What is emulsion?


Emulsion is the action of high-intensity mixing, with the aim of making two immiscible liquids miscibles. It can be summarized as dispersing a liquid in fine droplets (dispersed phase) in another liquid (continuous phase).  This action uses Rotor/Stator* type blades.

The principle of emulsion ensures the disintegration in fine droplets of one liquid (the dispersed phase) into another liquid (the continuous phase). An emulsifier can be added to the mixture so that it remains stable. The advantage of an emulsifier or surfactant is that it will enhance the stability and homogeneity of the mixture by forming a "film" around the droplets in the continuous phase.

If the product of an emulsion appears visually homogeneous, it remains heterogeneous from a molecular point of view, not having a static internal structure.

 

What applications use the emulsion process?

 

The emulsion technique is widely used in the cosmetics industry, where the mixture of liquids is used in the majority of skin care products such as creams, milks, gels, etc.

In the food industry, the agitation process is traditionally used for the preparation of milk-based recipes, for butter for example, or oil-based recipes for salad dressings and sauces such as mayonnaises and derivatives.

In the fields of biotechnology and cosmetics, emulsifiers are used to encapsulate active principles in a stable manner. 

 

What equipment should be used to obtain an emulsion in industry?

The emulsion process is generally carried out in tanks equipped with magnetic stirrers. At Agitec, it is the mobile Rotor/Stator that is dedicated to this mixing technique. This system allowing a strong agitation in a very short time consists of a turbine with 4 inclined blades for the rotor and a cylinder with vertical openings for the stator.

This mobile will rotate very quickly to form a vortex by depression, with a horizontal centrifugal radial flow. It can centrifuge the solution obtained on the internal edges of the tank where a very important shearing effect, at maximum speed, will facilitate the process of emulsification of non-miscible liquid elements. 

This type of rotor can also be used for all applications involving two or more immiscible liquids.

Equipment adapted for the application: Emulsion :

Turbines


stirrer turbine stator rotor
Mobile Rotor / Stator mixing emulsion in stirrer