Role of stainless steel to combat corrosion in the indian sugar industry

Corrosion is a fact of life in sugar mills and refineries. In India, losses due to corrosion in sugar factories are estimated to be around U$250 million annually. This paper highlights the issue of corrosion studied in the Indian sugar industry and suggests the use of cost effective grades of stainless steels in equipment rather than the commonly used mild steel or expensive stainless steels. The lifecycle costs aspect and the issues in the operating environment in the sugar industry have been discussed.