Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the shampoo cosmetics production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core mixing/emulsifying equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Shampoo cosmetics (such as shampoo, shampoo lotion and shampoo cream) are water-based washing products with surfactants as the main cleaning component, often supplemented with thickeners, conditioners, pearlizing agents and other functional additives. The core process is to fully dissolve, mix and homogenize the surfactants, water phase and various additives in the mixing equipment, forming a transparent or pearlized shampoo liquid/cream with uniform and stable texture. The mixing step directly determines the uniformity, transparency, viscosity and user experience of the product, and is the key link of the whole production line.
By material flow, the shampoo cosmetics 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 to prepare the water phase and mixing |
| 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) | Mixing, homogenization, dissolution, 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 shampoo cosmetics is: raw material inspection → weighing & batching → (water-phase preparation, surfactant & builder preparation in parallel) → mixing & homogenization → 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 incoming raw materials on appearance and physicochemical indicators; 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 thickeners 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 conditioners and pearlizing agents | — |
| 5 | Mixing & homogenization | 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 shampoo 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 (also called vacuum homogenizing emulsifier/vacuum mixing tank) is the core equipment of the shampoo 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, dissolution, mixing, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit, ensuring the surfactants and builders are fully dissolved and uniformly dispersed in the shampoo liquid.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Mixing, dissolution and homogenization of surfactants with the water phase and builders, vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines the transparency, uniformity and viscosity of the shampoo |
| 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 micro-level shear refining and uniform dispersion of all components |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air and reduce oxidation, improving the transparency and stability of the shampoo |
| Temperature control | Heating and cooling through the jacket, combined with temperature sensors for precise process temperature control |
| Advantages | Closed operation, good hygiene, 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 shampoo liquid, which then passes through cooling and aging into the subsequent filling and packaging processes.
Step 3 · Water-phase preparation
Charge the water and thickeners into the jacketed water-phase pot, heat and dissolve to the specified temperature and stir evenly
Oil Phase Tank & Water Phase Tank |
|
Step 5 · Mixing & homogenizationCore Equipment
Mixing, dissolution and homogenization of surfactants with the water phase and builders, vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines the transparency, uniformity and viscosity of the shampoo
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank |
|
Step 7 · Aging/resting
Age in the aging tank to further stabilize the shampoo 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 shampoo cosmetics. The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the mixing step after water-phase preparation and surfactant & builder preparation, and is the key equipment of the whole line.
Figure: Process flow of shampoo cosmetics (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
