Oil-in-Water Emulsion Jet Mixing for Fine Droplets at Scale
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing oil-in-water emulsions require high-shear mixing, leading to high costs, complex equipment, and poor cleaning performance, making them unsuitable for mass production, especially for high-viscosity emulsions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the addition of an oil-in-water pre-emulsion jet at a linear velocity of 5 m/s or higher into a second aqueous phase using a simple apparatus with a jet discharge unit, eliminating the need for high-shear mixing and enabling the production of emulsions with small oil phase particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high-shear mixing is used to produce oil-in-water emulsion, then emulsion with small oil phase particles can be obtained, but production costs increase and equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional high-shear mechanical mixing system with a jet-based system where pre-emulsion is discharged at high linear velocity (5 m/s or higher) into a second aqueous phase. This substitution eliminates the need for complex high-shear mixers while achieving fine emulsion dispersion through jet impact and turbulence rather than mechanical shear forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes hydraulic principles by discharging the pre-emulsion as a high-velocity jet into the aqueous phase. The kinetic energy of the jet (achieved through pressurized flow at 5+ m/s linear velocity) creates intense mixing and dispersion without mechanical contact, using fluid dynamics rather than mechanical components to achieve fine emulsion particles.
2Manufacturing precision
If high-shear mixing is used to produce oil-in-water emulsion, then emulsion with small oil phase particles can be obtained, but cleaning efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the mechanical high-shear mixer with a jet discharge system, the patent eliminates complex mechanical components that are difficult to clean. The jet system uses simple discharge nozzles and open tank geometry, which have no hidden crevices, seals, or moving parts, making them trivial to clean and sanitize between production runs.
3Reliability
If conventional emulsion production methods are used, then emulsion can be produced, but productivity decreases and mass production becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous production by continuously discharging pre-emulsion as a high-velocity jet into the second aqueous phase. The process operates without interruption, with the jet continuously forming and dispersing emulsion droplets, allowing for high-volume mass production rather than batch-wise mechanical mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic jet system allows for high throughput by utilizing pressurized continuous flow at high linear velocity. The system can process large volumes of pre-emulsion and aqueous phase continuously, with the jet maintaining constant dispersion action, thereby enabling mass production scales that exceed conventional mechanical mixing capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces production costs, improves cleaning efficiency, and allows for high productivity and mass production of emulsions with small oil particles, suitable for both low- and high-viscosity formulations.
Implementation Method 1
adding to a second aqueous phase a jet of an oil-in-water pre-emulsion containing an oil phase dispersed in a first aqueous phase at a linear velocity of 5 m/s or higher
Implementation Method 2
adding a jet of the pre-emulsion to the second aqueous phase... formation of droplets of the pre-emulsion that have a smaller diameter than the pore diameter, and diffusion of the droplets
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
In a method for producing an oil-in-water emulsion, a jet of an oil-in-water pre-emulsion (L1) containing an oil phase dispersed in a first aqueous phase is added to a second aqueous phase (L2).