8/19 (Day 9)
After breakfast and two-hour ride, we got to Renuka. At first we
listened to a presentation. It was a sugarcane ethanol plant which was founded in
1998. It contained 11 mills (7 in India and 4 in Brazil) with total 20.7 Mtons/
year crushing capacity. In addition, the sugar quantity they produced ranked 5th
in the world. Sugar, ethanol and power were their major product. The power they
produced solely to their own plant.
After the lecture, we had a visit the plant. All I could smell was
sugar and it was really good. We saw several trucks loading sugar cane come in
and then got to have a sample check to judge quality based on fiber degree. The
production process would be modified according to the quality. Then sugar cane
was unloaded for washing can crushing for juice. The sugar cane seemed too dry
came into my notice. The instructor told me that was because they were burnt
before harvest. After that the sugar could be extracted by a polymer. After crushing
5 times, some juice would continue a fermentation process for ethanol while
others would conduct a crystallization process for raw sugar. The waste called
bagasse would be burnt for energy. During the whole process, the use ratio of
sugar in the company was up to 97%, but there was some larger plants with 98% efficiency.
This trip was so meaningful that I could gradually understand the whole productive
procedure.
We also had free lunch in the plant restaurant and after that
travelled 7 hours to Foz fo Iguassu.
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