Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the chocolate (solid food) production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core refining equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Chocolate is a solid food made from cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, powdered sugar and milk powder through mixing, fine grinding, refining, tempering and molding. The core process is to fully mix, refine, homogenize and degas the cocoa butter, powdered sugar and milk powder in the jacketed mixing tank (refiner), producing a fine, smooth chocolate mass, which is then tempered and set. The fineness of the mass and the degree of refining directly determine the taste, gloss and shelf life of the chocolate, and are the key links of the whole production line.
By material flow, the chocolate (solid food) production line is divided into four functional zones — pretreatment, refining, molding, and packaging — organized around the core refining equipment (Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank):
| Functional Zone | Main Processes | Main Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretreatment zone | Raw material inspection, weighing & batching, mixing & fine grinding | Electronic scales, batching containers, crushing & fine-grinding equipment | Inspect, weigh and finely grind raw materials such as cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, powdered sugar and milk powder |
| Refining zone (core) | Refining, homogenization, defoaming | Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank | Refine, homogenize and vacuum-degas the chocolate mass in the jacketed mixing tank |
| Molding zone | Tempering, depositing, cooling | Tempering machine, depositing & molding machine, cooling tunnel | Temper and set the mass; deposit into molds and cool to form |
| Packaging zone | Packaging, finished product inspection | Packaging machine, coding equipment | Demold, package and label; inspect finished products before warehousing |
Materials flow sequentially from the pretreatment zone into the refining zone, molding zone and packaging zone, forming a continuous, closed and traceable food production flow.
The typical process flow of chocolate (solid food) is: raw material inspection → weighing & batching → mixing & fine grinding → vacuum refining → tempering → depositing & molding → packaging → finished product inspection & warehousing. Each step is described as follows:
| No. | Process Step | Step Description | Key Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raw material inspection | Inspect raw materials such as cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, powdered sugar and milk powder; store them for later use after they pass | — |
| 2 | Weighing & batching | Accurately weigh each raw material according to the formula | Accurate proportioning |
| 3 | Mixing & fine grinding | Mix the cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, powdered sugar, milk powder etc. and grind them finely | Grinding fineness ★ |
| 4 | Vacuum refining | Refine, homogenize and vacuum-degas in the jacketed vacuum emulsifier, producing a fine, smooth mass | Refining temperature ★ (core) |
| 5 | Tempering | Control the temperature curve so that cocoa butter forms a stable crystal form | Tempering curve ★ |
| 6 | Depositing & molding | Deposit the tempered mass into molds and cool to set | Cooling rate |
| 7 | Packaging | Demolding, packaging and labeling | Complete marking |
| 8 | Finished product inspection & warehousing | Inspect finished products against standards; warehouse them after they pass | Pass/fail judgment |
Note: The steps marked with ★ in the table (grinding fineness, vacuum refining and tempering curve) are key process control points, among which vacuum refining is the core control link of the whole production process.
The Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank (refiner) is the core equipment of the chocolate (solid food) production line. Its main body is a mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket, integrated with a vacuum system, a high-speed homogenizing device and a strong wall-scraping stirring device, combining refining, mixing, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit, ensuring a fine and smooth chocolate mass.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Refining, homogenizing and vacuum defoaming the cocoa butter, powdered sugar and milk powder — the key process that ensures a fine, smooth chocolate taste |
| Main structure | Mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket; steam or cooling water circulates in the jacket for temperature control |
| Stirring system | A strong central paddle works with a wall-scraping paddle to ensure thorough mixing of the high-viscosity mass and prevent wall sticking |
| Homogenizing system | A high-speed homogenizing device achieves full refining and uniform dispersion of the powdered sugar and cocoa butter |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air bubbles and reduce oxidation, improving the gloss and fineness of the chocolate |
| Temperature control | Heating and cooling through the jacket, combined with temperature sensors for precise refining temperature control |
| Advantages | Closed operation, good hygiene, uniform refining, stable product quality, easy cleaning (CIP) |
In the production line, the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank receives the chocolate mass from the mixing & fine grinding step and completes refining and degassing under heating, vacuum and high-speed homogenization, producing a fine, smooth mass, which then passes through tempering and depositing & molding into the subsequent packaging processes.
Step 4 · Vacuum refiningCore Equipment
Refining, homogenizing and vacuum defoaming the cocoa butter, powdered sugar and milk powder — the key process that ensures a fine, smooth chocolate taste
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank |
Emulsifier |
|
Step 6 · Depositing & molding
Deposit the tempered mass into molds and cool to set
Chocolate Cooling Tunnel
Supporting Equipment
Chocolate Depositing Machine
The figure below shows the production process flow of chocolate (solid food). The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the vacuum refining step after mixing & fine grinding and is the key equipment of the whole line.
Figure: Process flow of chocolate (solid food) (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
