The compact system combines several process steps in one machine. These are mixing, dispersing, size reduction, heating, cooling, pasteurizing, deaerating and emulsifying. The processing of liquid and solid ingredients can be done as well as incorporation of particulates. Furthermore delicatessen products can be processed hot as well as cold. The base components of the process system are a tilted, vacuum tight mixing vessel with integrated mixing arm and an external homogenizer (rotor-stator). The specific geometry of the vessel and the mixing arm allow for effective and gentle mixing of the ingredients at the same time. The external homogenizer is used for emulsification and size-reduction. A pump connected to the lowest point of the vessel circulates the product through the homogenizer and back into the vessel. The homogenizer, a rotor-stator-system, can be used for a wide range of applications. As well as homogenizing liquids it can be used for dispersing powders into liquids. When emulsification and homogenization is finished particulates can be added into the vessel. They are blended gently with the liquid by the mixing arm. The product can be heated either by direct steam injection or indirectly through the double jacket of the system. The recirculation pump can also be operated as a discharge pump. An integrated vacuum system completes the machine. It consists of a vacuum pump and a control unit. The ingredients can be fed into the system either by under pressure or by special metering systems.
The Vacutherm® System can be operated manually as well as automatically. Beside machine operation, recipe management and process flow data are included in the automation system. Parameters such as metering, mixing, emulsifying and homogenizing times, temperature curved, vacuum level as well as discharge times are controlled and regulated.