Shrijee has successfully commissioned its first vertical continuous vacuum pan (VCP) for B-massecuite at Anamika Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd., a unit of Shree Renuka Sugars (Wilmar Group). Designed for a capacity of 40 t/h, this installation is a significant milestone for both Shrijee and the Indian sugar industry, demonstrating the strong performance potential of vertical continuous crystallization technology under real plant conditions.
The VCP supplied to Anamika Sugar features a five-chamber vertical design, with top-mounted mechanical circulators in each chamber. The system allows massecuite to move by gravity from the upper chamber to the lower chambers while maintaining precise control over key parameters such as dry substance content, level, temperature, calandria and vapor space pressure through PLC-based automation.
Shrijee's first vertical continuous vacuum pan for B-massecuite at Anamika Sugar Mills Pvt. Ltd.
The evaporating crystallizer is designed to operate with low-pressure vapour of 85 °C – 90 °C from the evaporators, resulting in improved thermal efficiency and reduced steam consumption compared to conventional batch crystallizers. The VCP is capable to produce 25–30% extra output over the batch crystallizers having equivalent heating surface to VCP. All five chambers of VCP were successfully commissioned and achieved excellent results. Out of 5 chambers all ways one chamber is standby for water boiling whenever required.
The average dry substance of the massecuite consistently ranged between 95.5% and 96.0%, which can be considered excellent for continuous B-sugar operation. This performance confirms efficient heat transfer in the calandria as well as stable supersaturation control within the system.
Vapour temperatures in calandria were well-balanced across the operating chambers with an average heating vapour temperature of around 87 °C. This is confirming that uniform heat distribution and effective circulation of massecuite, both of which are critical for maintaining consistent crystal growth and preventing localized overheating.
One of the most impressive outcomes has been the purity drop between B-massecuite and B molasses. A purity reduction of approximately 22 units was recorded, indicating excellent exhaustion and a high sugar recovery. This level of purity drop is regarded as exceptional for a continuous crystallizer and clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of Shrijee’s design in maximizing sugar recovery from the mother liquor.
Operationally, the crystallizer has shown smooth and stable working. Circulation remains consistent, and the controlled parameters are responding reliably through the automation system. The installation also offers the advantage of modular cleaning, allowing individual chambers to be isolated and cleaned without interrupting continuous operation and designed output.
These early results provide strong validation of Shrijee’s vertical continuous crystallizer design and its suitability for modern, high-efficiency sugar plants.
The successful commissioning at Anamika Sugar marks an important step forward in continuous crystallization technology and positions Shrijee as a key contributor to next-generation sugar processing solutions in India and international markets.
