Continuous Crystallizer Installation
A stainless-steel continuous crystallizer system engineered and fabricated for high-capacity operation, built on the same continuous-process line Silver has manufactured for over eight decades.
Michigan Sugar needed a reliable, high-capacity continuous crystallizer capable of holding tight process tolerances through a full campaign without unplanned downtime. Batch equipment couldn't keep pace with throughput targets, and off-the-shelf process equipment isn't built to the specific massecuite handling characteristics of beet sugar.
More than 90% of the sugar processing equipment running in factories worldwide is Silver-built or Silver-supplied, which made Silver's continuous-process line the natural fit for a plant already leaning on proven, field-tested designs rather than a first-of-its-kind build.
The design draws directly on Harold Silver's continuous-process innovations and the 1986 Ted Milner-designed 3630/4630/5230 Continuous Centrifuge line — the same platform still in service across the industry today.
Construction used stainless steel throughout for corrosion resistance and cleanability, with all structural and process welding performed to AWS-certified procedures. Fabrication, machining and final assembly were completed in-house at the Denver shop before shipment.
The installed system delivered continuous, high-capacity crystallization with the basket geometry, purging force and screen area sized for the plant's throughput requirements. Representative specifications for the equipment class are below.
The install also demonstrates the depth of Silver's stainless fabrication and process-equipment engineering — capability that carries directly into the job shop's custom fabrication work.
Representative Continuous Centrifugal Specifications
These figures represent the Model 4630/5230 Continuous Centrifugal equipment class Silver manufactures, not verified client-specific numbers for this installation. Exact specifications for the Michigan Sugar unit are confirmed at proposal stage.
| Specification | Representative Value |
|---|---|
| Basket diameter | 46" (4630) / 52" (5230) |
| Pre-purge basket angle | Approx. 20° from horizontal |
| Working basket angle | Approx. 12° from horizontal |
| Max basket speed | 1,750–1,800 RPM |
| Max purging force | Approx. 900–1,100 G |
| Screen area | Approx. 14–17 sq. ft. |
| Housing diameter | Approx. 62–68" |
| Housing height | Approx. 72–80" |
| Drive power | Approx. 110–150 kW (150–200 hp) |
| Center distance | Approx. 60–66" |
| Shipping weight | Approx. 16,000–20,000 lb |
Equipment from the same process line.
