Preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise the optional application of concentrations of an aqueous permanganate solution, such as an approximately 0.01% A to approximately 50% liquid permanganate solution and preferably comprising approximately 20% sodium permanganate dosed at approximately 1 ppm to approximately 100 ppm to harvested sugar crops, such as sugarcane, sugar beets, and sweet sorghum, at one or more of the sugar processing steps for the crops. The steps where the liquid sodium permanganate may optionally be applied include at a sugar crop cutting step, a sugar crop conveying step, a sugar juice extraction step, a sugar juice clarifying step, and a clarifier muds filtration step. The application of liquid sodium permanganate in the processing of sugar from sugar crops results in reduced equipment fouling, reduced loss in juice purity, reduced scale formation, decreased turbidity in clarified juices, increased sugarcane processing rates, reduced sugar crop production costs, increased sugar product yield, and increased production capacity.

A filter media for implementation in a sugar purification process that allows for a significant increase in sorbent material while maintaining, and enhancing the decolorization and. hydraulic properties. The filter media incorporates sorbent material, fiber having specific properties that allows for small particle sorbent material without jeopardizing the hydraulic properties of the media, and an electrolyte. The sorbent material is an inorganic, an adsorption, or ion exchange media, or a metal-organic framework. The implementation of this filter media in a sugar purification process eliminates the need for a clarification step during refining while providing for enhanced decolorization and hydraulic properties for fluid flow.

A filter media for implementation in a sugar purification process that allows for a significant increase in sorbent material while maintaining, and enhancing the decolorization and. hydraulic properties. The filter media incorporates sorbent material, fiber having specific properties that allows for small particle sorbent material without jeopardizing the hydraulic properties of the media, and an electrolyte. The sorbent material is an inorganic, an adsorption, or ion exchange media, or a metal-organic framework. The implementation of this filter media in a sugar purification process eliminates the need for a clarification step during refining while providing for enhanced decolorization and hydraulic properties for fluid flow.

The invention provides for a portable, self-contained reverse osmosis system of which all necessary components to carry out substrate processing fit within the containment vessel. The invention weighs fewer than 50 pounds, consumes fewer than 250 watts of electricity, and can easily be carried from one location to another. While the invention is capable of processing hundreds of gallons of substrate per day, it can efficiently process as little as one gallon of substrate at a given time.

The invention provides for a portable, self-contained reverse osmosis system of which all necessary components to carry out substrate processing fit within the containment vessel. The invention weighs fewer than 50 pounds, consumes fewer than 250 watts of electricity, and can easily be carried from one location to another. While the invention is capable of processing hundreds of gallons of substrate per day, it can efficiently process as little as one gallon of substrate at a given time.

This invention relates, inter alia, to various plant-based electrolyte compositions, methods of preparing them and methods of using them. One embodiment concerns a plant-based electrolyte composition comprising a plant-derived electrolyte content high in potassium relative to sodium, and a plant-derived carbohydrate content less than about 6% weight/volume. Another embodiment concerns a method for re-hydrating an individual or preventing dehydration or over-hydration of an individual or for preventing or treating potassium deficiency in an individual, by administering to the individual a plant-based electrolyte composition. The electrolyte compositions can be prepared from sugarcane juice, sugar beet juice, sweet sorghum juice, palm syrup, maple sap, vegetable juice or fruit juice.

The process of producing concentrated maple sap can include concentrating the maple sap using membrane filtration to a sugar content of approximately 30? Brix, circulating the maple through a maple sap passage of a membrane, wherein the membrane contains the maple sap in a vacuum cavity, and evaporating the water from the maple sap across the membrane into the cavity. The concentrated maple sap having a sugar content above 50? Brix.

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can be useful for separating solids and high molecular weight species from liquids of bioprocessed biomass material slurries.

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can be useful for separating solids and high molecular weight species from liquids of bioprocessed biomass material slurries.

A method of enriching a material comprising glucose, fructose, and one or more components inert to isomerization using chromatography to produce a high purity fructose product. An embodiment of the method purifies high fructose corn syrup from a feedstock into three product streams: a first fraction rich in glucose, a second fructose product comprising an extract of fructose purity exceeding about 95%, and a third less pure fructose fraction comprising fructose ranging from about 55% to about 90% fructose purity. The third less pure fructose fraction may be combined with 42% fructose syrup to produce saleable mid-purity fructose product, such as having 55% fructose purity. An SMB system is also disclosed and comprises a first SMB separator, a second SMB separator, and an isomerization chamber.