Extending the Life of a Sand Separator in a Sugar Mill
The Sugar Mill
The Customer, a privately owned agricultural business in Florida, is the largest producer of sugarcane in the United States, with over 771,617 US tons (700,000 tonnes) of sugarcane produced annually. Belzona Florida, the local Distributorship, maintains a strong relationship with the Mill's personnel, regularly showcasing potential solutions for various maintenance challenges.
Over the years, the Distributorship has completed numerous projects for the Sugar Mill. This includes applications of concrete repairs, screw conveyor repairs, and multiple machinery and equipment repairs.
The Sand Separator’s Maintenance Problem
During the sugarcane milling process, a byproduct known as bagasse is produced. This fibrous pulp serves as a sustainable energy source for the Sugar Mill, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering emissions. However, before it can be used, the bagasse must pass through a sand separator cone to remove contaminants.
Operating at 350 °F (177 °C), the sand separator endures intense abrasion and high-velocity impact, which leads to significant wear. Two primary issues arise: severe erosion-corrosion at high temperatures and the accumulation of sand and debris on the walls, which hampers the equipment's efficiency.
Due to this extreme abrasion, the Sugar Mill was forced to shut down the cone every two to three months to repair holes in the substrate. While the Mill had explored alternatives such as using hardened metal plates, they continued to perform frequent patch repairs due to cost and time constraints in fabricating a new cone with an abrasion-resistant plate.
The Belzona Solution
Having worked closely with the Sugar Mill over the years, Belzona Florida had completed many smaller projects and had ongoing discussions about solutions for abrasion and erosion issues. When the Sugar Mill sought assistance with their sand separator cone, screw conveyor, and electrostatic precipitators box (ESP), the Distributor recommended solutions from the Belzona 1800 Series, which specializes in abrasion-resistant materials.
Specifically, Belzona Florida proposed the use of Belzona 9811; metal repair composite, Belzona 1813; and heat-resistant epoxy, Belzona 1511- materials designed to withstand the high operating temperatures in the Sugar Mill. For this project, Belzona recommended bonding Belzona 9811 with Belzona 1511, followed by grouting the lines with Belzona 1813 to ensure maximum durability.
The Customer had used Belzona products for similar sand separator applications over the past 15 years and trusted their effectiveness. Although the Customer had considered fabricating a new cone, they recognized that this approach would be both expensive and time-consuming to produce and install.
The Product Application to the Sand Separator
The alumina tiles were bonded to the metal surfaces of the sand separator with Belzona 1511 high-temperature epoxy, and grout lines were filled with Belzona 1813 repair material. Throughout the process, the Customer, Contractor, and Belzona Florida remained actively involved. Contractor crews received on-site training from Belzona personnel, and Belzona Florida supervised the entire application and conducted a final inspection upon completion. The entire process, from surface preparation to final application, was completed within one week after achieving the required blasted surface profile.
Belzona Repairs Sugar Mill’s Sand Separator
The Belzona solution proved to be highly effective. After six months of operation, only a small section of the sand separator cone showed signs of wear, which was traced back to an installation error. Despite this minor issue, the solution greatly extended the lifespan of the cone, reducing the need for frequent shutdowns for repairs.
Now in service for two years, the application continues to perform well, with the Customer highly satisfied with the results. Each year, following the harvest season, only minor touch-ups are required to maintain optimal performance.
By implementing Belzona’s abrasion-resistant coatings, the Sugar Mill was able to reduce maintenance costs and extend the lifespan of its equipment, keeping its operations running smoothly and sustainably.