Sugarbeet producers spend precious time and resources each year performing grueling, expensive maintenance operations. Crompion International, a specialty stainless solutions provider for the sugarbeet industry, has remediated this costly and timely process through next generation products and services.
The sugarbeet industry is using materials that are generations old, including carbon steel. While acceptable for resisting common abrasion issues, traditional carbon steels do not stand a chance against corrosion incurred in sugarbeet operations. Thus, the amount of annual maintenance operations increases and negatively impacts the bottom line of sugarbeet producers.
Well-suited to stand up to both abrasive and corrosive environments, Crompion International’s Cromgard Specialty Stainless Steel has a history of superior performance in the sugarbeet industry. Cromgard contributes to longer equipment life, reduced maintenance costs and less downtime in beet handling, extraction, product processing and by-product handling, as well as sugar process and handling.
A low-cost, next-generation stainless steel, Cromgard C12 also provides strength, durability and low maintenance, as well as good weldability and formability, making it capable of fabrication by conventional techniques.
To the sugarbeet operator, Cromgard’s level of protection increases the lifetime of equipment by 10 times or more. Cromgard C12’s corrosion resistance also improves its ability to perform in wet abrasive applications and has shown exceptional results by dramatically reducing wear in sugarbeet handling.
In a wide variety of applications, it has been successful in displacing coated carbon steel, as well as Corten, Aluminum and 304. In every case, Cromgard C12 demonstrates a realistic performance or economical advantage, often both. Additionally, the yield strength of Cromgard C12 is approximately 85 percent higher than that of austenitic stainless steels such as grades 304L and 316L which provides an opportunity to down gauge to save costs.
Crompion International’s solutions-based service team realizes each producer has their own specific needs influenced by geography, climate, budget, etc. To service each client individually, Cromgard grades are offered in a variety of forms to fit each need and specific application.
One of the most important factors in sugarbeet processing is slideability. Cromgard C12 retains its surface integrity and ability to ensure smooth material flow. In some cases, the surface actually becomes polished causing material to move more easily, which increases efficiency and lowers energy demand on pumps and motors.
Because no surface protection coatings or treatments are necessary, Cromgard C12 is also environmentally friendly. In addition, since Cromgard C12 is a ferritic stainless steel, it is magnetic and allows for the process engineering of moving the beet and by-products through the beet processing facility.
For hot gas ducting and chimneys, pre-heater tubing, and air emission scrubber applications, Cromgard C12 has several notable characteristics at elevated temperatures: reasonable mechanical properties, good scaling and oxidation resistance, including resistance to sulfur-bearing atmospheres and negligible embrittlement after extended exposure.
In addition to supplying sheet and plate products, Crompion International provides fabricated parts and assemblies to pre-determined specifications and ships them ready to use. Pre-fabrication reduces the burden on the sugarbeet operator and allows for a greater time to focus on planning and production.
Costs are both low and stable due to material composition and the company’s stocking techniques. As a “cost-stable” stainless steel, Cromgard C12 is not subject to erratic price fluctuations because it does not depend upon expensive alloying elements like nickel and molybdenum; therefore it also maintains a consistently lower cost advantage compared to other corrosion-resisting materials. Cromgard sheet and plate are also readily available and easily shipped.
In addition, many sugarbeet factories are powered by coal furnace. Cromgard’s various coal handling applications contribute to reduced maintenance within factories.
Crompion International’s venture into the next generation of sugarbeet solutions has begun with an English accent. Using a patent-pending design—the Turbulence Reduction Device (TRD)—international sugarbeet stalwart British Sugar has taken a step in the industry’s next generation offerings with the use of Crompion International technology.]
The TRD significantly reduces fluid velocity and eliminates turbulent eddies inside sugarbeet clarifiers, enhancing the clarification operation. As a result, superior juice quality is obtained at much shorter residence time.
The TRD has proven itself in improving performance. Highlights from a 2014 TRD installation at British Sugar include:
* Overall 20 percent performance improvement over the existing design;
* At full flow with TRD installation, the clarifier has approximately 5 minutes residence time;
* When conducting a standard or model system trial in a measuring cylinder, 100 percent removal of suspended solids greater than 150 micron.
Crompion International’s stainless solutions undoubtedly benefit sugarbeet processors and factors due to the company’s ability to provide time and monetary savings. The American beet market now has high value options to help take their operations off the maintenance list and into the next generation.
Visit www.crompion.com.