Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the toothpaste production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core paste-making equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Toothpaste is a paste-type oral cleaning product made from abrasives (calcium carbonate, silica etc.), humectants (glycerin, sorbitol etc.), binders (CMC, carrageenan etc.), surfactants, flavors and sweeteners through mixing, kneading, homogenization and defoaming of the gum phase and powder phase under vacuum. The core process is to fully prepare the gum phase and knead it uniformly with the powder phase under vacuum, forming a fine, stable and easy-to-extrude paste. The uniformity and stability of the paste directly determine the cleaning effect, taste and shelf life of the toothpaste, and are the key links of the whole production line.
By material flow, the toothpaste production line is divided into four functional zones — pretreatment, paste making, post-treatment, and filling & packaging — organized around the core paste-making equipment (Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank):
| Functional Zone | Main Processes | Main Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretreatment zone | Raw material inspection, weighing & batching | Electronic scales, batching containers, powder storage tanks | Inspect and weigh raw materials such as humectants, binders, abrasives and surfactants |
| Paste-making zone (core) | Gum-phase preparation, powder-phase mixing, kneading, homogenization, defoaming | Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank | Prepare the gum phase in the jacketed mixing tank; vacuum-knead and homogenize it with the powder phase and degas to make the paste |
| Post-treatment zone | Aging, intermediate inspection | Aging tank, inspection equipment | Age to stabilize the paste and complete intermediate inspection |
| Filling & packaging zone | Filling, packaging, finished product inspection | Toothpaste 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 paste-making zone, post-treatment zone and filling & packaging zone, forming a continuous, closed and traceable production flow.
The typical process flow of toothpaste is: raw material inspection → weighing & batching → (gum-phase preparation and powder-phase preparation in parallel) → vacuum kneading & homogenization → 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 humectants, binders, abrasives, surfactants and flavors; store them for later use after they pass | — |
| 2 | Weighing & batching | Accurately weigh all raw materials according to the formula | Accurate proportioning |
| 3 | Gum-phase preparation | Heat and dissolve the humectants and binders with purified water in the jacketed mixing tank to make a uniform gum solution | Gum-phase temperature ★ |
| 4 | Powder-phase preparation | Premix the abrasives, surfactants, flavors, sweeteners etc. evenly | Accurate proportioning |
| 5 | Vacuum kneading & homogenization | Add the powder phase into the gum phase; knead, homogenize and vacuum-degas in the vacuum emulsifier to make a uniform paste | Kneading & homogenization ★ (core) |
| 6 | Aging | Age the paste to further stabilize the system | — |
| 7 | Intermediate inspection | Test semi-finished products on consistency, pH, foam volume and other indicators; transfer to the next process after they pass | Pass/fail judgment |
| 8 | Filling | Quantitatively fill into tubes via the toothpaste filling machine | Filling metering |
| 9 | Packaging | Tail sealing, boxing, 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 (gum-phase temperature and vacuum kneading & homogenization) are key process control points, among which vacuum kneading & homogenization is the core control link of the whole production process.
The Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank is the core equipment of the toothpaste 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 powerful wall-scraping stirring device, combining gum-phase preparation, powder kneading, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit, ensuring a fine and uniform paste.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Gum-phase preparation and kneading, homogenization and vacuum defoaming of the powder phase — the key process that ensures the fineness and stability of the toothpaste paste |
| Main structure | Mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket; steam or cooling water circulates in the jacket for temperature control |
| Stirring system | A powerful central paddle works with a wall-scraping paddle to ensure thorough kneading of the high-viscosity paste and prevent wall sticking |
| Homogenizing system | A high-speed homogenizing device achieves full dispersion and fine homogenization of the powder in the gum phase |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air in the paste and improve the compactness and appearance quality of the paste |
| Temperature control | Heating and cooling through the jacket, combined with temperature sensors for precise paste-making temperature control |
| Advantages | Closed operation, good hygiene, uniform kneading & homogenization, stable product quality, easy cleaning (CIP) |
In the production line, the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank receives materials from the gum phase and powder phase and completes kneading under vacuum, heating and powerful homogenization, producing a fine and stable paste, which then passes through aging and intermediate inspection into the subsequent filling and packaging processes.
Step 3 · Gum-phase preparation
Heat and dissolve the humectants and binders with purified water in the jacketed mixing tank to make a uniform gum solution
RO Water System
Step 5 · Vacuum kneading & homogenizationCore Equipment
Gum-phase preparation and kneading, homogenization and vacuum defoaming of the powder phase — the key process that ensures the fineness and stability of the toothpaste paste
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank
Step 6 · Aging
Age the paste to further stabilize the system
Aging Tank |
Storage Tank |
Step 8 · Filling
Quantitatively fill into tubes via the toothpaste filling machine
Tube Filling and Sealing Machine
Step 9 · Packaging
Tail sealing, boxing, coding, cartoning
Cartoning Machine
Supporting Equipment
Rotary Lobe Pump
The figure below shows the production process flow of toothpaste products. The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the vacuum kneading & homogenization step after gum-phase and powder-phase preparation, and is the key equipment of the whole line.
Figure: Process flow of toothpaste products (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
