EMULSIFICATION PROCESS

TECHNICS AND APPARATUS

Presented by: TRINH Anh Phong
trinhanhphong@gmail.com

1.CLASSIFICATION OF
PROCESS
Required energy for emulsification maybe
carried out by different ways exist many
processes.
One classification based on mechanism is:
shearing and cavitations
Shearing: turbine, helix, rotor-stator,
grinder.
Cavitations: ultrasounds, high-pressure
homogenizer.

2. HOW TO PRODUCE AN
EMULSION

2 steps: mixture
dispersion and
homogenization

PROCESS OF EMULSION
FABRICATION

DISCONTINUOUS PROCESS

Oil phase and water phase preparation

Dispersion
Homogenization
Cooling
Finishing

CONTINUOUS PROCESS
Harder than discontinuous process.
Must consider pump system and flow rate
control system.
Oil phase and water phase are always
agitated.
Dispersion stage: static mixer
Homogenization: rotor-stator,
grinder, high-pressure homogenizer

3. APPARATUS

IMPELLER TYPES
DISPERSION MACHINE
HOMOGENIZER
OPERATING PARAMETERS

3.1 IMPELLER TYPES

AXIAL FLOW IMPELLERS

Solid dispersion, gas inducement, heat
transfer,..

RADIAL FLOW IMPELLERS

Low to medium
viscosity fluids.
Most effective for gasliquid and liquid-liquid
dispersion.
Provide higher shear
and turbulence with
lower pumping
compared to axial
impellers

HYDROFOIL IMPELLERS
Where axial flow in
important and low
shear is desired.
Flow is more
streamlined in
direction of pumping
and vortex systems
are not as strong as
pitched blade turbine

HIGH SHEAR IMPELLERS

Run at high speed
and used for addition
of second phase in
grinding, making
emulsion, pigments
dispersion.
High intensity of
turbulence at vicinity
of impeller.

3.2. DISPERSION MACHINE

Principal and mechanism: to favor rupture (radial
agitation); to assure circulation to distribute a
narrow droplet size.
Generally, the more difficult the dispersion, the
more intense the shearing.
Technology: Rushton turbine or paddle turbine
(strong shearing); axial mobile (easy dispersion)
such as helix mobile (propeller).
Emulsion properties: size 10-100 m quite
high

PADDLE TURBINE, RUSHTON

TURBINE & HELIX

DIFFERENT FLOW PATTERNS

3.3. HOMOGENIZER
Principal and mechanism: Reducing
droplet size to m. Force liquid through a
zone at which it is tolerated a very high
velocity gradient.
Technology: rotor-stator; colloidal mill.
Emulsion properties: very fine droplets.
Can be used directly or after
preemulsification stage.

ROTOR-STATOR

COLLOIDAL MILL

3.4. CONTACT OF PHASES

4. TANK & IMPELLER DIAMETER

If too low, most of
light phase stay on
the surface
If too high, the heavy
phase is centrifuged
and light phase rests
along the agitator
shaft.
It should have baffles

5. HIGH PRESSURE
HOMOGENIZER

Principal and mechanism:

forcing the two fluids or a
coarse premix to flow through
an inlet valve, into a mixing
chamber, under the effect of a
very high pressure.
widely used for producing dairy
and food emulsions.
Pressure: 80MPa, 100MPa,
350MPa.
Emulsion properties: very fine
diameter
Convenient for low and
medium viscous media.

EXAMPLES

6. STATIC MIXER
Principals and mechanism: composed of
immobile elements end to end. Each has
particularly geometry to divide and
recombine the fluid.
Technology: Efficiency depends much on
flow types (laminar or turbulence). Ex:
Kenics, Lightnin, Sulzer SMX.
Emulsion Properties: very fine droplets
(1m) with narrow distribution.

7. ULTRASOUND
Principals and
mechanism:
frequency 16kHz
1MHz.
Wave generate
instability at liquidliquid interface, then
droplet formation;
Bubble cavitations
near the drop will
break the droplets

MEMBRANE EMULSIFICATION

forcing the dispersed phase to

permeate
into the continuous phase
through a membrane having a
uniform pore size distribution.
dependent on many
parameters such as membrane
properties, fluxes, and
formulation, all influencing the
emulsion size distribution.
Usually, the drop size is
proportional to the pore size

MICROCHANNEL
EMULSIFICATION

MEMBRAN EMULSIFICATION

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION