How to Centrifuge Sugar Cane

Sugar cane grows in long stalks, resembling bamboo.

Sugar cane is a common agricultural product of countries with warm, moist climates, such as Brazil and India. After going through refining processes, sugar cane can be used for table sugar, molasses, rum and ethanol. Most commonly, sugar cane is used as a source of sugar, or sucrose. You can easily extract the sugary syrup from sugar cane and use it in drinks or for cooking by centrifuging the sugar cane. A centrifuge effectively separates the sugar cane syrup from the plant material by spinning it, creating a force many times greater than Earth's gravity. This force forces the heavy objects, or plant material, to the bottom of the container, conveniently leaving the sugary syrup at the top.

Things You'll Need

• Sugar cane
• Sharp knife
• Blender
• Spoon
• 2 centrifuge tubes
• Tabletop centrifuge
• Bowl

Instructions

1. Prepare the sugar cane by cutting it with a sharp knife into manageable pieces. Each piece of sugar cane should be 6 to 8 inches long.

2. Peel the outer stalk away from the center of the sugar cane. If the stalk is too tough to remove, try separating it from the core with your knife and then peeling the outer stalk backward.

3. Cut the segments of sugar cane with your knife into smaller pieces that will fit into your blender. A normal blender will be able to handle sugar cane segments that are 3 to 4 inches long.

4. 

   A normal kitchen blender will be able to blend the sugar cane.

   Blend your sugar cane until it forms a fine pulp. If the sugar cane sticks to the sides of the blender, stop the blender and scrape the sides.

5. Remove the sugar cane pulp from the blender with a spoon and place it into 2 centrifuge tubes. Assure that each tube contains the same amount of pulp. Replace the lids on the centrifuge tubes.

6. Place the centrifuge tubes into the tabletop centrifuge slots. Be sure to place the centrifuge tubes directly across from one another in the centrifuge slots. This will prevent the centrifuge from being improperly balanced.

7. Set the centrifuge to spin for 5 minutes at 3000 times gravity, or 3000 x g, and begin the cycle.

8. Remove the centrifuge tubes from the centrifuge once the cycle is complete. There should be a layer, or pellet, of plant material on the bottom of the centrifuge tube. Do not shake the tubes as this will stir up the plant material into the sugar cane syrup.

9. Pour off the sugary syrup from the centrifuge tube into a bowl or storage container. Make sure that the plant material does not pour off with the syrup.

Tips & Warnings

• If the sugar cane is too thick during blending, add a small amount of water to the blender.

• If the plant material has not been completely removed from the syrup after centrifugation, repeat the spinning cycle.

• If the plant material pours with the sugar cane syrup, try using a straw to remove the syrup.

• An improperly balanced centrifuge is dangerous and may damage the centrifuge.

References

• Gula Padang Terap Sdn Bhd: The Sugar Process: Cane Process
• The University of Queensland, Australia - Diamantina Institute: Using a Centrifuge
• Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida: Steps in the Process