Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the cream & emulsion cosmetics production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core emulsifying equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Cream and emulsion cosmetics (such as moisturizing creams, skin-care lotions, face creams and body lotions) are oil/water two-phase emulsion products. Their core process is to emulsify and homogenize the oil phase and the water phase in emulsifying equipment to form a stable emulsion system. The performance of the emulsifying equipment directly determines the fineness, stability and appearance quality of the product, and is the key link of the whole production line.
By material flow, the cream & emulsion cosmetics production line is divided into four functional zones — pretreatment, preparation, post-treatment, and filling & packaging — organized around the core emulsifying equipment (Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank):
| Functional Zone | Main Processes | Main Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretreatment zone | Raw material inspection, weighing & batching | Electronic scales, batching containers, filtration devices | Inspect and weigh raw materials to prepare for oil-phase and water-phase preparation |
| Preparation zone | Oil-phase preparation, water-phase preparation | Oil-phase pot (heating jacket), water-phase pot (heating jacket), stirrer | Heat and dissolve the oil-phase and water-phase components respectively to the predetermined temperature and a uniform state |
| Emulsification zone (core) | Vacuum emulsification, homogenization, defoaming | Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank | Emulsify and homogenize the oil and water phases under vacuum to form a stable emulsion and remove air bubbles |
| Post-treatment zone | Cooling, aging, intermediate inspection | Cooling jacket, aging tank, inspection equipment | Cool down and age statically to stabilize the system and complete intermediate inspection |
| Filling & packaging zone | Filling, packaging, finished product inspection | Filling machine, packaging machine, coding equipment | Metered filling, packaging and labeling; inspect finished products before warehousing |
Materials flow sequentially from the pretreatment zone into the preparation zone, post-treatment zone and filling & packaging zone, forming a continuous, closed and traceable production flow.
The typical process flow of cream & emulsion cosmetics is: raw material inspection → weighing & batching → (oil-phase and water-phase preparation in parallel) → vacuum emulsification → cooling → aging → intermediate inspection → filling → packaging → finished product inspection & warehousing. Each step is described as follows:
| No. | Process Step | Step Description | Key Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raw material inspection | Inspect the appearance and physicochemical indicators of incoming raw materials; store them for later use after they pass | — |
| 2 | Weighing & batching | Accurately weigh the oil-phase, water-phase and various additive raw materials according to the formula | Accurate proportioning |
| 3 | Oil-phase preparation | Charge the oil-phase components into the jacketed oil-phase pot, heat and dissolve to the specified temperature and stir evenly | Oil-phase temperature ★ |
| 4 | Water-phase preparation | Charge the water-phase components into the jacketed water-phase pot, heat and dissolve to the specified temperature and stir evenly | Water-phase temperature ★ |
| 5 | Vacuum emulsification | Add the oil and water phases into the vacuum emulsifier, emulsify and homogenize under vacuum so that the two phases are fully mixed, homogenized and degassed | Emulsification ★ (core) |
| 6 | Cooling | After emulsification, cool to the set temperature with jacket cooling water | Cooling rate |
| 7 | Aging / resting | Age statically in the aging tank so that the emulsion system further stabilizes | — |
| 8 | Intermediate inspection | Test semi-finished products on physicochemical indicators; transfer to the next process after they pass | Pass/fail judgment |
| 9 | Filling | Quantitatively fill into packaging containers via the filling machine | Filling metering |
| 10 | Packaging | Labeling, sealing, coding, cartoning | Complete marking |
| 11 | 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 (oil-phase temperature, water-phase temperature and emulsification) are key process control points, among which emulsification is the core control link of the whole production process.
The vacuum emulsifier (also called a vacuum homogenizing emulsifier) is the core equipment of the cream & emulsion cosmetics production line. Its main body is a mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket, integrated with a vacuum system, a homogenizing emulsifying head and a wall-scraping stirring device, combining heating, emulsification, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Emulsifying the oil and water phases, homogenizing and vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines product quality |
| Main structure | Mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket; steam or cooling water circulates in the jacket for temperature control |
| Stirring system | A central paddle works with a wall-scraping paddle to ensure thorough mixing and prevent wall sticking |
| Homogenizing system | A high-speed homogenizing emulsifying head achieves microscopic shear refining and dispersion of the two phases |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air bubbles and reduce oxidation, improving the fineness and stability of the emulsion |
| Temperature control | Heating and cooling through the jacket, combined with temperature sensors for precise process temperature control |
| Advantages | Closed operation, good hygiene, high emulsifying efficiency, stable product quality, easy cleaning (CIP) |
In the production line, the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank receives materials from the oil-phase pot and the water-phase pot and completes emulsification under vacuum, heating and high-speed homogenization, producing a stable and fine emulsion, which then passes through cooling and aging into the subsequent filling and packaging processes.
Step 3 · Oil-phase preparation
Charge the oil-phase components into the jacketed oil-phase pot, heat and dissolve to the specified temperature and stir evenly
Oil Phase Tank & Water Phase Tank |
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Step 5 · Vacuum emulsificationCore Equipment
Emulsifying the oil and water phases, homogenizing and vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines product quality
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank |
|
Step 7 · Aging / resting
Age statically in the aging tank so that the emulsion system further stabilizes
Aging Tank |
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Step 9 · Filling
Quantitatively fill into packaging containers via the filling machine
Four-Head Filling machine |
Tube Filling and Sealing Machine |
Step 10 · Packaging
Labeling, sealing, coding, cartoning
Capping Machine |
Labeling Machine |
Inkjet Printer |
Finished Products
Cream & Emulsion Products
Supporting Equipment
RO Water System |
Rotary Lobe Pump |
The figure below shows the production process flow of cream & emulsion cosmetics. The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the emulsification step after oil-phase and water-phase preparation and is the key equipment of the whole line.
Figure: Process flow of cream & emulsion cosmetics (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
