100L Vacuum Emulsifying Mixer for Cosmetic Production
A 100L vacuum emulsifying mixer is a three-vessel (main emulsifying pot + oil phase pot + water phase pot) high-shear mixing system that delivers bubble-free, fine-particle (0.2–0.6 μm) cosmetic emulsions. Maxwell's VEM-100 model is built in our Wuxi factory with VFD-controlled scraper speed, a 3000 rpm high-shear homogeniser and PID temperature control — making it ideal for face cream, lotion, sunscreen, hair gel, shampoo and other emulsion-based cosmetics.
1. What Is a 100L Vacuum Emulsifying Mixer?
A 100L vacuum emulsifying mixer is an industrial-grade cosmetic and pharmaceutical equipment designed to mix, heat, homogenise and de-aerate emulsion formulations in a single integrated workflow. The "100L" refers to the working capacity of the main emulsifying pot — large enough for small-to-medium cosmetic production batches, yet compact enough for R&D and contract-manufacturing facilities.
Three core functions are combined in one machine:
High-shear homogenising — breaks oil and water phases into micro-scale droplets (0.2–0.6 μm).
Frame scraper mixing — sweeps the pot wall continuously to prevent scorching and ensure uniform heat transfer.
Vacuum defoaming — removes entrained air under -0.08 to -0.1 MPa vacuum, producing a denser, glossier, oxidation-resistant cream.
Compared with a simple stirred tank, a vacuum emulsifying mixer delivers finer particle size, brighter color, longer shelf life and a smoother skin-feel — the four quality attributes cosmetic buyers care about most.
2. Technical Specifications of the 100L VEM
The table below summarises the key parameters of Maxwell's VEM-100 (100L cosmetic making machine). Values are sourced from Maxwell's factory engineering data sheet and may be customised within ±5 % depending on motor brand (Siemens / ABB / Delta) and final configuration.
| Item | Main Emulsifying Pot | Oil Phase Pot | Water Phase Pot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Volume | 120 L | 70 L | 70 L |
| Working Capacity | 100 L | 60 L | 60 L |
| Stirring Power (Scraper) | 1.1 kW | 0.55 kW (impeller) | 0.55 kW (impeller) |
| Stirring Speed | 10–120 rpm (VFD-controlled) | 1500 rpm | 1500 rpm |
| Homogenising Power | 3 kW | — | — |
| Homogenising Speed | 3000 rpm | — | — |
| Heating | Electric / steam (PID auto-control) | Independent electric heating | Independent electric heating |
| Material (Contact Parts) | SUS304 / SUS316L stainless steel | SUS304 / SUS316L stainless steel | SUS304 / SUS316L stainless steel |
| Discharge | Bottom valve / tilt discharge | Vacuum feed to main pot | Vacuum feed to main pot |
Reference price (FOB Shanghai): Main pot USD 11,000 · Optional oil+water phase pot USD 4,000. Final pricing depends on motor brand, control system (push-button / PLC / Siemens touch screen) and voltage (380V/50Hz by default; 220V/60Hz optional). Request a formal quotation for the latest FOB / CIF terms.
3. How Does the Three-Pot System Work?
Maxwell's 100L VEM uses a three-pot (main pot + oil pot + water pot) workflow. Each phase pot has its own heating system and impeller mixer, which is the key to producing finer, more stable emulsions than a single-pot machine.
The operating sequence is:
Pre-mix in phase pots. Oil-soluble ingredients are loaded into the oil phase pot and heated (typical 75–85 °C). Water-soluble ingredients are loaded into the water phase pot and heated in parallel. Each pot runs its own impeller at up to 1500 rpm to dissolve and pre-disperse.
Vacuum transfer. Once each phase reaches target temperature, a vacuum pump draws the oil phase and water phase into the main emulsifying pot through enclosed piping — minimising contamination and air ingress.
Frame scraper mixing. A VFD-controlled frame mixer with PTFE scrapers continuously sweeps the inner wall. Operators can dial scraper speed from 10 to 120 rpm for low-shear or high-shear blending stages.
High-shear homogenising. The 3000 rpm bottom-emulsifying head draws material axially and forces it through the precision gap between rotor and stator, producing droplet sizes of 0.2–0.6 μm — small enough for premium face creams and sunscreens.
Vacuum defoaming. Air bubbles generated during high-shear mixing are removed instantly under vacuum, giving the finished cream a denser, brighter, glossy appearance.
Discharge. Finished emulsion is discharged through a bottom sanitary valve or by tilting the main pot (depending on configuration).
For a visual walk-through of the three-pot workflow, watch Maxwell's factory-floor demonstration video:
Video 1. Maxwell 100L three-pot VEM — working demonstration (YouTube).
4. Cosmetic Products You Can Make
The 100L VEM is purpose-built for the cosmetics industry. The three-pot design and high-shear fineness make it equally suitable for a broad range of emulsion-based personal-care products:
Skin care: face cream, day & night cream, eye cream, BB cream, sunscreen cream, body lotion, hand cream, body butter, facial mask.
Hair care: hair gel, hair conditioner, hair dye cream, styling cream.
Bath & body: bath shampoo, shower gel, body wash, liquid soap.
Decorative cosmetics: foundation, nail polish base, eyelash cream.
Specialty: baby cream, intimate care gel, depilatory cream, massage cream.
Beyond cosmetics, the same 100L VEM is also widely used in pharmaceutical ointments, daily chemical toothpaste, food sauces and chemical emulsions. To explore non-cosmetic use cases, see our Vacuum Emulsifying Mixer category page.
5. Why Choose Maxwell's 100L VEM
Maxwell is a direct-manufacturer of vacuum emulsifying mixers in Wuxi, China — not a trading company. Every VEM is built, wired and tested in-house before shipment. Four practical advantages separate the 100L VEM from generic alternatives:
| Dimension | Maxwell 100L VEM (Three-Pot) | Generic Single-Pot Mixer |
|---|---|---|
| Phase pre-treatment | Independent oil & water phase pots with own heating & mixing → finer, more stable emulsion | Phase mixing happens in one pot → larger droplets, less stable |
| Temperature control | PID digital control, ±1 °C accuracy; each pot holds target temp automatically | Manual temperature reading, large overshoot |
| Scraper speed | VFD-controlled 10–120 rpm — adjustable for low-shear or high-shear stages | Fixed single speed |
| Homogeniser | 3000 rpm high-shear rotor-stator, 0.2–0.6 μm droplet size | Lower rpm, larger droplets > 5 μm |
| Vacuum defoaming | Enclosed vacuum transfer from phase pots → near-zero air ingress | Open transfer → air bubbles re-enter main pot |
| Material & hygiene | SUS304 / SUS316L contact parts, mirror polished, GMP-friendly | Lower-grade steel or rough finish |
| Engineering support | Direct factory engineering, English-speaking sales, OEM/ODM | Trading company, limited support |
6. VEM Series Comparison (5L–1000L)
The 100L model is part of Maxwell's full VEM vacuum emulsifying mixer range, covering R&D (5L, 10L), pilot-scale (30L, 50L), small-batch production (100L, 150L, 250L, 350L) and full-scale industrial production (500L, 650L, 1000L). Use the table below to compare every model side-by-side and pick the capacity that matches your batch size.
| Item | Small & Pilot (Litres) | Production (Litres) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5L | 10L | 30L | 50L | 100L | 150L | 250L | 350L | 500L | 650L | 1000L | ||
| Emulsifying Pot | ||||||||||||
| Design Volume (L) | 6 | 12 | 35 | 63 | 120 | 165 | 250 | 350 | 500 | 650 | 1000 | |
| Working Capacity (L) | 5 | 10 | 30 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 280 | 400 | 520 | 800 | |
| Scraper Stirring Power (kW) | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 3 | 3 | 7.5 | |
| Scraper Stirring Speed (rpm) | 10–120 (VFD-controlled across the series) | |||||||||||
| Homogenising Power (kW) | 0.55 | 0.55 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 11 | |
| Homogenising Speed (rpm) | 3000 (constant across the series) | |||||||||||
| Water Phase Pot | ||||||||||||
| Design Volume (L) | 3 | 6 | 20 | 35 | 70 | 95 | 130 | 170 | 300 | 400 | 600 | |
| Working Capacity (L) | 2.5 | 5 | 17 | 28 | 60 | 85 | 100 | 130 | 250 | 320 | 480 | |
| Stirring Power (kW) | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.18 | 0.37 | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | |
| Stirring Speed (rpm) | 1500 (constant across the series) | |||||||||||
| Oil Phase Pot | ||||||||||||
| Design Volume (L) | 3 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 70 | 70 | 130 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 500 | |
| Working Capacity (L) | 2.5 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 60 | 65 | 100 | 160 | 200 | 240 | 800 | |
| Stirring Power (kW) | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.18 | 0.37 | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | |
| Stirring Speed (rpm) | 1500 (constant across the series) | |||||||||||
How to choose: For R&D and lab trials use 5L–10L. For pilot batches use 30L–50L. For small-to-medium cosmetic manufacturing, 100L or 150L is the most common choice. For full-scale industrial output consider 250L–1000L. Custom volumes above 1000L are available on request.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the working volume of the 100L vacuum emulsifying mixer?
The 100L VEM has a working capacity of 100 litres in the main emulsifying pot, with a design volume of 120 litres. The extra headroom (~20 %) accommodates vacuum expansion and material rise during high-shear homogenising.
Q2. How does the three-pot design differ from a single-pot vacuum mixer?
Three pots means the oil phase and water phase are heated and pre-mixed in two independent vessels before being drawn into the main pot under vacuum. Each phase pot has its own heating control and 1500 rpm impeller, allowing more uniform temperature and finer droplet formation than a single-pot system. Typical droplet size on the 100L VEM is 0.2–0.6 μm, ideal for premium face creams and sunscreens.
Q3. What particle size can the 100L vacuum emulsifier achieve?
The high-shear rotor-stator homogeniser delivers droplet sizes of 0.2–0.6 μm. Smaller droplets translate to smoother skin-feel, brighter appearance and longer shelf stability.
Q4. What is the price of the 100L VEM?
Reference FOB Shanghai price: main 100L pot USD 11,000 · optional combined oil & water phase pot USD 4,000. Final pricing depends on the configuration (motor brand, control system, voltage, accessories). Request a formal quotation for the latest FOB / CIF terms.
Q5. Which cosmetic products can the 100L VEM make?
Common cosmetic products include face cream, hand cream, sunscreen, eyelash cream, hair gel, lotion, bath shampoo, nail polish base, hair conditioner, body butter, BB cream and other emulsion-based personal-care items. The machine also handles pharmaceutical ointments, toothpaste, sauces and chemical emulsions.
Q6. Does the 100L VEM support automatic temperature control?
Yes. Every pot is fitted with a digital temperature meter and an independent heating system. Operators set a target temperature (commonly 75 °C for cosmetic emulsions) and the controller automatically heats and holds the setpoint, switching off and reheating as needed to maintain a stable process. Typical accuracy is ±1 °C.
Q7. Can the 100L VEM handle viscous products like hair gel and sunscreen?
Yes. The combination of a VFD-controlled frame scraper (10–120 rpm), a 3000 rpm high-shear homogeniser and vacuum defoaming makes the 100L VEM effective for high-viscosity emulsions such as hair gel, sunscreen, body butter and pharmaceutical ointments, producing smooth particle dispersion and bubble-free output.
Q8. What material is used for contact parts? Is it GMP-compliant?
All material-contact parts are made of SUS304 or SUS316L stainless steel, mirror-polished and easy to clean. The 100L VEM is suitable for cosmetic and pharmaceutical production facilities operating under GMP hygiene standards. CIP (clean-in-place) options are available on request.
Q9. What is the delivery time and warranty?
Standard delivery is 25–35 working days after order confirmation (depending on configuration). Maxwell provides a 12-month warranty on main components and lifetime technical support. Installation videos, English manuals and on-site engineer support (optional) are included.
8. Request a Quote
Looking for a price, technical drawing or lead time on the 100L vacuum emulsifying mixer? Send us your formulation, target capacity and destination port — our cosmetic-machinery team in Wuxi will reply within one business day.
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