The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-05-29
THE DIFFUSION PROCESS,
IT IS ADAPTED TO SMALL FAcTORIEs-THE
LIMIT OF EFFICIENCY.
TN. o. City Item.

In the interesting, scholarly and other
wise instructive address delivered by Cen
eral VIM. Porcher Mills, on May 9th, be-
fore the Audubon Agricultural Associa-
ton, he stated a fallacy, which, in accor-
dance with notice given at the time, the
Item proposes to correct The General
said:-
"Whether diffusion, however, has come
to STAY or not, it may be safely predicted
| that 1t will only pay on large ana ex-
pensive scale. 1t is hardly likely that
any planter making from million to
million and a half pounds OF sugar Viii
adopt it,"
The Item holds that, proportionately,
diffusion is more advantageous to the
small planter than it is to the large facto-
nv. The sugar mills i'll this State range
from the small Western horse mills to the
mammoth cylinders of many tons IN
weight. 1t may be stated without fear OF
question, that small mills do the poorest
work, and are liable to the most frequent
breakdowns. 1t is common practice, III
order to Issue good extraction, to put a
pressure of 120 pounds or more on what
are ordinarily considered tirst-class mills.
, Now, how would a small mill stand such
strain as that'
There are many mills in Louisiana that
cor. Jain, including housings, gearing and
T: engine, over one hundred tons OF metal.
, These mills are not confined to places ma
= king big crops; for efficiency in quality as
: we'll as in quantity of work depends
/ largely upon the weight Of metal in the
o mill. Yet only two of these costly 100 ton
= mills have reached Is per cent extraction,
!, and some of them do not get over Is.
The extraction by small mills ranges
- from 30 to GO per cent. Extraction by
J. diffusion is as practicable and as perfect
II in quart cup as it is in 800 ton Bate
u nv. 1t is difficulty to obtain strength in
a small mill, but the smaller battery is
It the easier it is to make it substantial. 1t
% is we'll known that a small cylindrical
= she'll is stronger than one of large diane
!, ter There is very great hydraulic pres
N sure on the discharge door of large cell
le while the pressure on that of small cell
=, is comparatively trifing. Indeed, taking
+. the extremes of size, the efficiency OF dli
fusion seems to have been reached only
Sc on the ascending scale. Where more thar
~ 400 tons of material is to be worked 1t ii
considered desirable to have two bate
ries rather than to increase the size O
10 one. AS result of expert information
1t and practical experience, Col. Ginning
ne ham will operate next season two bate
mr. ries each of smaller capacity than tn
battery that took off his last crop. MI
~ John A. Morris "Ashland" mill can grim
er 600 or 700 tons daily. No single batter
in the world could do such an amour
of work,
The Item has shown good reasons wh
diffusion is practical on small scale, an
ch we are at loss to conceive why the pr
Ell cess should he profitable only on seal
to beyond the known limits OF any sing
Of battery. While We are convinced that
on is to the interest OF "any planter maxim
or from million to million and ha
ON pounds to adopt the process" we a
yer equally confident that diffusion is pee
ma, liarly adapted tc even the smallest sug
Ind houses The Itsm deplores any tenden.
;an to small factories, but if sugar is to
rial made in small way diffusion should
title the process used.
There are many small sugar houses
ton the State grinding about 100 tons of ca
oe. and producing less than 10000 pounds
w sugar day. With diffusion and an ii
ana proved boiling apparatus these hous
, of would more than double the yield frc
the the same amount of cane with an absolr
W. reduction in the cost per pound OF stg
~ 1t would not require much of crop
the ~, =, f,r snch an outft in one season.