Patent ID: 6440222
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: B01D,C13B

Abstract:
A process for producing sugar from beets, comprising the steps of:(a) macerating sugar beets or pieces thereof, thereby producing a macerated material that comprises pulp and liquid, (b) separating the liquid in the macerated material from the pulp at a temperature of at least about 65Â° C. to produce a sucrose-containing feed juice; (c) filtering the sucrose-containing feed juice through a first ultrafiltration membrane that has a first molecular weight cutoff, thereby producing a first ultrafiltration permeate and a first ultrafiltration retentate; (d) filtering the first ultrafiltration permeate trough a second ultrafiltration membrane that has a second molecular weight cutoff that is lower than the first molecular weight cutoff; thereby producing a second ultrafiltration permeate and a second ultrafiltration retentate; and (e) filtering the second ultrafiltration permeate through a nanofiltration membrane; thereby producing a nanofiltration permeate and a nanofiltration retentate, wherein the nanofiltration retentate has a higher concentration of sucrose on a dry solids basis than the feed juice in step (c).