METHOD FOR PROCESSING SUGAR BEETS

Abstract

Method to extract sugar from a sugar beet, the sugar beet is cut in a cutting device in strips/cossettes with a length and a cross-section, the length of the strips/cossettes is, at least essentially, uniform.

Claims

1. Method to extract sugar from a sugar beet, wherein the sugar beet is cut in a cutting device in strips/cossettes with a length and a cross-section, wherein the length of the strips/cossettes is, at least essentially, uniform.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein an average length is 50-350 millimeters, or 80-200 Millimeters, or 100-150 millimeters.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein a standard deviation of the length of the strips/cossettes is <50 mm, or <30 mm, or <10 mm.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein >90% of the strips/cossettes exceed a length of 50 mm, or 80 mm, or 100 mm.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein an average area of a cross section of the strips/cossettes is less than 30 mm.sup.2, or less than 30 mm.sup.2.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the sugar beet is fed to the cutting machine in a preselected orientation.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the strips/cossettes are copped off the sugar beet.

8. Method according to claim 1, the sugar beet is grown by artificial cultivation.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the strips/cossettes are mixed with water.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein no cleaning step of the sugar beet takes place.

11. Method according to claim 9, wherein sugar is extracted from the strips/cossettes.

12. Method according to claim 10, wherein the strips/cossettes are separated from the water/sugar solution.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a sugar beet-strip/cossette according to the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows the inventive strips/cossettes.

[0039] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a method to cut the strips/cossettes

[0040] FIGS. 5 and 6 shows the feeding of the sugar beets to the cutting apparatus 9.

[0041] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the extraction of the sugar from the sugar beets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes.

[0043] Where an indefinite or definite article is used when referring to a singular noun, e.g. a, an, the, this includes a plural of that noun unless something else is specifically stated.

[0044] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described of illustrated herein.

[0045] In FIG. 1, a conventionally grown sugar beet 2 is schematically depicted. The sugar beet has an axial extension, which is preferably its longest extension and/or an axis of at least essential symmetry. The sugar beets according to the present invention can also be artificially grown. In this case, the shape of the sugar beet is preferably influenced, if not determined, for example by a special seed and/or by a formative structure, which is designed to affect the outer shape of the sugar beet is at least partially. The formative structure is for example a cavity whose walls delimit the growth of the sugar beet in a certain direction.

[0046] The formative structure may comprise a base element providing the cavity, wherein the base element preferably comprises a cylindrical, conical, cuboid, cubic or cubic inner contour, particularly preferably the inner contour is shaped cuboid or cubic with rounded edges.

[0047] In order to extract sugar out of the sugar beet, the sugar beet is cut into strips/cossettes, which are depicted in FIG. 2. Each strip/cossette has a length L and a cross section CR. According to the invention, the length of the strips/cossettes is at least essentially uniform. The cross section of the strips/cossettes may have any shape or size, but small cross sections are desirable in order to increase the area of the strips/cossettes.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a potential method to process the sugar beets. In the present case, the sugar beets are first cut into axial segments 4, by cuts which are perpendicular to the axial extension of the sugar beets. The cuts 5 can be made simultaneously or sequentially. The resulting sugar beet segments 4 are preferably equal in their length 6. Preferably, the length 6 of the segment is equal to the desired length L of the strips/cossettes.

[0049] FIG. 4 depict a method to cut the segments into strips/cossettes. In the present case the cutting apparatus comprises a grid of knives 20, which are simultaneously stamped through the cross section 7 of sugar beet segment 4, so strips/cossettes with a cross section CR are formed. The length of the segments is equal to the length 6 of the segment of the sugar beet.

[0050] Alternatively, it is also possible to cut off strips/cossettes 1 from the circumference of the sugar beet or the segment 4 of a sugar beet.

[0051] In FIG. 5 a preferred or inventive embodiment of the present invention is depicted. Differently to the state in the art, the sugar beets are not randomly supplied to the cutting apparatus, but in an organized fashion, here in a lengthwise order. This preselected orientation can for example be achieved with a V-shaped transportation belt 21 as depicted in FIG. 6.

[0052] The feeding of the sugar beets in a preselected orientation has the advantage that all sugar beets can be cut in the same way which results in a more uniform length L of the resulting strips/cossettes.

[0053] In FIG. 7 the sugar extraction process is schematically depicted. The sugar beets are fed to a cutting apparatus 9, preferably in a preselected orientation, in which each sugar beet is cut into strips/cossettes. As indicated by arrow 17, the strips/cossettes are the provided to a mixer 10, in which they are mixed with water or here with a sugar/water-solution 12 coming from the extractor 14. In the mixer 10, the strips/cossettes are pre-heated. The sugar beet strips/water mix are then fed into the extractor 14 as indicated by arrow 13. In the extractor 14, the sugar is extracted from the sugar beets in the presence of water and under the influence of an elevated temperature. The extractor preferably operates continuously, i.e. strips/cossettes 17 and water 11 are pumped continuously into the extraction/diffusion system 14 and extracted strips/cossettes 17 and sugar/water-solution 18 is removed continuously.

[0054] The sugar/water-solution is then further cleaned, concentrated and processed in an apparatus 19 until white sugar crystals are gained.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0055] 1 strip [0056] 2 sugar beet [0057] 3 axial extension of the sugar beet [0058] 4 axial segments [0059] 5 cut [0060] 6 Length of a segment [0061] 7 cross section of the sugar beet along a cut 5 [0062] 8 sugar beet supply, transportation direction [0063] 9 cutting apparatus [0064] 10 mixer, pre-heater [0065] 11 water-supply [0066] 12 recycling-stream [0067] 13 sugar/beet strips/cossettes-water mix [0068] 14 extractor/diffusion [0069] 16 extracted/exhausted sugar beet strips/cossettes [0070] 17 sugar beet strips/cossettes [0071] 18 sugar/water solution [0072] 20 knife, grid of knives [0073] 21 transportation belt [0074] CR cross section of the strip [0075] L length of the strip