Present in every process at sugar and alcohol plants, stainless steel offers an excellent cost-benefit ratio due to its high potential for durability and resistance to corrosion, optimizing the quality and cost of the end product. The material has been present in plant equipment since the beginning of the National Alcohol Program (PROÁLCOOL), instituted in 1973.
It has been in recent years, however, that the material has increased its participation in this important segment of the Brazilian economy, according to data from the Brazilian Stainless Steel Association (ABINOX).
In the mills, the manufacturing stages that cause the most wear and tear on the equipment are sugarcane intake – because it contains a lot of sand – and milling. It is also caused by the characteristics of the process, with corrosion problems predominating.
However, the correct specification of stainless steel contributes to superior performance and even the elimination of corrosion.
In the industrialization of sugar, stainless steel is present in plates, in the inlet, in the mills, in bagasse conveyors, diffusers, in the lining of cookers and evaporators, as well as in parts of crystallizers and sugar dryers. In tube form, the material is used in evaporation lines, heaters and cookers.
Stainless steel tubes offer great advantages in heat exchange processes (evaporators), saving energy. In addition, it guarantees a larger conduction area and ease of cleaning, which in turn means lower maintenance costs and less downtime.
The process of filtering and separating solids and liquids through continuous opening “V” shaped screens electro-fused into support rods of the same configuration, offers the process self-cleaning properties, as screen obstruction is minimized, increasing useful life and reducing maintenance stoppages.
In general, the growing use of stainless steel in the sugar industry is based on the benefits that only this material can provide, such as quality in processing, greater durability at lower costs and better hygiene conditions.
