A method for the disintegration and fluid drying of sugar beet material which prevents the material's degradation reaction from taking place and which includes the steps of disintegrating the sugar beet material to particles with a particle surface area of at least 2.0 cm.sup.2, and subsequent immediate exposure of the disintegrated material to a drying gas(es) at a temperature of 25° C. to 160° C. and a flow rate of 5 m.s.sup.31 1 to 40 m.s.sup.−1, where the relative humidity of the drying gas(es) at the inlet to the drying space is at most 85%; and subsequent mixing of the disintegrated material with a flow of drying gas(es) until attaining a value of dry matter of at least 70% by weight.

In a maceration conveyor assembly (10) a juice deflector (50) deflects juice around a return run of a conveyor into a trough (51). Preferably the juice deflector and trough are configured as opposed axially extending V-shaped stainless steel plates. The assembly (10) feeds into a first mill (11) of a milling tandem, and output from the mill (11) is delivered onto another conveyor and carried to the next mill in the tandem. Low pol maceration liquid is returned to the conveyor via return lines to respective distribution weirs (16) and (17). The conveyor assembly (10) includes an inlet end (20) and an outlet end (21) all supported on a supporting framework (22) so that the assembly is inclined from the inlet end (20) to the outlet end (22). An endless plate conveyor (25) comprises interconnected perforated plates (26) adapted to pivot relative to each other in chain like fashion.

In a maceration conveyor assembly (10) a juice deflector (50) deflects juice around a return run of a conveyor into a trough (51). Preferably the juice deflector and trough are configured as opposed axially extending V-shaped stainless steel plates. The assembly (10) feeds into a first mill (11) of a milling tandem, and output from the mill (11) is delivered onto another conveyor and carried to the next mill in the tandem. Low pol maceration liquid is returned to the conveyor via return lines to respective distribution weirs (16) and (17). The conveyor assembly (10) includes an inlet end (20) and an outlet end (21) all supported on a supporting framework (22) so that the assembly is inclined from the inlet end (20) to the outlet end (22). An endless plate conveyor (25) comprises interconnected perforated plates (26) adapted to pivot relative to each other in chain like fashion.

A chain driven diffuser for use in a sugar extraction process, the diffuser including a diffuser floor, a plurality of chain ladder assemblies being displaceable relative to the diffuser floor, with each chain Id-der assembly comprising two opposing chains being driven by drive sprockets characterized in that at least some of the drive sprockets of the diffuser are driven independently from some of the other drive sprockets of the diffusor.

A chain driven diffuser for use in a sugar extraction process, the diffuser including a diffuser floor, a plurality of chain ladder assemblies being displaceable relative to the diffuser floor, with each chain Id-der assembly comprising two opposing chains being driven by drive sprockets characterized in that at least some of the drive sprockets of the diffuser are driven independently from some of the other drive sprockets of the diffusor.

A method for processing sugarcane juice from raw sugarcane stalks to produce various forms of a natural sugarcane juice product preserves policosanols naturally occurring in the raw sugarcane stalks, resulting in policosanol-rich natural sugarcane juice-based products such as a drinking beverage, a concentrated sweetening agent, and a nutraceutical product. The method may include steps of providing sugarcane stalks having high policosanol concentrations; extracting sugarcane juice from the sugarcane stalks via a series of roller mills; filtering the extracted sugarcane juice; stabilizing the pH of the juice in a non-acidic solution of calcium hydroxide; flocculating the sugarcane juice to remove undesirable impurities; optionally, evaporating the sugarcane juice to form a policosanol-rich sugarcane juice concentrate and extracting the sugarcane juice concentrate from the evaporator.

A method for processing sugarcane juice from raw sugarcane stalks to produce various forms of a natural sugarcane juice product preserves policosanols naturally occurring in the raw sugarcane stalks, resulting in policosanol-rich natural sugarcane juice-based products such as a drinking beverage, a concentrated sweetening agent, and a nutraceutical product. The method may include steps of providing sugarcane stalks having high policosanol concentrations; extracting sugarcane juice from the sugarcane stalks via a series of roller mills; filtering the extracted sugarcane juice; stabilizing the pH of the juice in a non-acidic solution of calcium hydroxide; flocculating the sugarcane juice to remove undesirable impurities; optionally, evaporating the sugarcane juice to form a policosanol-rich sugarcane juice concentrate and extracting the sugarcane juice concentrate from the evaporator.

A maceration conveyor assembly feeding into a first mill of a milling tandem, where output from the mill is delivered onto another conveyor and carried to the next mill in the tandem. Low pol maceration liquid is returned to the conveyor via return lines to respective distribution weirs. Weirs include overflows which extend across the conveyor. The conveyor assembly includes an inlet end and an outlet end all supported on a supporting framework so that the assembly is inclined from the inlet end to the outlet end. The frame supports respective side walls of a conveyor trough between which travels an endless plate conveyor. The endless plate conveyor comprises interconnected perforated plates adapted to pivot relative to each other in chain like fashion so that the endless plate conveyor effectively functions as a belt conveyor having rigid plates interconnected in pivotal fashion.

A maceration conveyor assembly feeding into a first mill of a milling tandem, where output from the mill is delivered onto another conveyor and carried to the next mill in the tandem. Low pol maceration liquid is returned to the conveyor via return lines to respective distribution weirs. Weirs include overflows which extend across the conveyor. The conveyor assembly includes an inlet end and an outlet end all supported on a supporting framework so that the assembly is inclined from the inlet end to the outlet end. The frame supports respective side walls of a conveyor trough between which travels an endless plate conveyor. The endless plate conveyor comprises interconnected perforated plates adapted to pivot relative to each other in chain like fashion so that the endless plate conveyor effectively functions as a belt conveyor having rigid plates interconnected in pivotal fashion.

A method for obtaining juice from sugar-containing raw materials is disclosed. The method includes grinding and extracting sugar by adding a reagent causing a partial destruction of the non-sugar polymer chains within the raw material. The inorganic reagent includes sodium peroxidesulfate (i.e., sodium persulfate), ammonium peroxydisulfate (i.e., ammonium persulfate), or potassium peroxydisulfate (i.e., potassium persulfate), not less than 0.50% weight, and sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, not less than 0.50% weight. The reagent is added to the sugar-containing raw material, the collection of juice, and/or any pulp collection water (e.g., in the beet industry). The total reagent amount added ranges between 0.001-0.02% weight of the raw materials. The mixture is then incubated for 15-20 minutes at a temperature ranging from 25 to 75° C.