Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the peanut butter (sauce) production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core blending equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Peanut butter is a paste-type food made from peanut kernels that are roasted, de-skinned and ground into paste, then blended with sugar, salt, oil and stabilizers, and finished through homogenization and defoaming. The core process is to fully mix the peanut paste with the auxiliary ingredients in the jacketed mixing tank, then homogenize and defoam, forming a fine, smooth and stable paste that does not release oil. The fineness and stability of the paste directly determine the taste and shelf stability of the peanut butter, and are the key links of the whole production line.
By material flow, the peanut butter (sauce) 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, roasting, de-skinning, grinding | Roasting machine, de-skinning machine, grinding machine | Inspect peanut kernels; roast, de-skin and grind them into paste |
| Blending zone (core) | Blending & mixing, homogenization, defoaming | Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank | Blend the peanut paste with sugar, salt, oil and stabilizers in the jacketed mixing tank, homogenize and vacuum-degas |
| Post-treatment zone | Cooling, intermediate inspection | Cooling jacket, inspection equipment | Cool down, stabilize the paste 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 blending zone, post-treatment zone and filling & packaging zone, forming a continuous, closed and traceable food production flow.
The typical process flow of peanut butter (sauce) is: raw material inspection → peanut roasting → grinding into paste → blending & mixing → vacuum homogenization & defoaming → cooling → 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 peanut kernels and raw materials such as sugar, salt, oil and stabilizers; store them for later use after they pass | — |
| 2 | Peanut roasting | Roast the peanut kernels to a suitable degree of doneness and remove the red skin | Roasting temperature ★ |
| 3 | Grinding into paste | Grind the roasted peanuts into a fine peanut paste | Grinding fineness ★ |
| 4 | Blending & mixing | Add sugar, salt, oil, stabilizers etc. in the jacketed mixing tank; heat and blend evenly | Blending temperature ★ |
| 5 | Vacuum homogenization & defoaming | Homogenize and vacuum-degas in the vacuum emulsifier to form a fine and smooth paste | Homogenization ★ (core) |
| 6 | Cooling | Cool down to the set temperature through jacket cooling water | Cooling speed |
| 7 | Intermediate inspection | Test semi-finished products on fineness, moisture, oil separation and other indicators; transfer to the next process after they pass | Pass/fail judgment |
| 8 | Filling | Quantitatively fill into packaging containers via the filling machine | Filling metering |
| 9 | Packaging | Sealing, labeling, coding, cartoning | Sealing integrity |
| 10 | 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 (roasting temperature, grinding fineness, blending temperature and vacuum homogenization & defoaming) 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 peanut butter (sauce) 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 & mixing, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit, ensuring a fine and smooth paste.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Blending & mixing of the peanut paste with sugar, salt, oil and stabilizers, homogenization and vacuum defoaming — the key process that ensures the fineness and stability of the peanut butter |
| 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 high-viscosity paste and prevent wall sticking |
| Homogenizing system | A high-speed homogenizing device further refines the peanut particles and disperses them uniformly |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air and reduce oxidation, preventing layering and oil floating in the paste |
| 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 peanut paste from the grinding step and the auxiliary ingredients, and completes blending and defoaming under heating, vacuum and high-speed homogenization, producing a fine and smooth peanut butter, which then passes through cooling and intermediate inspection into the subsequent filling and packaging processes.
Step 5 · Vacuum homogenization & defoamingCore Equipment
Blending & mixing of the peanut paste with sugar, salt, oil and stabilizers, homogenization and vacuum defoaming — the key process that ensures the fineness and stability of the peanut butter
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank |
|
Step 8 · Filling
Quantitatively fill into packaging containers via the filling machine
Four-Head Filling machine
Step 9 · Packaging
Sealing, labeling, coding, cartoning
Capping Machine |
Labeling Machine |
Inkjet Printer |
Supporting Equipment
Rotary Lobe Pump
The figure below shows the production process flow of peanut butter (sauce). The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the blending & mixing step after grinding into paste, and is the key equipment of the whole line.
Figure: Process flow of peanut butter (sauce) (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
