Static mixers are finding wide applications in the food and beverage industry.  Heat exchangers have long been a vital tool for pasteurization, sterilization, and other food processing needs.  Here is a look at what each does, as well as some popular food examples to see how food and beverages would not be the same without the technology of each of these products.

All the Details About Static Mixers

Static mixers are highly engineered motionless mixing devices that allow for the continuous blending of fluids within a pipeline.  Therefore, with no moving parts, static mixers utilize the energy flow to produce, consistent, cost-effective, and reliable mixing.  Which is why they are highly used in the food and beverage industry.

They blend two or more materials perfectly together.  They are predictable, and the results are significantly consistent.

Static mixers are easily removable and cleanable in a short time frame and they offer clean in place (CIP) applications.  Within the food and beverage industry, CIP, smooth and polished surfaces and sanitary fittings are of high importance to achieve the lowest possible germ count.  The Komax sanitary static mixer is the perfect example of a static mixer to meet industry standards.

The Types of Food and Beverages That Benefit from Static Mixers

In plants that process pastes, adding CO2, or mix viscous materials, find it could not be done without an inline static mixer.  It can mix liquids with gases to make aerated drinks and mix multiple materials together to get different blends.  A few examples are:

• Adding CO2 to fruit juices, soft drinks
• Tomato paste and ketchup
• Syrups and jams
• Margarine and butter
• Heating and cooling chocolate

All the Details of Heat Exchangers

A heat exchanger is a device used to transfer heat between two or more fluids.  A heat exchanger may also heat or cool products prior to filling, drying, concentration, or other processes.

Heat exchangers usage can be to reduce or eliminate microbial, they’re by making products safe for consumption and extending shelf life.

Marble Chocolate

Static mixers have proven to be very useful when it comes to marbling chocolate.  It blends a milk or dark chocolate flow with a smaller current of a white chocolate flow.  Because it stays in the laminar flow area, layers give the beautiful marble effect.  A static mixer is also capable of mixing air into chocolate.  This is specifically an example of two-phase mixing.

Pasteurization of Concentrated Fruit

Preserving taste in the pasteurization and sterilization processes realization is by bringing the product to a high temperature quickly, keeping it there and then cooling it down quickly again.

Pasteurizing and Cooling Sauces

Whether you need them separated or mixed, oil, water, and a starch mix are brought to the desired temperature through indirect steam heating.  The hold phase may take place three times more quickly as a result of the fact that the mixing runs continuously.  Thus, not a single particle can escape the heat treatment.  Cooling the packaging temperature takes place by cold water.