Section 2 - Sugar Research and Development Corporation

8
IMPACT OF SRDC INVESTMENT ON R&D OUTCOMES
Mechanical harvesting of green cane provided
signifi cant challenges, particularly the separation
of trash from cane without losing too much cane
and juice. Losses of up to 20 percent of sucrose
in the fi eld were common in the 1990s when
cutting unburnt cane. Many SRDC projects have
helped reduce sucrose losses and extraneous
matter in the cane supply without reducing fi eld
effi ciencies for harvesting. More research on
cane harvesting and cane transportation to the
mill, aims to reduce sucrose losses in cane even
further.
With the adoption of an improved farming
system that involved controlled traffi c, R&D
was necessary to adapt farming and harvesting
machinery to suit the new cane production
systems. Funding by SRDC provided costeffective
solutions including one farmer-led
example where a $100,000 modifi cation to a
new harvester to handle 2m wide crop beds was
recouped within one season through cost savings
of about $1 per tonne of cane harvested.
The cane transport and milling sectors have
similarly benefi tted from SRDCs policy of
seeking continuous improvements as well as
innovations. Many R&D projects across all
aspects of raw sugar production have kept the
Australian industry competitive despite the
effi ciencies conveyed by new factories across
Brazil and some other countries. Such projects
include development and implementation of
scheduling tools for cane supply, longer-life
mill rolls, increased throughput in clarifi ers
and improved fl occulants, clarifi cation of syrup
for increased removal of impurities, improved
design and operation of vacuum pans and fi lter
stations, better processes for removing scale
from evaporator vessels, and improved boiler
effi ciencies.
SRDC Annual Report 2010–2011
SRDC funded research led to the successful
identifi cation and measurement process for
galactoglucomannans (GGM) in raw sugars –
the presence of GGM polysaccharide causes fl oc
in acid beverages and these raw sugars create
problems for refi ners who sell large volumes
to soft drink manufacturers. It is believed that
Australian exporters have a signifi cant marketing
advantage over our world competitors through
being able to measure and manage high GGM
sugars and sell these in fl oc insensitive markets.
Note Australian research about GGM and fl oc is
strictly confi dential as this knowledge provides
Australia with a valuable marketing tool for raw
sugar. Ongoing R&D is developing the use of
syrup clarifi cation and new fl occulants in raw
sugar factories to remove signifi cant quantities
of GGM.
Innovation in the milling sector is being
supported by SRDC through strategic research
with higher risk of failure but with potentially
high rates of return should the projects be
successful. These projects currently include direct
precipitation of sucrose from mixed juice using
gas anti-solvent technology, and microwave
preparation of cane. If successful, the former
project would signifi cantly reduce the cost of
plant in raw sugar factories and the latter
would reduce the cost of operating shredders
and roll mills.
Research on membrane technology to replace
clarifi ers and to remove more impurities is also
being funded by SRDC. Considerable R&D has
and is being undertaken to scope new products
from bagasse and fi eld trash, for value adding
and diversifi cation of the product range within
the sugar industry.