Enzymatic Hydrolysis Tank

A: An enzymatic hydrolysis tank serves as the core reaction equipment for fruit and vegetable processing. It primarily breaks down macromolecules such as pectin and starch to improve juice yield, pulp yield and product clarity. As an essential intermediate unit that converts large volumes of fruit pulp into high-value clear juice, it greatly reduces the load on subsequent filtration steps and boosts economic benefits. Widely adopted in food, beverage, bioengineering and pharmaceutical industries, it uses enzymes as catalysts. With the agitator running, a complete enzymatic hydrolysis reaction takes place under suitable temperature and pH conditions. In typical processes such as juice clarification, pectinase and amylase decompose pectin and starch into soluble small-molecule substances to prevent sedimentation and cloudiness in fruit juice. It is also deployed on production lines to remove pectin from pumpkin and raise pulp output.

A: Taking juice clarification as an example, the full process proceeds as follows: prepasteurization at 98±2°C for 30 seconds deactivates native enzymes in apples and gelatinizes starch. The material is then rapidly cooled down to 50–53°C via a plate heat exchanger and piped into the enzymatic hydrolysis clarification tank for treatment with pectinase and amylase. After enzymatic hydrolysis, the juice passes through secondary filtration before being transferred to an ultrafiltration circulation tank. Enzymes are dosed once the liquid level in the tank reaches the agitator shaft. After the tank is fully filled, samples are taken after 70 minutes to test for residual pectin and starch. Upon completion of hydrolysis, secondary filtration (approximately 1.5 mm pore size) removes coarse pulp particles and impurities ahead of ultrafiltration. For pumpkin based feeds, the material is first cooled to 65°C through a tubular cooler before entering the hydrolysis tank.

A: Two main agitator types are available for enzymatic hydrolysis tanks: helical agitators and frame agitators, selected according to process requirements and material characteristics. For instance, the 5000 L enzymatic hydrolysis tank on pumpkin processing lines uses a helical agitator, while the 3000 L fermentation and hydrolysis tank is fitted with a frame agitator. No clear matching rules or selection tables for specific viscosity ranges are available in our reference materials. For this part, we recommend that our process engineers provide specifications based on actual viscosity measurements of the customer's feedstock; we avoid speculative recommendations.

A: Enzymatic hydrolysis must occur within suitable temperature and pH ranges to drive sufficient breakdown of macromolecules into smaller molecules. The enzymatic hydrolysis tank is engineered to precisely maintain the required reaction environment, fitted with temperature sensors and pH meters for realtime parameter monitoring to guarantee consistent product quality. In practical operations, the typical setpoint for pumpkin processing is 55°C with a holding time of 55 minutes. For clear apple juice lines, hydrolysis runs at 50–53°C for 90 minutes; enzyme dosage, temperature and duration are adjusted according to apple quality. Process specifications also stipulate operation at 55°C, with ultrafiltration carried out at no more than 55°C. We do not have defined pH ranges from the available documentation. The exact pH value should be confirmed against the enzyme supplier's datasheet and internal process sheets.

A: Our capacity recommendations draw from proven customer cases for reference. Lab or pilot lines commonly use 200 L tanks (e.g., the 150 kg/h experimental apple fermentation line). A 2000 L tank is typical for 3 t/h jujube and pumpkin lines, while 5000 L units are widely used on 3 t/h tomato, pumpkin and date lines. An 8000 L tank is deployed for the 0.8 t/h apple line, and 3000 L tanks are used for concentrated juice production. To calculate the exact tank volume and quantity, we ask customers to provide hourly throughput, required hydrolysis residence time (such as 55 or 90 minutes), and whether multiple tanks will run in rotation.

A: Enzymatic hydrolysis tanks are equipped with CIP spray balls that deliver rotating, all-directional spray for inline cleaning, meeting food hygiene standards and SOP validation requirements. Clean in Place (CIP) allows thorough cleaning of product contact surfaces with hightemperature cleaning solutions of controlled concentration without dismantling or relocating equipment. Lines can be integrated with a semiautomatic CIP system consisting of a CIP station, cleaning pipelines, multiple cleaning and return pumps, acid tanks, caustic tanks and hot water tanks. Optional functions include water inlet and drainage, alkali dosing, heating, concentration monitoring for acid and alkali solutions, liquid level measurement and automatic self cleaning. A PLC program controls the system, enabling adjustable cleaning duration, temperature, concentration and flow rate. Cleaning and return pumps are triggered or stopped in conjunction with tank level detection; pumps shut down automatically after a delay if invalid liquid level signals are detected. For reference, passivation typically uses 3–5% NaOH and 3–4% HNO, while routine cleaning uses 2–3% NaOH and 1.5–2% HNO. Actual concentrations should be validated on site.

A: Yes. Filtration follows immediately after enzymatic hydrolysis in the process flow. Hydrolyzed juice passes through secondary filtration (approx. 1.5 mm pore size, installed on the pipeline between the hydrolysis tank and ultrafiltration circulation tank) before entering ultrafiltration. The ultrafiltration membrane has a pore size of 0.02 μm, removing insoluble solids, substances larger than 0.02 μm, microorganisms, metal debris and other contaminants. For engineering integration, pneumatic discharge butterfly valves can be selected for automatic discharge and interlocking with downstream piping. The tank comes with standard inlet and outlet ports plus an anti-vortex baffle, facilitating seamless connection with upstream and downstream pipelines.

A: Based on previous proposals and contract requirements, customers need to confirm the following parameters: tank volume (200 L / 2000 L / 3000 L / 5000 L / 8000 L), insulation structure (double layer or three layer), agitator type (helical or frame), head design (conical or elliptical top and bottom), material and plate thickness (SUS304; 3.0 mm inner shell, 1.5 mm outer cladding), heating method (e.g., direct steam heating with steam trap assembly), feeding and discharging configuration (manual or pneumatic butterfly valves), liquid level and temperature control schemes, shared platform requirements, and optional extras such as hydrostatic level control and a centralized PLC control cabinet. Process parameters including hydrolysis temperature and holding time also need to be finalized.