Sugar industry: lighting for sugar refineries, washing areas and alcohol transformation areas

Once the raw materials have been cleaned, they are cut up into strips. These strips are soaked in a flow of warm water, which is gradually infused with sugar. This diffusion process, which precedes liming, a filter process using lime slurry, removes all impurities from the sweet juice obtained.

The industrial conditions found in washing areas (dirt and vibrations) are also present in these areas; however, additional factors such as temperature and high-pressure cleaning for both machines and premises must be considered, so well-sealed, robust luminaires are necessary. While Sammode’s range is particularly long-lasting, we also guarantee the availability of spare parts well into the future by proposing modular systems that can be fully dismantled and repaired at the site.

Requirements

• Solid grime
• Vibrations
• High-pressure cleaning
• Temperature

Recommended products

• Cugnot Xtrem

  ø100 and ø133 tube light for extreme industrial atmospheres

The sweet juice is then heated to a high temperature in boilers to allow the water to evaporate, increasing the sucrose concentration from 15% to 70%. Fine icing sugar crystals are then added to cause some of the juice to crystallise. The mass of sugar and remaining juice are then centrifuged to separate both elements and obtain sugar. This sugar is then dried using hot air dryers.

These drying areas must meet the applicable health and safety standards for the food industry, and lighting must withstand both the high temperatures prevailing for the different sugar refining processes and the potential chemical damage caused by cleaning products, not forgetting the ability to support the high-pressure cleaning of machines and premises. For all of these reasons, robust luminaires able to withstand high temperatures must be installed.

In addition, as is the case in any area at a sugar refinery, suitable emergency lighting must be fitted.

Requirements

• High temperature
• High-pressure cleaning
• Chemical damage

Recommended products

• Joule X-Heat

  High temperature ø133 tube light for extreme industrial atmospheres

• Coulomb

  Central source or independent emergency lighting

• Maxwell

  Central source or independent emergency lighting, permanent/non-permanent, for industrial environments

Once the sugar powder has cooled, it is stored in silos. Once the sugar has fully stabilised, it is packaged as either cubes or crystals, or sent out directly in bulk form. These storage areas bring new industrial requirements as this environment is considered as potentially explosive under ATEX category 21 or 22 (explosive dust).

Luminaires in these areas must therefore satisfy these ATEX standards. High temperatures (45/50°C) also form under the ceilings in these areas, requiring suitable products, which must also be particularly reliable as any electrical works in an explosive atmosphere imply significant risks and extra costs. To allow for intervention in record time in these complex areas, Sammode has partnered with Marechal Electric to provide robust and easy-to-install ATEX-certified Plug & Play cables for its luminaires.

Requirements

• Explosive atmospheres
• Dust zone 21,22

Recommended products

• Boyle Xtrem

  Borosilicate glass tube ø100 and ø133 for extreme or highly corrosive ATEX zone 2, 21 and 22 atmospheres

• Fumat

  Tube ø133 for high-ceilinged ATEX zone 2,21,22 atmospheres

The molasses (sweet juice containing impurities, separated from the sugar during centrifugation) and sweet water are not retained as part of the final product, but are however used. These by-products are distilled to produce alcohol in the large tanks so typical of sugar refineries, particularly in northern France.

These explosive atmospheres contain gas from alcohol vapours, rather than the dust usually found in silos. On this basis, the lighting equipment must comply with ATEX zone 1 and 2 standards depending on the risks faced, and must withstand the high temperatures (up to 50°C) frequently found in this type of process. Sammode offers a “replacement lighting” option for its ATEX zone 2 ranges to ensure optimal safety, courtesy of the built-in Lithium-ion batteries, providing a minimal lighting level for 1 hour if the main power grid fails.

Requirements

• Explosive atmospheres
• Gas zone 1, 2

Recommended products

• Sabatier Xtrem

  Borosilicate glass tube ø133 for extreme or highly corrosive ATEX zone 1 atmosphere

• Boyle Xtrem

  Borosilicate glass tube ø100 and ø133 for extreme or highly corrosive ATEX zone 2, 21 and 22 atmospheres