Sugar Grinding System

Sugar grinding is a critical process for the bakery, confectionery, and beverage industries, requiring precise particle sizes ranging from coarse "Castor Sugar" to ultra-fine "Icing Sugar." However, processing sugar presents two major challenges:

  • Hygroscopic Nature: Sugar readily absorbs moisture from the air, leading to lumping, caking, and potential blockage of the grinding system.
  • Explosive Dust: Fine sugar dust is highly combustible (St1 Hazard Class), posing significant safety risks.

RIECO Industries provides a specialized Sugar Grinding System designed to overcome these challenges. By integrating Controlled Atmosphere Grinding (Dehumidification) with Explosion Protection technologies, our systems ensure continuous, safe, and dust-free operation while delivering the precise fineness required for applications like chocolate, icing, and instant mixes.

Sugar Grinding System

Design and Working Principle

The system is designed to operate in a "Cool and Dry" environment to prevent the sugar from melting or caramelizing.

  • Feeding: S30 sugar is fed into the mill via a screw feeder mounted on the mill hopper — or via an externally controlled feed that feeds directly into the mill hopper. The feed arrangement provides a steady, metered input to the pulveriser.
  • Grinding: The micro pulveriser reduces feed to the target fineness (95% < 250 micron). The grinding chamber is arranged vertically so material discharges downwards by gravity.
  • Gravity discharge & buffering: Ground material falls into a discharge hopper located directly below the pulveriser. This hopper acts as a buffer to ensure even downstream discharge.
  • Sealed discharge: A Rotary Air Lock (RAL) mounted below the discharge hopper provides an air -sealed, controlled discharge into collection drums/bins.
  • Dust control / breathing: Air and entrained dust from the mill are drawn (or vented) through stainless ducting to the Vent Bag Filter. The C-Fan provides the required air movement for mill “breathing” and ensures dust is carried to the filter.
  • Filtration & collection: The bag filter captures fine dust; filtered air is released (or recirculated as required). Filtered product in the filter hopper discharges into the RAL / collection drum as part of the product recovery path.
  • Control & safety: The basic control scheme interlocks feeder, mill, fan and RAL to prevent overfeeding and to ensure the filter/fan is running during mill operation.
For Universal Mill Case
Step 1: Feeding Section

Sugar S30 is introduced into the Feed Hopper located at the upper level of the system.
A Rotary Air Lock (RAL) mounted directly below the hopper meters the sugar into the mill at a controlled rate.
This arrangement ensures smooth and choke-free feeding into the BT-450 mill.

Step 2: Grinding Section – Universal Mill BT-450

The metered sugar enters the BT-450 Universal Mill, where size reduction occurs through impact and milling action.
The mill is centrally positioned so that ground product falls vertically downward.

Step 3: Gravity Discharge & Product Buffering

Ground sugar drops by gravity into the Discharge Hopper placed directly below the BT-450.
The hopper stabilizes product flow and prevents surging during downstream discharge.

Step 4: Sealed Discharge to Collection

A second Rotary Air Lock (RAL) is located under the discharge hopper.
This RAL provides air-sealed discharge into a small collection drum or product handling bin.
This ensures clean, dust-free collection of finished sugar powder.

Step 5: Dust Collection & Mill Breathing

A Vent Filter is connected to the mill through ducting to handle air displacement (“breathing”) during grinding and discharge.
Dust-laden air from the mill is drawn into the vent filter for separation.

  • The C-Fan provides the required suction.
  • A Knife Gate Valve (KGV) is provided for isolation of the filter line during maintenance or cleaning.
  • Separated fines fall into the dust collection drum below the filter.

This ensures a clean, dust-free plant environment and prevents sugar dust escape.

Model Description

RIECO offers scalable systems for various production needs:

Variant Model Capacity (Approx.) Target Fineness
SU-2DH-SS304 2DH SS 304 250-300 Kg/hr 95% 150 Microns
SU-2DH-SS316 2DH SS 316 250-300 Kg/hr 95% 150 Microns
SU-2W-SS304 2W SS 304 500-600 Kg/hr 95% 250 Microns
SU-2W-SS316 2W SS 316 500-600 Kg/hr 95% 250 Microns
SU-BT-SS UM 450 SS 304 1000-1200 Kg/hr 95% Pass 75 microns
*Capacities depend on feed sugar crystal size and moisture content.

Key Components

Component Function Technical Feature
Feed Hopper Holds and regulates the incoming S30 sugar before entering the mill Designed for steady gravity flow; food-grade SS construction; allows integration of controlled feeding devices
Screw Feeder / Feed RAL Provides controlled, uniform feeding into the mill Adjustable feed rate; avoids overloading; acts as air-seal when RAL is used
Micro Pulveriser / Universal Mill (BT-450) Primary size reduction of S30 sugar to required mesh Impact + milling action; low-heat grinding; suitable for 250 micron in Pulverizer & 75 Universal mill output; robust rotor/liner configuration
Gravity Discharge Hopper Collects and buffers ground sugar directly below the mill Vertically aligned design; prevents surging; smooth flow of fine powder
Product RAL (Below Discharge Hopper) Ensures sealed, controlled discharge of final product Prevents air leakage; maintains consistent product flow; supports dust-free operation
Vent Bag Filter Handles mill breathing, separates air–dust mixture, and recovers sugar fines Pulse-jet cleaning; high filtration efficiency; hygienic dust control; food-grade internal surface
Centrifugal Fan (C-Fan) Creates suction for dust collection and airflow through vent filter Maintains required negative pressure; stable airflow; ensures clean plant environment
Knife Gate Valve (KGV) Isolates duct line during cleaning or maintenance Quick shut-off; SS construction; prevents backflow of dust-laden air
Dust Collection Drum Collects dust/fines separated from the vent filter Compact design; easy handling; recovers fine sugar that would otherwise be lost
Ducting & Interconnections Connects mill, hopper, C-Fan & vent filter SS304/food grade material; smooth internal finish; leak-proof airflow paths
Control Panel / Local Control Box Controls operation of feeder, mill, fan, and RALs Basic interlocks; overload protection; feeder speed control; ensures safe & synchronized operation

Features & Benefits

  • Anti-Caking Operation
  • The integration of dehumidified air prevents the sugar from absorbing moisture, ensuring a free-flowing final powder that doesn't lump in the bag.

  • Explosion Safety
  • Fully compliant with ATEX / NFPA standards.12 Features include 10-bar shock-resistant construction (optional), chemical suppression systems, and mechanical isolation valves.

  • Cool Grinding:
  • High airflow design keeps the temperature rise low (< 10°C), preserving the whiteness and quality of the sugar.

  • Hygiene
  • SS304/316L construction with food-grade polishing and easy-clean designs (CIP capable) ensures compliance with FSSAI and FDA standards.

  • Low Dust & Hygienic Operation
  • Vent bag filter with C-fan maintains dust-free environment, essential for food-grade applications.

Applications

  • Bakery: 150–250 micron sugar for biscuits and cookies.
  • Confectionery: "Icing Sugar" for dusting, cream fillings, and fondants.
  • Beverages: Fine dissolving sugar for instant drink mixes.
  • Pharma: High-purity sucrose powder for tablet coating and syrups.
Model Variants
Variant Model Capacity (Approx.) Target Fineness
SU-2DH-SS304 2DH SS 304 250-300 Kg/hr 95% 150 Microns
SU-2DH-SS316 2DH SS 316 250-300 Kg/hr 95% 150 Microns
SU-2W-SS304 2W SS 304 500-600 Kg/hr 95% 250 Microns
SU-2W-SS316 2W SS 316 500-600 Kg/hr 95% 250 Microns
SU-BT-SS UM 450 SS 304 1000-1200 Kg/hr 95% Pass 75 microns

Technical Parameters
Parameters Details
Feed Material: Crystal Sugar S 30 grade
Fineness Adjustable from 150 microns 250 microns
Feed Moisture Recommended < 0.05%.