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E-mail
172089539@qq.com
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13626546557
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No. 5 Yonggong South Road, South Industrial Zone, Shacheng Street, Longwan District, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province
Wenzhou Tianwo Machinery Technology Co., Ltd
Emulsification Tank (Introduction to Emulsification Tank)
Date: 2025-05-13Read: 5
Emulsifying tank is a key equipment widely used in industries such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, and chemicals. Its core function is to realize the emulsification process, that is, to uniformly and stably disperse a liquid (usually oil phase) into another immiscible liquid (usually water phase) in the form of tiny droplets by mechanical force, forming lotion.
1、 Core working principle
The emulsification process mainly relies on the high-speed rotating homogenizer head inside the tank.
Mixing: First, put the oil and water phase raw materials into the tank and mix them preliminarily under the action of a stirring blade.
Shear emulsification: Start the homogenization motor to drive the homogenization head to rotate at high speed (usually up to thousands of revolutions per minute). A very narrow gap (in micrometers) is formed between the homogenization head and the fixed homogenization seat.
High speed shearing: The mixed liquid is sucked into this narrow gap at high speed, subjected to enormous shear forces, impact forces, and turbulent forces. This causes the oil or water phase to be torn apart into extremely small droplets.
Formation of stable lotion: tiny droplets greatly increase the contact area of the two phases, and after adding emulsifier (surfactant), a long time stable and non stratified lotion can be formed.
2、 Main components
| component | Functional Description |
|---|---|
| tank body | The main container is used to hold materials. Usually made of stainless steel 304 or 316L material to ensure hygiene and corrosion resistance. The inner surface is mirror polished for easy cleaning and to prevent material adhesion. |
| mixing system | -Stirring paddle: usually anchor type, paddle type, etc., used for macroscopic mixing, to make the material initially uniform, and to assist in heat transfer. -Drive motor: provides power for mixing, usually with variable frequency speed regulation, and can control the mixing speed. |
| Homogeneous system | -Homogenization head: the core working component that generates strong shear force through high-speed rotation. -Homogenization motor: usually a high-power variable frequency motor with adjustable speed to meet the emulsification requirements of different materials. |
| Heating/cooling system | -Jacket: The exterior of the tank is equipped with a jacket, which can be heated by steam, hot water, or thermal oil, or cooled by cooling water or refrigerant. -Temperature sensor: Real time monitoring of material temperature to achieve precise temperature control. |
| vacuum system | -Vacuum pump: It can evacuate the tank during the emulsification process. Main function: 1. Defoaming: Removing bubbles introduced by the material during the mixing process to improve product quality. 2. Prevent oxidation: Operate in an anaerobic environment to protect easily oxidizable materials. 3. Improve safety: It is safer to handle flammable and explosive materials. |
| Spray cleaning system | -CIP cleaning ball: installed on the top of the tank, during cleaning, the spray ball rotates 360 ° to evenly spray cleaning solution or water onto all surfaces inside the tank, achieving online automatic cleaning, reducing manual labor, and ensuring hygiene. |
| control system | -Electric control cabinet: Modern emulsion tanks are usually equipped with PLC or touch screen control systems, which can preset formulas, record parameters such as temperature, speed, vacuum degree, time, etc., achieving automated and repeatable production. |
3、 Key technical parameters
When selecting or understanding emulsion tanks, the following parameters should be considered:
Capacity: ranging from a few liters for laboratory use to tens of thousands of liters for industrial production.
Working temperature: According to process requirements, the range is usually between -10 ℃ and 200 ℃.
Working pressure: atmospheric pressure or vacuum inside the tank (e.g. -0.09 MPa).
Homogenization speed: It is a key indicator for measuring emulsification ability. The higher the speed, the stronger the shear force, and the smaller the droplets.
Mixing speed: usually much lower than the homogenization speed.
Surface smoothness: It is usually required to polish the inner wall to Ra ≤ 0.4 μ m to achieve a mirror effect.
4、 Main application industries and product examples
Cosmetics industry: face cream, lotion, essence, shampoo, shower gel, liquid foundation, etc.
Pharmaceutical industry: creams, ointments, emulsions, injectable emulsions, liposomes, etc.
Food industry: yogurt, ice cream, salad dressing, mayonnaise, beverages, seasonings, etc.
Chemical industry: paints, coatings, inks, adhesives, pesticide emulsions, etc.
5、 Selection and usage precautions
Material selection: Suitable materials must be selected based on the corrosiveness and hygiene level of the material (such as GMP requirements) (e.g. 316L stainless steel is superior to 304).
Process matching: Clarify the requirements for temperature, vacuum degree, homogenization speed, and time in the production process.
Homogenization head form: There are various types such as split type and blade type, and the emulsification efficiency varies for materials with different viscosities.
Safe operation: It is strictly prohibited to insert hands or tools into the tank during equipment operation. Ensure that all safety interlock devices are effective.
Maintenance: Regularly check the wear of mechanical seals and keep the equipment clean and dry.
summary
Emulsification tank is an important mixing and emulsification equipment in modern fine chemical and food pharmaceutical industries. It can efficiently and stably produce high-quality lotion products through the combination of mechanical mixing and high-speed shearing, supplemented by heating, cooling, vacuum and other functions. With the development of automation technology, intelligent emulsification tanks can better ensure the stability of product quality and high production efficiency.
