Molasses Centrifuge Khandsari sugar

Figure 9: Manufacture of Khandsari Sugar by Improved open pan Boiling System [5]

The cane is usually crushed in a power mills and the cold raw juice is received alternatively in two
underground tanks in the mill house. This juice, which is acidic (pH 5.2-5.4), 15° Baume milk of lime is added,

8
at a rate of 12 part per 1000 parts of juice by volume and the pH of the juice is raised to 10. The density of the
milk of lime used is adjusted accurately to 15 ° Baume using a Baume Hydrometer. Unit for producing
limewater is shown in figure 10. With addition of milk of lime in the given proportions, pH of the juice rises as
the natural free organic acids are neutralized and juice becomes alkaline. The juice is then sulphited in a
sulphitation tank, after being pumped from the underground tanks. In the sulphitation tank, sulfur-dioxide gas
is passed in the juice from the bottom till the pH of the juice becomes 7.0 ± 0.1.

Figure 10: Unit for Producing Limewater for Clarification of Cane Juice

Figure 11: Sulphitation Plant for Producing SO2

The sulphur is burnt in a special furnace with the help of an air compressor using atmospheric air and
the SO2 gas is produced. The SO2 production plant is shown in figure 11. The gas is made to bubble through
the juice in the sulphitation tank through a perforated coil located in the bottom of the tank at a high pressure
until the pH of the juice is reduced to 6.8-7.0. It is observed that for about 1 ton of juice, it takes about 15
minutes to bring down the pH in desirable limits. The main purpose is to produce maximum quantity of
precipitate. Strips of BTB (Bromo Thymol Bue) indicator paper are used for finding the pH . After neutralization,
the juice is heated to 100°C i.e. the cracking point (temperature at which the layer of scum at the surface of
the juice begins to crack) in the round bottom pan of the bel and then pumped into the settling tanks. Here the
impurities are allowed to settle down ot the bottom leaving a supernatant layer of clear juice. The time
required for settling is approximately 45 minutes.

The clear juice is drawn off in the tank by means of suitable cocks placed at different levels and is
allowed to flow into standard bel for being concentrated to rab (Massecuite). The muddy juice remaining at the
bottom of the settling tank is pumped to filter presses for filtration for the recovery of any sucrose, which might

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otherwise be lost with the mud. The bag filter/ filter cloth is thoroughly washed by passing a small quantity of
hot water through them. The filtrate from these bag filter press and the washings are directed into the standard
bel for being mixed with the rest of the clear juice. The concentration of juice to rab is done in the standard bel
in the usual way. The rab (106°C) is then transferred to crystallizer and allowed to remain there for about 36
hours for the growth of crystals. The crystallizers are fitted with special stirrers rotating slowly (3 RPM)
continuously for the formation and growth of crystals.

When the rab has cooled down to room temperature after about 36 hours and is fully mature, is taken
to centrifuge machine, known as centrifuge for separation of crystals from the molasses as shown in figures
12-13. This process is known as ‘Purging’. Crystals are slightly washed with water in the centrifuge. The
separated crystals are dried and bagged as first quality sugar.

Figure 12: Centrifuge for Separation of Sugar Crystals

Figure 13: Centrifuge Removing Sugar Crystals from Molasses

The mixture of heavy and light molasses obtained after the separation of the crystals from the first rab
is called ‘first molasses’. This is again boiled to give second rab. The second rab is allowed to cool and mature
in crystallizers, which are also fitted with stirrers but these crystallizers are smaller is size. The second rab
takes about 60-70 hours to mature and cool down to room temperature. The sugar separated from the second
rab by centrifuging is sun dried (as shown in figure 14) and bagged as ‘second sugar, which is slightly inferior
to the first sugar. The mixture of heavy and light molasses resulting from the purging of the second rab is
known as ‘second molasses’. This is again boiled in the bels in the usual way to give third rab. This being poor
in sugar content does not permit crystallization for the production of third sugar. It is therefore cooled and

10
stored to crystallize in underground-aerated tanks for a period of 4-6 weeks and then third sugar is recovered.
The third sugar thus produced is brown in color and is bagged in usual way after sun drying on ‘Patta” (Coarse
hession cloth). The resulting molasses is known as ‘final molasses’, which is disposed off as by-product.

Figure 14: Sun Drying of Sugar

Sometimes the sugar is very moist and cannot be dried by sun in over-cast conditions. In such conditions, a
drying set-up is used. This set-up uses a bagasse-fired furnace to heat atmospheric air. This hot air is passed
over moist sugar and it dries the sugar. Figure 15 shows sugar-drying set-up. The dried sugar is then bagged.

Figure 15: Moist Sugar Drying Set-Up in Khandsari Industry

The average consumption of chemicals & raw materials in a Khandsari industry is given below. The figures
are on percentage basis and are based on the quantity of the cane crushed.

1. Lime 0.25% w/w

2. Sulfur 0.05% w/w
3. Castor seed 0.02% w/w
4. Filter Cloth 0.4% w/w
5. Power 20 kWh per ton of cane crushed
6. Fire wood 10% w/w
7. Gunny Bags 7.5% w/w
The overall line diagram of various processes and stages involved in Khandsari sugar manufacture is
shown in figure 16.

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 Cane Roller Mills with hydraulic pressure

Raw Juice Storage Tank Baggase

(pH=5.2-5.4)

Juice Bel Heated to 75°C

SO2 Gas Juice Sulphiter Milk of Lime

pH 7.0-7.1

Vegetabl Juice boiling Bel (heated to cracking point)

e
Clear Juice Settling Tank Muddy Juice Filter Press

Standard Rab Bel

Clear Juice

Crystallisers 1st Rab

Filter Calc. Or Press Mud

Centrifuge Molasses Bel Centrifuge 2 nd Sugar

I st Sugar 1 st Molasses
2 nd Molasses

Centrifuge 3 rd Rab Molasess Bel

Final Molasess 3 rd Sugar

Figure 16: Flow Diagram of Khandsari Sugar Plant

Conclusion:
The objective of the study was to come up with an improvement in technology, which is simple, cost-effective
and can be installed and operated by semi-skilled village level technicians and operators. The specific
technological improvements recommended and adopted by khandsari industry include improved suphitation
process for juice clarification, usage of filter press for juice recovery from press mud, design of crystallizers for
uniform crystal formations etc. These process modifications have led to significant improvements in sugar
recovery, which has gone up to 7.5% from 5.5% as in the case of traditional khandsari process. Enhanced
recovery will make the industry more competitive and it is hoped that the historic Indian khandsari industry will
survive against large sugar mills.
References:
1. Noel Deerr, “History of Sugar”, Chapman & Hall Ltd., Vol. I, 40-45, 1949-50.
2. Roy S C, “Monograph of Gur Industry of India”, National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, India, 1951.
3. Sethi R L, “Open Pan Boiling for White Sugar Manufacture”, Superintendent Printing and Stationary,
Allahabad, Indian, 1934.

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 4. Gahlawat J K, “A study of Gur and Khandsari Industry in India”, Proceedings of the Congress on
Traditional Sciences and Technologies of India, 28th November – 3rd December 1993, IIT Bombay, India.
5. Ramkumar, Shukla G K, Tewari L P, “Traditional Process of Gur Manufacture”, Proceedings of the
Congress on Traditional Sciences and Technologies of India, 28th November – 3rd December 1993, IIT
Bombay, India.

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