Multi-Inlet Vortex Mixer for Liquid Oil and Melted Fat
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for producing liquid margarines require energy-intensive heating and cooling steps, leading to inefficient energy use and potential product deterioration, and result in fat crystals that are not uniformly small in size, affecting the product's properties.
Innovation Solution
A continuous process using a multi-inlet vortex mixer to mix a stream of liquid cold oil with a stream of melted hardstock fat, where the first oil is liquid at 15°C and the second oil is solid at 15°C but melted during mixing, achieving a dispersion of small and uniform fat crystals in oil, with a preferred average size below 25 nm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If heating and cooling steps are used to mix liquid oil and melted fat, then complete mixing is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the fat stream specifically, heating it to above its melting point before mixing, while keeping the oil stream at ambient temperature. This selective parameter change allows the fat to be liquid during mixing and then crystallize after mixing, achieving complete mixing without heating the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The fat is pre-heated and melted before mixing with the oil. This preliminary action ensures the fat is in liquid form during mixing, facilitating complete mixing. After mixing, the temperature drops and the fat crystallizes, achieving the desired structure without subsequent heating or cooling of the final product.
2Stability of the object's composition
If heating and cooling steps are applied to the complete composition, then mixing is achieved, but product deterioration occurs due to temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies heating locally only to the fat stream before mixing, rather than heating the entire composition. This localized treatment achieves the necessary liquid state for mixing while minimizing thermal exposure of the final product, thereby reducing product deterioration.
Solution Approach 2:
The fat is pre-heated and melted before mixing with the oil. This preliminary action ensures the fat is in liquid form during mixing, facilitating complete mixing. After mixing, the temperature drops and the fat crystallizes, achieving the desired structure without subsequent heating or cooling of the final product.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional mixing processes are used, then fat crystals are formed, but the crystal size is not uniformly small
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a high-shear mixing device to create intense turbulent flow and rapid mixing of the liquid oil and melted fat. This hydraulic action promotes uniform nucleation and crystal formation, resulting in small and uniformly sized fat crystals dispersed throughout the oil.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing process utilizes dynamic high-shear mixing conditions with rapid temperature drop upon mixing. This dynamic process promotes uniform crystal nucleation and growth, resulting in small and uniformly sized fat crystals rather than the non-uniform crystals formed in static mixing processes.
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 process efficiently produces small and uniform fat crystals, reducing energy consumption and improving the properties of liquid margarines by maintaining a continuous operation and minimizing temperature-induced product deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
A continuous process using a multi-inlet vortex mixer to mix a stream of liquid cold oil with a stream of melted hardstock fat
Implementation Method 2
achieving a dispersion of small and uniform fat crystals in oil
Implementation Method 3
wherein the first oil is liquid at 15°C and the second oil is solid at 15°C but melted during mixing
Data Source
AI summary
A process for mixing two or more streams of liquid oil which can be operated continuously, using a multi-inlet vortex mixer. The process is well suited to a process in which at least two streams of liquid oil have a different temperature, one being oil liquid at room temperature, one being solid at room temperature, but being melted for the mixing process.