In-Line Process Refractometers for Industry: February 2018

EMC Isolation Valve

The Electron Machine Isolation Valve is a custom-manufactured valve designed to force a cup over the sensing head, isolating it from the process media for safe removal. A proximity sensor allows the position of the handle to be monitored to ensure that the sensing head is providing an accurate reading of the process. Originally designed in the 1970s, the Isolation Valve has proven itself in harsh environments and many are installed in tough processes all over the world. Electron Machine recommends that these valves be repaired/refurbished at least once every ten (10) years. The following 8 minute video is a detailed demonstration of all the steps Electron Machine goes through to give new life to an old isolation valve.

https://electronmachine.com

352-669-3101

Degrees Brix is the unit used to determine
sugar content in a solution.

Degrees Brix is a measurement unit to determine sugar content, typically in the food and beverage industry using a refractometer. Brix measurements allow precise quality control for sugar levels in different beverages, with one degree Brix equating to 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution. While sucrose is the primary element measured by the Brix reading, it is important to understand how other ingredients affect the Brix reading. The Brix reading can relatively calculate the amount of sweetener in a certain product in addition to exactly calculating the previously mentioned sucrose level.

Sucrose and other sweeteners allow for members of the food and beverage industry to create unique recipes for their products. However, a sucrose solution dissolved in water will return different Brix values than a soda because other elements in the process impact the Brix reading. To account for these shifting variables, a Brix value can be measured through either density or refractive index. Specific control parameters need to be established prior to measuring these solutions with refractometers, thus causing the term “Refractive Brix” to be used when comparing samples against results obtained via different calculation methods. Along with the numerical sugar concentration of a particular product, a product’s sugar concentration correlates to the product’s sweetness, giving controllers the ability to ensure repeatability in their process.

Process refractometers monitor and control
the quality of products containing sugar by
measuring Brix.

Alongside Brix’s main functionality as an indicator of sucrose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has become popular in the food and beverage industry as a replacement for sucrose. Recently, the amount of HFCS in a certain product has also been expressed as Brix, allowing for the Brix degree measurement to expand past its original purpose. Digital refractometers have become increasingly popular in measuring Brix degrees and also the percentage of HFCS in a certain product. These dual measurement possibilities allow operators to compare the content of a certain substance across multiple variables of sweetness. Additionally, the availability of these measurements in a certain process via the same measurement device allows for simplification of the measurement process. Hydrometers are another method used to measure Brix, although, as opposed to refractometers, variations in operator control may cause the results of a hydrometer test to be different. Both Brix and HFCS allow for food and beverage controllers to maintain cost and quality control, both in determining how much sucrose should be used in the process and to ensure each individual product meets quality standards.

Electron Machine Corporation
https://electronmachine.com
352-669-3101

In-Line Process Refractometers for Industry

Repairing (Refurbishing) an Electron Machine Isolation Valve

Applying Refractometers to the On-line Measurement of Green Liquor Density

Measuring Brix