As mentioned before, sugarcane juice obtained at the second milling tandem is sent to ethanol
production. Juice produced in the mills contains several impurities (minerals, salts, organic acids, dirt
and fine fiber particles), which must be removed prior to fermentation. Juice treatment is comprised
by a physicochemical treatment consisting of separation of fibers and sand in screens, heating of juice
from 30 to 70 1C, addition of lime along with a second heating, up to 105 1C, removal of air (flash) and
addition of a flocculant polymer and final removal of impurities through a clarification process. Mud
obtained in the clarifier is filtrated to improve sugars recovery, as illustrated in Fig. 2.
Even though features illustrated in Fig. 2 represent the desirable characteristics of juice treatment
for ethanol production in order to promote an adequate pH and impurities content for fermentation,
differences may be found among existing mills.
Fig.