A Very Sweet Industrial Revolution
The story of how the vapor machine revolutionized the sugar industry in Spain.
By Parque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Parque de las Ciencias de Granada
Cane and beet
Growing sugarcane for sugar production is a tradition that goes back 1,000 years in Granada. The region is one of the few places in the world where sugarcane and sugar beet have both been grown: sugarcane on the coast, and beet in the Vega de Granada plain, as the two crops require very different conditions.
Sugar factory share Sugar factory shareParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Sugarcane was introduced by the Arabs in the Middle Ages and took hold along the coast of Granada and Málaga thanks to the area's tropical microclimate.
Sugar beet was introduced to Spain in the last quarter of the 19th century due to the difficulty of importing sugar from Cuba. It was grown on the fertile, well-irrigated fields of the Vega de Granada plain.
Sugar factory share Sugar factory shareParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
The Granada Sugar Industry
The arrival of the stationary steam engine led to the first industrial sugarcane factory being set up in mainland Spain, although some already existed in overseas provinces. It was established in the Almuñécar region in 1845 by the Peninsular Sugar Company.
Nearly 40 years later, in 1882, Spain's first sugar beet factory was founded in Vega de Granada and was known as "El Ingenio de San Juan."
The creation of the sugar factories boosted economic development in the region, with 14 different factories subsequently set up, including 'La Vega' and 'Nuestra Señora del Rosario'. The 'San Isidro' sugar factory was the last sugar beet refinery to operate in Vega de Granada.
The Industrial Revolution
At the end of the 18th century, there were major advances in the field of energy.
Coal was the main energy source available at the time and it was used to generate motor power, reducing the physical effort previously demanded from workers.
The stationary steam engine remained the main source of factory motor power until well into the 20th century and was used in a range of contexts, including sugar refineries.
They used a range of engines, from large steam engines to smaller ones such as this steam generator, which was used to remove the juices from where the sugar was extracted.
Newcomen steam engine (1868) by Louis FiguerParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
The steam engine
In this context, a 'steam engine' is an external combustion engine that transforms the thermal energy of water into mechanical energy.
In ancient times, there was already a device known as the 'aeolipile', which was a contraption similar to a hydraulic reaction wheel, but it operated under steam and was used simply for entertainment.
It wasn't until the 16th century that engineers began to design steam-operated machines for use in industry. Some of the best-known are those invented by Papin (1681), Savery (1698), and Newcomen (1712).
Bronze medal of James Watt, by Joseph Wyon (1820/1820)British Museum
James Watt and the big steam breakthrough
Watt was responsible for the idea that unleashed major industrial development. He had his workshop at the University of Glasgow, and when asked to repair Newcomen's steam engine in 1764, he noticed that the amount of steam wasted was affecting its performance. He introduced a separate condenser to reduce the amount of steam and fuel consumed.
In 1772 he began collaborating with Matthew Boulton, and over the next 25 years, the pair introduced a range of improvements such as the double-action piston, the steam regulator, and the pressure indicator. These advances meant the engines could power looms, factories, mills, and more.
Plans of San Isidro sugar factoryParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Steam in sugar factories
Steam engines were involved in the first stage of sugar production: milling. They activated the set of mills (arranged in series) that pressed the sugarcane to extract its juice.
To do this, they transformed the steam into mechanical energy, powering a set of gears to reduce the torque and adjust the speed of the machine to that of the mill rollers.
Steam engineParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
The San Isidro Machine
This machine, which can be seen in the foyer of the 'Macroscopio' building, belonged to the San Isidro sugar factory, which was in operation until 1983 and was the last sugar beet factory in Vega de Granada.
It was recovered and restored by the Parque de Ciencias restoration team under the direction of Professor Miguel Giménez Yanguas.
The San Isidro machine
The machine was constructed in Germany in 1901 by the firm Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt (BMA), and its power output is approximately 75 horsepower.
The machine has 18 pounds of direct steam pressure and 4 pounds of indirect steam pressure. It is technically a cogeneration system that operates the machine under counter-pressure.
Watt regulatorParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Watt's regulator
Although he never attributed the invention of the centrifugal regulator to himself, James Watt did develop the first system of its kind in 1788, on the suggestion of his partner Matthew Boulton.
It was like a pendulum with 2 masses suspended by 2 articulated arms that controlled the flow of steam when turned. This was the final series of innovations that Watt introduced to the steam engine.
Laboratory Instruments
In addition to the large steam engines, laboratories were set up in sugar factories with specific instruments for controlling sugar production and quality, such as these scales.
Some of these instruments can be seen in the 'Museum Pieces' room in the 'Péndulo de Foucault' building.
Manual centrifugeParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Manual centrifuge
This instrument separates sugar from honey or molasses.
It was manufactured by the Parisian firm E Adnet.
It consists of a tank with a wall that rotates around a vertical axis.
It has a fine metal mesh to prevent the sugar crystals escaping while allowing the liquid honey to pour through.
Polarimeter or Saccharimeter Polarimeter or SaccharimeterParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Polarimeter/saccharimeter
This measures the rotation of polarized light through sugarcane or beet juice to find out the concentration of sucrose in it.
Polarimeter or Saccharimeter Polarimeter or SaccharimeterParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Polarimeter/saccharimeter
This is an original instrument from the late 19th century made by Franz Kuz.
DensimeterParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
Hydrometers
This is a series of hydrometers that were used to check the density of the juices extracted from sugar beet.
The density gave an approximate value for the liquid's sucrose level.
This was important because farmers were paid according to the weight of the product and its sucrose levels.
Steam engineParque de las Ciencias Andalucía-Granada
A life dedicated to industrial heritage
University of Granada professor Miguel Giménez Yanguas has devoted much of his life to protecting industrial heritage.
He is responsible for conserving and restoring the Parque de las Ciencias steam engine.
Historical heritage
The last remaining sugarcane factory on the coast - Guadalfeo in the town of Salobreña - closed its doors in 2006.
The final sugar beet factory to close in Vega de Granada was San Isidro, which shut in 1983.
The machines disappeared with the decline of the sugar industry as there was no awareness of their historical value, not only to the history of Granada, but to the Industrial Revolution and technology as a whole.
Collection
'Museum Pieces' exhibition at the Parque de las Ciencias.
Pieces from the personal collection of Professor Miguel Giménez Yanguas
Texts
Miguel Giménez Yanguas
Parque de las Ciencias
Photographs
Ramón L. Pérez
Miguel Ángel Molina
Parque de las Ciencias
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