The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-02-03
HOW BEET SUGAR IS MADE.
Description of this Important Industry

Description OF this important Industry.
BY s. L. Sheldon in Scientific American
At Binghamton, Broome County, N. Y,
is located factory which manufactures
each day during the working season from
twelve to sixteen tons of pure granulated
sugar. The popular notion usually asso-
ciates sugar with sugar cane and with
tropical climates. But this popular notion
must change, for the sugar supply of the
world will soon be manufactured from the
beet Two factories are now In operation
In New York State, one at BinghamtOn and
one at Rome. A large sugar factory is also
located at Bay City, Mich. Other factories
are being planned in New York and Michi-
gan. and 1t will be but short time before
this industry of the manufacture of sugar
from beets will come into wide prominencs.
So important is the industry likely to be-
come that description Ut the Binghamton
factory and the methods of extracting the
sugar from the beets will prove of interest.
The main building is substantial brick
structure, and the storage room for the
beets is partially provided for by four
mammoth sheds, each 460 feet long, 16
feet wide, and IL feet high. 1t was
thought that these sheds would furnish
sufficient storage room for the beets, but
there are apparently more upon the grounds
than in the sheds, and they are being re
ceived from the farmers at the rate of 100
carloads each day. In the spring of 1898
some 2, 900 acres of beets were contracted
for; the farmers agreeing to raise the beets
ana the company agreeing to pay IS per
ton for the same. 20
Upon arrival at the factory the beets are
unloaded from the cars into the sheds or
upon the ground in the yard. Underneath
eacn shed, and running its entire length, is
sluiceway through which runs water
which has been heated to the boiling point
in the factory. The beets are rolled into
this suiceway and the current is sufficient
to carry them to the factory. The warm
water so soaks and loosens the dirt that 1t
is easily removed when the beets get to the
washing machine. When the beets are I'M.
loaded into the sheds the hand work upon
them is completed and from that time they
are carried forward by water or by ma
chinery. AS they near the end of the
sluiceway they are seized by screw
elevator and raised to the factory, where
the first operation is the washing. They
are dumped into large tanks where revolv-
ing arms attached to horizontal axis
thoroughly churn them around and con
stantly work them forward toward the
clean water. They rass from the first
washing tank into second one, and here
the process is repeated and the beets are
thoroughly cleaned. From the washing
tanks they go to the bucket elevators and
ale carried to the top of the building. The
next operation (pulping the beets) is done
by system of knives or scoops fastened to
horizontal wheel. The knives have
scalloped edges and are situated at the
bottom of large hopper. AS the beets
come down upon these rapidly revolving
knives they are literally cut into shreds OF
pulp. This pulp Is put into what Is called
the diffusion battery" This battery IL
really system of great tanks so connected
that the water can pass from one to the
other. The water is put In upon the bee,
pulp and the sugar is soaked out, the
water being passed from one tank to another
until 1t has become saturated, when 1t IL
drawn off. The fresh water is always pu,
in upon the pulp, which is most nearly ex'
hausted of its sugar content. The waste
pulp Is carted out of the building and I:
almost entirely a waste product. 1t II
relisbed by stock, and no doubt will soor
be priced as stock food. The juice 1:
drawn from the battery and measured
quantity Is passed on 10 the lime tanks
Here 1t comes in contact with the milk o.
lime, which removes certain impurities
Carbon dioxide, which has been stored
from the burning limestone, is forced into
the mixture of milk of lime and the juices
precipitated with the impurities which Il
has absorbed. After passing through
various mixing tanks, the juice passes tC
the filter presses. Here the juice is forced
through cloth and comes out almost as clesl
as water. After passing through two set:
of these filter presses, the juice goes to the
bleaching process. This is done by means
of fumes of sulphur. The juice Is made tC
drip slowly over board filed with holes,
and the sulphur dioxlde is brought into
intimate contact with every drop. All
of these processes are preliminary to the
"boiling down" After bleaching, the
Juice goes to what is called the triple
effect vacuum pans" These pans are
simply large upright boilers which have
had the air partially exhausted by means OF
pumps. The liquid bois violently IN them
at a temperature of 20 degrees f., and the
"boiling down" is greatly hastened. From
the first boiling the juice goes to the
sulphuration tanks, where 1t Is again
bleached. After passing again through
the filter presses, all traces of sulphur and
other impurities are removed. The "boil-
| too dammit ia than oop, niotad In vacuum