Cosmetic emulsification tank is the core equipment for the production of cream, essence and other emulsion products. Its core goal is to evenly mix oil phase (such as grease, wax) and water phase (such as pure water, humectant) to form a stable emulsification system. The following are the four key steps of its workflow:

1、 Pre mixing stage: preliminary mixing of oil and water phases

1​. Oil phase pretreatment:

Pour oil, emulsifiers, and other oil phase components into an emulsifying tank and heat it to 75-85 ℃ (different formula temperatures vary) to melt the solid oil.

2​. Water phase pretreatment:

The aqueous components (water, glycerol, active substances, etc.) are heated to the same temperature in another container to avoid crystallization or stratification caused by temperature differences during mixing.

3​. Preliminary mixing:

Add oil phase and water phase into the emulsification tank in proportion, and start low-speed mixing (50-100rpm) to form coarse lotion.

2、 Homogeneous emulsification: the key to nanoscale dispersion

1​. Homogenization head high-speed shearing:

Start the homogenizer (speed 3000-10000rpm) to tear the oil-water interface into tiny particles (particle size up to 0.1-10 μ m).

2​. Vacuum degassing:

Vacuumize to -0.08~-0.1MPa to remove bubbles in lotion and prevent pores or oxidation of finished products.

3. Temperature control:

Keep constant temperature (such as 70 ℃± 1 ℃) to ensure that emulsifiers (such as cetyl alcohol and PEG) can fully function to form a stable interface facial mask.

3、 Cooling stage: Crystallization and texture shaping

1. Slow cooling:

Cool at a rate of 1-2 ℃/minute to 40-45 ℃ to promote oil crystallization (such as the crystallization of shea butter affecting the texture of the paste).

2. Active ingredient addition:

Add thermosensitive ingredients (vitamin C, peptides) after cooling to avoid high temperature deactivation.

3. Viscosity adjustment:

Add thickeners (carbomer, xanthan gum) and stir at low speed (30-50rpm) until uniform.

4、 Discharge and cleaning: ensuring batch consistency

1​. Discharge filtration:

Discharge lotion through a 200 mesh filter screen to intercept undispersed particles or impurities.

2. CIP cleaning:

Use hot water and alkaline cleaning agents to cycle and rinse the tank to avoid cross contamination.

Conclusion:

The emulsification tank converts oil-water two-phase into stable lotion through three core technologies of heating homogenization, vacuum degassing and precise temperature control. The key parameters include:

1. Homogeneous shear rate (affecting particle size and stability);

2. Vacuum degree (determines the degassing effect and product fineness);

3. Heating/cooling curve (affecting crystallization behavior and skin texture).

By mastering this process, one can quickly understand the core logic of emulsification technology, laying the foundation for subsequent formula development and production optimization.