Mr. R. Chandramouli

Question 1: Kindly share your experience about the Journey of Ponni Sugars.

Answer:  The unique experience is the most important part of the story to be told. The Sugar Mill – Ponni Sugars was promoted by SPB – The Paper Mills near erode to get Bagasse from the Sugar Mill for Paper Making. In turn the boilers were installed and operated by the Paper Mill to supply steam to the sugar mill for process, prime mover. The entire Bagasse is diverted to the paper mill and at the end of the year the sharing of the fuel with the paper mill and sugar mill is settled by a formula based on the calorific value of bagasse coal supplied to the sugar mills by the paper mill.

This practice was in vogue for more than 28 years at Ponni Sugars and the need arose for putting up a co-gen facility in the sugar mill premises to augment the revenue stream for the sugar mill as sugar alone will not be adequate to survive with one main product. So the power generation with co-generation to supply to the grid along with the distillery are the basic requirements for the economic sustainability of the sugar mill.

Taking cue from the above the management decided to install a high power co-gen facility with the following configuration:

1) Boiler working pressure –> 102kg / cm sq

2) Steam Temperature –> 495 +5 – 0deg c

3) Power plant capacity –> 19.5 MW

After, meeting the sugar mill need the surplus power is supplied to the TNEB grid.

Even after this installation at Ponni sugars it was obligatory on its part to supply a specific quantity of bagasse to the paper mill as per the revised agreement between the paper mill and sugar mill.

So at this point the imperative need for sourcing additional fuel, Biomass to supplement the shortfall in the fuel requirement. As coal was permitted only for a specific percentage of consumption on the total capacity. So the exercise of sourcing different biomass fuel from the market was tried such as the following:

1) Julie Flora

2) Coconut shell

3) Coconut fronds

4) Wood chips

5) Sawdust

6) Mango pulp - refuse

All this fuels where tried in different proportions as each fuel has a specific characteristics in terms of burning and calorific value.

Finally it was concluded by our experience that Julie Flora is best suited for the boiler and the availability was also abundant in Deep South India in the dry lands.

Question 2:  As you are the Former President of Ponni Sugars which is known as one of the most efficient and modern sugar factories in south India. We would like to know more about your factory.

Answer: When all the sugar mills in the south are facing huge cane arrears to the growers, Ponni Sugars is among the 4 sugar mills in the south with no arrears of cane payment to the growers. Also it should be mentioned at this point that Ponni Sugars have not kept any arrears to its vendors and suppliers as of now and is the only sugar mill reporting profit YoY for the consecutive 3 years. Further it is to be pointed out that for the financial profit of the sugar mills; the co-gen is the main contributor rather than the sugar mill produce.

Question 3: Good to know about your plant. Kindly let us know about your plant energy conservation and pollution control activities completed so far and actions proposed.

Answer:

Question 4: What  message would you like to give to all sugar / allied industries.

Answer: 

a) Please follow the entire SOP scrupulously

b) Train all your operating people to face any emergency without fear

c) Identify the skill of each person periodically and develop them

d) Select the best quality product for use in the co-generation and do on compromise on quality for the sake of cost

e) Give opportunity to all the co-gen plant operating personnel to understand the operation and intricacies involved in the plant by rotation and inculcate proper training procedure