Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the detergent daily-chemical product production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core mixing equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Detergent daily-chemical products are cleaning products (such as laundry detergent, dish soap, toilet bowl cleaner and fabric softener) formulated mainly with surfactants as the cleaning component, supplemented with builders, flavors and water. The core process is to fully dissolve, mix and homogenize the surfactants, water phase and various builders in the mixing equipment, forming a uniform, stable washing liquid with strong detergency. The mixing step directly determines the uniformity, transparency, viscosity and detergency of the product, and is the key link of the whole production line.
By material flow, the detergent daily-chemical product production line is divided into four functional zones — pretreatment, mixing, post-treatment, and filling & packaging — organized around the core mixing 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 equipment | Inspect and weigh raw materials such as surfactants, builders, water and flavors |
| Preparation zone | Water-phase preparation, builder preparation | Water-phase pot (heating jacket), stirrer, batching containers | Heat and dissolve the water-phase components; prepare the surfactants and various builders |
| Mixing zone (core) | Dissolution, mixing, homogenization, defoaming | Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank | Fully dissolve, mix, homogenize and degas the surfactants with the water phase and builders under vacuum |
| Post-treatment zone | Cooling, aging, intermediate inspection | Cooling jacket, aging tank, inspection equipment | Cool down and age 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 mixing zone, post-treatment zone and filling & packaging zone, forming a continuous, closed and traceable production flow.
The typical process flow of detergent daily-chemical products is: raw material inspection → weighing & batching → (water-phase preparation, surfactant & builder preparation in parallel) → dissolution & mixing → 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 raw materials such as surfactants, builders, water and flavors; store them for later use after they pass | — |
| 2 | Weighing & batching | Accurately weigh the surfactants, water phase and various additive raw materials according to the formula | Accurate proportioning |
| 3 | Water-phase preparation | Charge the water and builders into the jacketed water-phase pot, heat and dissolve to the specified temperature and stir evenly | Temperature ★ |
| 4 | Builder preparation | Prepare the surfactants and builders such as thickeners and flavors | — |
| 5 | Dissolution & mixing | Add the water phase, surfactants and builders into the vacuum emulsifier/mixing tank; fully dissolve, mix, homogenize and degas under vacuum | Mixing ★ (core) |
| 6 | Cooling | Cool to the set temperature through jacket cooling water after mixing | Cooling speed |
| 7 | Aging/resting | Age in the aging tank to further stabilize the washing liquid system | — |
| 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 | Labeling integrity |
| 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 (water-phase temperature and mixing) are key process control points, among which mixing is the core control link of the whole production process.
The Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank is the core equipment of the detergent daily-chemical product production line. Its main body is a mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket, integrated with a vacuum system, a homogenizing device and a wall-scraping stirring device, combining heating, dissolution, mixing, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit, ensuring the surfactants and builders are fully dissolved and uniformly dispersed in the washing liquid.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Dissolution, mixing and homogenization of surfactants with the water phase and builders, vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines the uniformity and detergency of the washing liquid |
| 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 device achieves micro-level shear refining and uniform dispersion of all components |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air and reduce oxidation, improving the clarity and stability of the washing liquid |
| Temperature control | Heating and cooling through the jacket, combined with temperature sensors for precise process temperature control |
| Advantages | Closed operation, high mixing efficiency, uniform component dispersion, stable product quality, easy cleaning (CIP) |
In the production line, the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank receives materials from the water-phase pot and batching system and completes mixing under vacuum, heating and high-speed homogenization, producing a stable and uniform washing liquid, which then passes through cooling and aging into the subsequent filling and packaging processes.
Step 3 · Water-phase preparation
Charge the water and builders into the jacketed water-phase pot, heat and dissolve to the specified temperature and stir evenly
Oil Phase Tank & Water Phase Tank |
|
Step 5 · Dissolution & mixingCore Equipment
Dissolution, mixing and homogenization of surfactants with the water phase and builders, vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines the uniformity and detergency of the washing liquid
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank |
|
Step 7 · Aging/resting
Age in the aging tank to further stabilize the washing liquid system
Aging Tank |
Storage Tank |
Step 9 · Filling
Quantitatively fill into packaging containers via the filling machine
Four-Head Filling machine
Step 10 · Packaging
Labeling, sealing, coding, cartoning
Capping Machine |
Labeling Machine |
Inkjet Printer |
Supporting Equipment
RO Water System |
Rotary Lobe Pump |
The figure below shows the production process flow of detergent daily-chemical products. The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the dissolution & mixing step after water-phase preparation and surfactant & builder preparation, and is the key equipment of the whole line.
Figure: Process flow of detergent daily-chemical products (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
