Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the milk beverage (dairy product) production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core blending equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Milk beverage is made on the basis of milk (or reconstituted milk), with water, sugar, stabilizers, flavors etc. added, through blending, homogenization, degassing and sterilization. The core process is to fully mix the milk base with the auxiliary ingredients in the jacketed mixing tank, homogenize and degas, forming a uniform and stable emulsion system. The uniformity and stability of the emulsion directly determine the taste, nutrition and shelf life of the milk beverage, and are the key links of the whole production line.
By material flow, the milk beverage (dairy product) production line is divided into four functional zones — pretreatment, blending, post-treatment, and filling & packaging — organized around the core blending equipment (Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank):
| Functional Zone | Main Processes | Main Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretreatment zone | Raw material inspection, weighing & batching | Electronic scales, batching containers, milk-base storage tank | Inspect and weigh raw materials such as milk base, water, sugar, stabilizers and flavors |
| Blending zone (core) | Blending, homogenization, defoaming | Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank | Blend, homogenize and vacuum-degas the milk base and auxiliary ingredients in the jacketed mixing tank |
| Post-treatment zone | Sterilization (UHT), intermediate inspection | UHT sterilization equipment, inspection equipment | High-temperature short-time sterilization; stabilize the system and complete intermediate inspection |
| Filling & packaging zone | Filling, packaging, finished product inspection | Aseptic filling machine, packaging machine, coding equipment | Aseptic metered filling, packaging and labeling; inspect finished products before warehousing |
Materials flow sequentially from the pretreatment zone into the blending zone, post-treatment zone and filling & packaging zone, forming a continuous, closed and traceable food production flow.
The typical process flow of milk beverage (dairy products) is: raw material inspection → weighing & batching → blending → vacuum homogenization & defoaming → sterilization (UHT) → 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 milk base, water, sugar, stabilizers and flavors; store them for later use after they pass | — |
| 2 | Weighing & batching | Accurately weigh the milk base and all auxiliary materials according to the formula | Accurate proportioning |
| 3 | Blending | Blend the milk base evenly with water, sugar, stabilizers, flavors etc. in the jacketed mixing tank | Blending temperature ★ |
| 4 | Vacuum homogenization & defoaming | Homogenize and vacuum-degas in the vacuum emulsifier to make a uniform emulsion | Homogenization ★ (core) |
| 5 | Sterilization (UHT) | High-temperature short-time sterilization and cooling | Sterilization temperature ★ |
| 6 | Intermediate inspection | Test semi-finished products on protein, fat, taste etc.; transfer to the next process after they pass | Pass/fail judgment |
| 7 | Filling | Quantitatively fill into packaging containers via the aseptic filling machine | Filling metering |
| 8 | Packaging | Sealing, labeling, coding, cartoning | Sealing integrity |
| 9 | 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 (blending temperature, vacuum homogenization & defoaming and sterilization temperature) are key process control points, among which vacuum homogenization & defoaming is the core control link of the whole production process.
The Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank is the core equipment of the milk beverage (dairy product) 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 wall-scraping stirring device, combining blending, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit, ensuring a stable and uniform emulsion system.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Blending of the milk base with sugar, stabilizers and flavors, homogenization and vacuum defoaming — the key process that ensures the uniformity and stability of the milk beverage |
| 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 of the solution and prevent wall sticking |
| Homogenizing system | A high-speed homogenizing device refines the milk fat globules and disperses the emulsion uniformly |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air and reduce oxidation, preventing fat floating and layering |
| Temperature control | Heating and cooling through the jacket, combined with temperature sensors for precise blending temperature control |
| Advantages | Closed operation, good hygiene, uniform mixing, stable product quality, easy cleaning (CIP) |
In the production line, the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank receives the milk base and auxiliary materials from weighing & batching and completes blending and defoaming under heating, vacuum and high-speed homogenization, producing a uniform and stable emulsion, which then passes through sterilization and intermediate inspection into the subsequent aseptic filling and packaging processes.
Step 4 · Vacuum homogenization & defoamingCore Equipment
Blending of the milk base with sugar, stabilizers and flavors, homogenization and vacuum defoaming — the key process that ensures the uniformity and stability of the milk beverage
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank |
|
Step 7 · Filling
Quantitatively fill into packaging containers via the aseptic filling machine
Four-Head Filling machine
Step 8 · Packaging
Sealing, labeling, 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 milk beverage (dairy products). The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the vacuum homogenization & defoaming step after blending, and is the key equipment of the whole line.
Figure: Process flow of milk beverage (dairy products) (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
