Jacketed Heating Emulsifier Equipment Application Case Study
In the production of viscous food condiments such as tomato ketchup, chili paste, and mayonnaise, temperature control during emulsification directly affects product texture, stability, and nutrient retention. A manufacturer engaged in viscous food processing once faced persistent challenges in temperature management during the emulsification stage, which restricted production efficiency and product consistency. The introduction of jacketed heating emulsifier equipment effectively addressed these issues, realizing a comprehensive upgrade in heating uniformity, emulsification quality, and operational efficiency.
Background: Temperature-Related Dilemmas in Emulsification Production
The manufacturer’s core products included high-viscosity tomato ketchup and flavored chili paste. In the traditional production process, the emulsification stage relied on external heating devices combined with fixed stirring equipment, leading to multiple technical bottlenecks centered on temperature control.
Firstly, uneven temperature distribution was a critical problem. External heating (such as electric heating coils or steam pipes) caused local overheating of materials—temperatures near the heating source reached 70℃ or higher, while the inner layer of materials remained at 40℃ or lower. This inconsistency resulted in uneven dissolution of thickeners and stabilizers, leading to product stratification after storage and inconsistent viscosity between batches. For tomato ketchup, local overheating also caused browning of pulp, damaging natural color and nutrient components.
Secondly, heating efficiency was low and energy consumption was high. External heating required a long preheating time (1.5 to 2 hours per batch) to raise the entire batch of materials to the required emulsification temperature, prolonging the production cycle. Moreover, heat loss through the equipment surface was significant, with energy utilization rate less than 60%, increasing operational costs.
Thirdly, temperature control precision was insufficient. The traditional heating system lacked real-time adjustment capabilities, with temperature fluctuations exceeding ±5℃. For mayonnaise production, which requires strict temperature control at 25-30℃ to maintain emulsifier activity, such fluctuations often caused oil-water separation, reducing product qualification rates to around 83%.
Additionally, the combination of external heating and open stirring introduced a large amount of air into the materials, forming micro-bubbles that affected product smoothness and shelf life. The cumbersome cleaning process of separate heating and stirring equipment also prolonged the interval between batches.
Solution: Introduction and Application of Jacketed Heating Emulsifier Equipment
To solve the above problems, the manufacturer selected a jacketed heating emulsifier equipment with customized specifications, integrating jacketed heating, high-shear emulsification, planetary stirring, and sealed operation functions. The core design of the equipment focuses on uniform temperature control and efficient emulsification, perfectly matching the production needs of viscous condiments.
The jacketed heating system adopts a double-layer tank structure, with the interlayer filled with heat transfer oil as the heating medium. Compared with direct steam heating, heat transfer oil ensures gradual and uniform heat conduction, avoiding local overheating. The equipment is equipped with an intelligent temperature control module, which monitors the material temperature in real time through built-in sensors and adjusts the heating power automatically, controlling the temperature fluctuation range within ±1℃. The heating temperature can be adjusted steplessly between 0-100℃, adapting to different product process requirements.
In terms of emulsification and mixing, the equipment combines high-shear homogenization and planetary stirring. The high-shear stator-rotor structure (adjustable gap 0.2-0.3mm) generates strong shear force to break solid particles and oil droplets into micron-level sizes, while the 360° scraping wall planetary stirring ensures no material residue on the tank wall and uniform mixing of materials at all layers. The sealed tank body also avoids air entrapment during stirring, reducing bubble formation.
Before formal commissioning, the equipment supplier conducted four rounds of process tests using the manufacturer’s actual raw materials, optimizing key parameters such as heating rate, stirring speed, and emulsification time. For tomato ketchup, the optimal parameters were determined as: heating rate 5℃/min, emulsification temperature 50℃, planetary stirring speed 45rpm, and high-shear speed 6000rpm. For mayonnaise, the parameters were adjusted to: heating rate 3℃/min, constant temperature at 28℃, planetary stirring speed 30rpm, and high-shear speed 5500rpm. Based on these test results, the equipment was installed and commissioned on-site, then put into formal production.
Results: Comprehensive Improvement in Production Performance
After the jacketed heating emulsifier equipment was put into operation, the manufacturer’s production process achieved significant improvements in temperature control, product quality, production efficiency, and cost control, with measurable data verifying the application effect.
In terms of temperature control and product quality, the jacketed heating system realized uniform temperature distribution of materials, with the temperature difference between the inner and outer layers reduced to less than 2℃. For tomato ketchup, this avoided pulp browning, retaining 95% of the natural lycopene content and maintaining a bright red color. The uniform dissolution of thickeners eliminated product stratification—storage stability tests showed that the products could be stored at room temperature for 12 months without obvious viscosity changes or precipitation. For mayonnaise, precise temperature control at 28±1℃ ensured stable oil-water emulsification, and the product qualification rate increased from 83% to 97%.
In terms of production efficiency, the jacketed heating system shortened the preheating time per batch from 1.5-2 hours to 30 minutes, a reduction of 75%. The integrated design of heating, emulsification, and mixing eliminated the need for material transfer between separate devices, saving 20 minutes per batch. The emulsification time was also shortened from 2.5 hours to 50 minutes, and the daily output increased by 2.1 times compared with the traditional process. The sealed structure and scraping wall design simplified post-production cleaning, reducing cleaning time by 40% and shortening the batch interval.
In terms of cost control, the efficient heat transfer of the jacketed system improved energy utilization rate to over 85%, reducing unit product energy consumption by 38%. The stable emulsification effect avoided material loss caused by temperature fluctuations, reducing raw material waste by about 14%. The reduction in production time also lowered labor costs, and the modular design of the equipment reduced maintenance time and costs.
In terms of process stability, the intelligent temperature control system and parameter storage function ensured consistent operation parameters for each batch, with product viscosity fluctuation range controlled within ±3%. This solved the problem of inconsistent product quality between batches, improving customer satisfaction.
Long-Term Operation and Experience Summary
As of the current statistical period, the jacketed heating emulsifier equipment has been in continuous stable operation for more than 9,000 hours, with a failure rate of less than 0.8%. The heat transfer oil in the jacket has a long service life, requiring replacement only every 8,000 hours, and the sealed heating system is not prone to leakage, ensuring safe operation.
The application practice shows that jacketed heating emulsifier equipment, with its uniform heating, precise temperature control, and integrated emulsification-mixing functions, can effectively solve the temperature-related problems in the production of viscous condiments. By optimizing temperature distribution and emulsification effect, it improves product quality and stability, shortens production cycles, and reduces energy consumption and costs.
For manufacturers of viscous foods, the selection of jacketed heating emulsifier equipment should be closely combined with product characteristics, viscosity, and temperature requirements. Customized heating rate and temperature control precision, as well as strict pre-commissioning tests, are key to ensuring the matching between equipment and production processes. The stable operation of this equipment not only provides a reliable guarantee for product quality but also lays a solid foundation for subsequent process upgrading and product expansion.
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