4. Emulsification process design

The formation of an emulsion requires a considerable input of mechanical energy. In addition, the low efficiency of conventional stirring systems (often of the order of 5% or less) often produces a temperature rise that must be controlled to preserve product quality. In general, therefore, the aim is to achieve conditions where the mechanical energy required is as low as possible, or such that the droplet size of the emulsion formed for a given agitation is minimal.

We have seen that certain regions of the HLD-f map _water are associated with particular properties of the equilibrium or emulsified system, such as low W/O interfacial tension or high stability. These properties should be taken into account when designing an emulsification process. As not all of these requirements can always be met simultaneously, they may...