Tradition and technology – a new extraction plant for Alpullu Şeker

Tradition and progress often work hand in hand in the sugar industry. Especially at sites with a long tradition, well-conceived changes push the production forward while preserving the site’s identity. This is the path, Alpullu Şeker is following jointly with BMA, one of the world’s leading partners in the sugar industry when it comes to efficient and future-proof process solutions. By modernising its extraction plant, the factory purposefully invests in higher operational reliability, efficient processes, and a long-term competitive sugar production. The first step specifically addresses the front-end operation to form a basis for further efficiency measures in downstream process stages.

One century of sugar production in Alpullu 
Alpullu Şeker, Turkey’s oldest sugar factory, looks back on a 100-year-old history. Many plant components are decades-old and characterise sugar production to the present day. A sugar factory like Alpullu Şeker is more than a pure production site, it also represents a piece of industrial history – and stands for the large number of people who have been working there for generations and shaping the factory’s character. 

BMA extraction plant for Alpullu Şeker 
The project focus lies on the renewal and modernisation of the extraction plant. By selecting BMA, Alpullu Şeker opted for a partner with a long-standing experience in the design and modernisation of extraction plants across the world. The design of the new extraction plant including automation was aimed at stabilising the processes, increasing the plant availability, and providing the prerequisites for an economic operation for many years. The scope of supply includes an extraction tower with a diameter of 7 m as well as a countercurrent cossette mixer (CCC). 

The extraction tower, the CCC mixer, and the units belonging to the extraction plant were integrated in a joint automation concept. Thanks to the combination of BMA’s process and automation expertise with the operating experience of Alpullu Şeker’s team, an integrated overall system was created. As a result, transparent processes, reproducible operating conditions, and a stable plant operation were obtained, on which the factory can rely during the entire campaign. At the same time, the automation system creates transparency with regard to the relevant operating parameters and provides for a steadily stable plant operation. 

Modernisation of the sugar factory with a new extraction tower 

With its 7 m diameter, the new extraction tower is specifically designed for the existing processing capacity and the space available at the historical site. The vertical construction allows for a space-saving integration into the existing plant system. 

The sugar factory is not fundamentally reconstructed or extended, but specifically optimised and appropriately enhanced on the basis of the existing capacity of 5,000 tons of beet per day. The precisely matched interaction of the new CCC mixer and the new extraction tower allows for a particularly efficient extraction of the sucrose. 

With regard to process technology, the newly supplied extraction plant distinguishes itself by a systematically minimised raw juice draught and the lowest possible sugar losses. Likewise, the lower raw juice draught reduces the water quantity to be removed in the evaporation plant. This significantly contributes to a lower heat and steam demand, which leads not only to reduced operating costs for the sugar factory, but also to a more efficient utilisation of the existing energy. 

The previous horizontal extraction plants had been operated for sugar production in Alpullu for many years, however, meanwhile with an increasing expenditure for maintenance and service. By changing now to a modern and continuously working vertical extraction plant, Alpullu Şeker invests in a BMA technology that has proved successful all over the world in many sugar factories – characterised by high operational reliability, efficient extraction, and a long-term profitability. 

The operator’s benefits are an optimal utilisation of the raw materials used, an improved process control, and the basis for permanently high extraction yields. At the same time, the plant technology ensures an economic production, while supporting the site’s competitiveness in the long term. 

BMA supporting the plant integration in the sugar factory 
A particular challenge was to implement the project in the tight time frame. Engineering work, manufacture, supply, and assembly had to be matched precisely on all sides – BMA, local partners, and the team of Alpullu Şeker. The fact that the new plant could be integrated on schedule and commissioned right at campaign start underlines BMA’s project expertise for challenging modernisation projects during continuing factory operation. 

This functional interaction is especially decisive for a modernisation within an existing plant: The new process equipment, the automation system and the existing infrastructure must be synchronised in such a way that the running production and the scheduled campaign start can be reliably ensured. 

Extraction plant as incentive for further development 
With the new extraction plant, Alpullu Şeker invests into a high-performance and future-oriented technology which not only increases operational stability, but also supports the efficiency of sugar production and creates a basis for further optimisation. The new extraction tower strengthens the stability of the front-end operation, while forming the basis with regard to process and automation technology for further efficiency steps within the sugar factory. 

This project illustrates how BMA is supporting sugar factories across the world in advancing existing sites economically and technologically. The combination of proven process technology, state-of-the-art automation concepts and comprehensive project experience makes BMA a reliable partner for sustainable investments in the future of sugar production.