Modifications to the Mulgrave evaporator station and continuous crushing

For some years, evaporator performance at Mulgrave Mill has been a cause for concern, at time placing limits on the crushing capacity of the plant. With the amalgamation of the Mulgrave and Hambledon mill areas from the 1992 season it was planned that the factory would operate on a continuous crushing basis, with the average crushing rate increased from 400 to 450 tonnes cane per hour. After a detailed examination in cooperation with industry and BSES consultants, it was considered that additional heating surface area would not necessarily provide much increase in capacity until deficiencies that were inhibiting the performance of the existing set were addressed. As a result, a number of modifications were made.