What are the significant points for liquid packing?

Liquid packing machine is nowadays used for liquid food like wine, milk, or even thick liquid like yogurts, cream, and it is operated fast, clean and conveniently. However, there are three significant points about it that you and your machine suppliers need to know so as to get reliable and good machines.

1. Viscosity is a key point of liquid packing

Viscosity is the resistance of a  liquid to sheer forces, showing the fluidity of liquid, so nearly it is same with the concept of “thickness”. Liquid at higher viscosity like icing or honey, has more friction, so it is not easy to flow. On the contrary, liquid with lower viscosity has little friction, like water, wine which makes them easy to flow.

It is too complicated to calculate the viscosity, but there still is a simplified formula for it:

viscosity = shear stress / shear rate

Or

μ = τ  / γ

We usually use “centipoise (cps)”to express liquid viscosity. Water is know as 1 cps. Honey is at 10,000 cps, and condiments like ketchup and mustard are at 50,000-70,000 cps.

But how liquid viscosity is concerned with liquid packing?

Viscosity will influence the speed of going through the tube, the time of concreting and drying and the time it needs to spread the liquid into its package.

Viscosity is a significant factor when selecting liquid packing machine, so it must be very accurate and the details should be emphasized. Viscosity determines what kinds of machine filling facilities we should choose, because the facility with enough force may be needed if the liquid has higher viscosity.

2. Filling temperature effects the degree of viscosity

It is more easier to flow when heating the liquid. Imagine the consistence of honey or oil that is heating, their viscosity must be lower greatly and they are faster and easier to flow.

How and why it goes like that?

When liquid is heated, its molecules start to move faster and faster, and this power is strong enough to overwhelm the power that link the molecules together, which creates a kind of liquid that flows easily and freely. What’s more, heating also reduces the surface tension so as to decrease the viscosity.

How will that influence the packing process?

The temperature when filling liquid into the package is very important for the equipment of packing lines, especially in product filling machine.

In order to supply the most effective packing method, it is necessary to supply the most accurate filling temperature, because it may lead to the packing equipment that can not satisfy your demands, resulting in obstacles and faults.

3. Size are also significant when referring to particles

Liquid such salad, soup and sauce usually contains particles that are usually spices and flavorings like small pieces of vegetable. Particles may float on liquid surface or settle at the bottom of the liquid.

When packing liquid with particles, it is necessary to accurately measure and describe their average size and general characteristics.

The particles details are also an important factor of selecting the filling facilities so that the most accurate and suitable packing method can be supplied for you.