Sugar mills operate under tough conditions – and for filters, it’s a constant battle against dust, moisture, and high-velocity particles.
“If we focus on gearboxes and any other lubrication reservoirs apart from small dust and debris, the biggest issues are the presence of moisture and the abrasiveness of any fine sugar particles,” said Matt Gillard, Technical and Training Specialist – South Pacific at Atmus.
According to Gillard, many components at sugar mills – especially gearboxes – are pushed hard during production. “Gearboxes and other components at sugar mills are often put into or near overload conditions, generating heat that breaks down the lubrication oils, and often see higher than normal vibration,” he explains. “Proper sealing and routine maintenance is critical. While in the case of gearboxes, they are often not actively filtered and rely on being well sealed.”
In larger systems, dedicated setups can deliver better results. “Larger systems can benefit from dedicated filtration systems, vibration proof breathers, and/or maintenance with the support of a kidney loop setup,” says Gillard.
Air filtration is no easier. “While we do not offer baghouse or shaker bags,” Gillard explains, “the primary issue will be sugar particles impacting the filters throughout the processes with velocity. These particles are abrasive and will wear filter media down in the impact zone of high velocity particles at point of collection or filtration.”
And when filters are offline or not pulse-cleaned, the issue compounds. “The particles once collected on non-pulse cleaned filters, or overnight on an offline system, may turn themselves into agglomerations rather than remaining as hard particles,” says Gillard. “This causes shorter life by blinding off large areas of filter media surface and depth layers of filtration media.”
So how do better filters help sugar mills stay ahead of these challenges?
“High performance filter medias often made in-house or tested by Atmus allow for actual performance and specifications of the purchased filter to be reached,” says Gillard. “While it is not always possible to prevent all particle migration into a lubrication system, filtration systems with quality filters will keep those particles from causing larger damage by removing them once entered.”
Prevention also plays a key role. “To help prevent the entry of such particles and harmful moisture into lubrication systems or storage both small and large,” Gillard says, “we can look into providing a desiccant style breather. That will provide a very efficient media for particle protection and then a determined volume of desiccant for moisture protection, all while providing very little added resistance when sized correctly.”
Air filters must be just as application-specific. “When filters are being challenged near these processes, it’s worth looking towards quality synthetic air filter options by application when filter medias such as cellulose or low grade polyesters are failing to withstand the conditions,” he adds.
Customers are increasingly aware of the value of quality – but misconceptions still remain. “While we strive to always provide a high quality and performing filter to have the best all-around experience, it is important to know that replacement cycles can greatly change due to production process upsets or extreme condition changes,” Gillard says. “Should the filter see higher than allowed temperatures or a spike in the presence of contaminants, even things as small as switching to a different lubricant brand or type are all important variables to be aware of.”
Asked about results from the sugar industry, Gillard notes that “the lubrication fluids throughout the plant have become a heightened area of focus to keep clean due to the costly downtime and difficult environments they operate in.” He adds, “the baghouses and storage of sugars have always received a lot of attention for their heightened risk of explosions. Like many industries, a now holistic approach to filtration is being employed and that is helping extend the life of challenged components and improve safety.”
That holistic approach is reinforced by the Motion-Atmus partnership. “Working with Atmus allows Motion a large variety of technical help and expertise/support from our own laboratories and talented teams to both our supply channels and end users,” says Gillard.
Motion’s extensive distribution network ensures that Atmus filtration products and technical solutions are readily accessible to customers across diverse regions and industries. This partnership enables faster delivery times, localised support, and a streamlined supply chain, helping sugar mills promptly address their filtration challenges with confidence. Through Motion’s commitment to quality and service, customers benefit not only from innovative filtration technology but also from expert guidance and responsive service that maximise system uptime and efficiency.
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