Improve Your Food Production Process with Continuous, Inline Process Refractometers

Adherence to the concentration of dissolved substances in food production is crucial for consistent product quality. Using a refractive index measuring instrument called a refractometer is an excellent method to monitor these concentrations. 

Refractometers measure the magnitude of redirection light when immersed in a fluid, referred to as the angle of refraction. The refractometer takes these measurements and correlates them to the refractive index (nD) - a long-established calculation of known values. These values determine the concentrations of the solutions.

Measuring the dissolved solids in food production offers enormous potential for increased efficiency and quality. In many applications, the process is manual, whereby measurements are done by hand repetitively and at short intervals. This is disruptive to the process and slow. A much more efficient and time-saving way is by taking process measurements with a pipe mounted (inline) continuous refractometer, such as the Electron Machine MPR E-Scan. 

The density of the liquid varies as the number of dissolved particles increases or decreases. The MPR E-Scan continuously monitors the concentration using an inline sensor, enabling accurate measuring of the devolved solids, enabling repeatable management of the process. Typical applications run the gamut in all aspects of the food industry.  Examples in food production include control of sugar concentration of juices, soft drinks, jams, jellies; measuring the milk fat solids in dairy products; and  mash measurements, wort concentration, and alcohol level. By taking measurements continually and in real-time, production run time are shortened and efficiency is dramatically increased. 

Electron Machine Corporation
https://electronmachine.com
+1 352-669-3101

An Inline Refractive Index Analyzer for Measuring Sugar Content in Food and Beverages

The Electron Machine MPR E-Scan™ provides inline refractive index measurement of cane sugar, HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup), or beet sugar concentration in food products. The analyzer continuously reads the °Brix value of fruit juices, soft drinks, fruit juice, syrups, jams, jellies, honey, and nectars.

The MPR E-Scan™ is a refractive index °Brix  monitor that provides highly accurate inline sugar concentration measurements. The inline installation (with local or remote electronics) offers lower-cost operation and monitoring and control.

The MPR E-Scan™ includes a high-resolution color display, and a 4-20mA output is standard. HART® protocol, RS-232, and RS-422 outputs are available, providing you a means for data acquisition as well as visualization of all data, alarms, trends, and allows real-time product adjustments. The entire package is NEMA 4X rated and designed and manufactured with the best materials for each application to provide years of trouble-free service with minimal maintenance.

Electron Machine Corporation
https://electronmachine.com
+1 352-669-3101

Inline Process Refractometers for the Pharmaceutical and Food Processing Industries

When it comes to easily, reliably and accurately determining the concentration, identification or purity of substances, refractometry is the ideal method. Inline process refractometers are especially helpful as they supplement laboratory research and contribute to production improvement. These process analyzers deliver results within fractions of a second, allowing real-time monitoring and automatic control of processes.


Electron Machine Corporation's MPR E-Scan™ inline refractometers provide process analysis and control of liquid and slurry process streams in pharmaceutical and food processing applications. The MPR E-Scan™ provides accurate control and precise monitoring of variables in process streams, including percent concentration, solids dissolution, and solution reduction. The inline process refractometer also excels in measuring and managing crystallization, verifying and regulating the correct mix of various compounds, and determining the sugar concentration in a wide variety of products. In addition, the MPR E-Scan™ is often used to track concentrations in evaporation processes.

The MPR E-Scan™ is available in a broad range of models to accomodate a wide variety of measurement ranges and resolutions, providing users an abundance of choices to fit the right equipment to the right application.

Designed with ruggedness and durability in mind, the IP65 / NEMA 4X rated MPR E-Scan™ will withstand the rigors of CIP (Clean-in-Place), allowing the inline process refractometer to be thoroughly and meticulously cleaned at any time in a process environment. Each process refractometer is designed and manufactured specifically for each application, assuring trouble-free service with a minimum amount of maintenance for years to come.

The operation of the MPR E-Scan™ inline process refractometer is based upon the principle of light reflection. Light radiated from the LED passes through the prism surface to be reflected from a mirror to the prism-to-process interface. The light reaching this interface intersects the same interface over a series of angles chosen to include critical angle for the process being measured. Light intersecting the interface at an angle greater than critical angle is refracted into the solution. Light intersecting the interface at less than critical angle is reflected up to a second mirror and out of the prism up to the CCD linear array to be scanned.

In short, the MPR E-Scan™ inline process refractometer makes process metrics more visible to the user and significantly reduces product quality fluctuations. This increases efficiency, lowers production costs, and increases process reliability.  The MPR E-Scan™ can be applied to a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries, thanks to their field-proven and reliable technology.

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

Inline Process Refractometers Used in Industry

Inline process refractometers are used in a wide variety of industrial and commercial applications including the measurement of the sugar content of food and beverages, monitoring the purity and concentration of ingredients in pharmaceuticals, analyzing the constituents in chemical used in pulp and paper processing, and purity control and concentration measurement of raw materials in the chemical industry.

Inline process refractometers provide a very reliable and accurate real time measurement, which is ideal for process loop optimization and control. With In-line process refractometers, product quality and batch times are more closely controlled, reducing costs as a result.

The Electron Machine Corporation has been designing and manufacturing in-line process refractometers since the early 1960s, with a focus on providing simple, rugged, and reliable instruments that provide value over time, with accurate measurement, minimal maintenance, and long service life. They are the pioneer in developing the industrial use of refractive index for safe, reliable, and accurate process measurement and control.

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

Successful, Long-term EMC and Florida Food Products Partnership Maintains Consistent, High Quality Production

Florida Food Products, innovator and leader in clean-label, natural food processing, and Electron Machine; a winning team.

Electron Machine Corporation and Florida Food Products have had a long and successful relationship with each other. In fact, Florida Food Products was one of the first food companies Electron Machine Corporation ever placed a rugged, in-line, process refractometer into operation; the year was 1956.

Located just a few miles from each other, the relationship was a natural.  Recently, Florida Food Products underwent a large expansion, requiring additional instrumentation from Electron Machine Corporation.  The first of these new generation in-line process refractometers was installed this past summer, and immediately paid dividends.  Upon installation concerning a test batch, the process refractometer read the material at a lower percentage of BRIX than anticipated by the engineers starting the line.  The staff at Florida Food Products made the appropriate changes to the concentration and the refractometer was deemed a great success.  Since this time, another unit has been purchased by the Florida Foods Team.

Electron Machine Corporation salutes the long relationship we have had with the Florida Food Products Team and looks forward to servicing this valued client for many years to come.

For more information, contact Electron Machine Corporation. Call them at 352-669-3101 or visit them at https://electronmachine.com.

Process Refractometers

Process refractometers are used in a wide variety of industrial and commercial applications including the measurement of the sugar content of food and beverages, monitoring the purity and concentration of ingredients in pharmaceuticals, analyzing the constituents in petroleum oil, and purity control and concentration measurement of raw materials in the chemical industry.

PROCESS REFRACTOMETERS FOR THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

• Quality control and purity determination of feedstock and end products.
• Determination of sugar concentration (Brix).
• Determination of the alcohol concentration in beer, wine and spirits.
• Quality control of milk-based products

Substances Monitored

• Dairy products, jams and jellies, tomato products, fruit juices, beer, wine, spirits.

PROCESS REFRACTOMETERS FOR THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

• Baseline development of concentrations in research and development.
• Quality control and purity determination of feedstock and end products.
• Chemical process monitoring during production.

Substances Monitored

• Hydrocarbons, organic solvents, alcohols, salt solutions, acids, bases, stains, paints and varnishes, industrial oils, resins, glue, polymers, silicones, hydrochloric acid applications, sulphuric acid applications, boiler cleaning chemicals.

PROCESS REFRACTOMETERS FOR THE PULP AND PAPER  INDUSTRY

• Black liquor concentration and quality.
• Green liquor concentration and quality.
• Boiler cleaning chemicals.

Substances Monitored

• Green liquor, black liquor, boiler cleaning chemicals, red liquor, white liquor, tall oil, and resin.

For more information, contact Electron Machine Corporation.

Common Applications for Inline Process Refractometers in Everyday Products

Process refractometers are used in many applications, across a wide variety of industries today. These digital electronic instruments are used to measure dissolved solids and percent concentration in many common, and not-so-common, products. From foods such as juice and jellies, to harsh chemicals such as sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid, to the paper you touch everyday, there's probably a refractometer monitoring the production line to ensure consistent quality.

Listed below are industries and applications where you may find inline process refractometers.

THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

Common chemical processing applications:
Sodium Bicarbonate; Copper Chloride; Hydrogen Peroxide; Acids; Acrylate; Ammonium Hydroxide; Sodium Dichromate; Polymers; Iron Chloride; Sodium Hydroxide; Ammonium Nitrate; Polymers; Lubricating Oils; Chromium Trioxide (Or Chromic Acid); Acetic Acid; Ammonium Fluoride; Oleum; Amine Oxide; Resins; Ethylene Glycol; Polyamides; Nickel Chloride; Ethylene; Glycols; Formic Acid; Amino Acid; Resins; PET; Solvents; Sulphuric Acid; Glycerol; Urea; Formaldehyde; Fluranes; Coolants; Nitric Acid; Polycarbonates; Caustic Soda; Polyethylene; Gels; Cellulose Derivates; Ammonium Sulphate; Citric Acid; Sodium Gluconate; Lactic Acid; Resins; Styrenes.

THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY AND SYNTHETIC FIBER INDUSTRY

Common process applications in the production of plastics and synthetic fiber:
Hexamethylene Diamine; Polycarbonates; Vinyls; Polyethylene; Additives; Dimethylformamide; Fiberglass; Rayon; Cyclohexanol; PET; Polyamides; Cyclohexanon; Nylon Salt; Adipic Acid; Styrenes; Polyesters; Polymers; Dimethylterephthalate; Acetate; Resins; Acrylics.

THE PULP STOCK & PAPER PROCESSING INDUSTRY

Common applications in pulp processing and paper production include:
Chlorine Dioxide; Alum; Oxidized Starch; Sizing Chemicals; Black Liquor; CMC; Green Liquor; Starch; Latex; Ozone; Hydrogen Peroxide; White Liquor; PVA; Styrene Acrylic; Dextrin; Styrene Butadiene Latex; Sodium Dithionite.

DETERGENTS, LOTIONS, AND SOAP PRODUCTION

Common applications in soap and detergent production include:
Palm Oil; Glycerol; Caustic Soda; Salt; Fatty Alcohols; Caustic Potash; Soda Ash; Sodium Bicarbonate; Citrus Oils; Fatty Acids.

THE PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING OF STARCH SWEETENERS

Common applications in the production of starch-based sweetners:
Maltose; Fructose; Aspartame; Sorbitol; Flavors; Lactitol; Xylose; Mannitol; Dextrose; Glucose; HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).

IN SUGAR PROCESSING

Common applications in sugar processing:
Liquid Sugar; Confectionery Sugar; Affination; Extraction; Vacuum Pan; Molasses; Thick Juice; Press Water; Brown Sugar; Molasses; Thin Juice; Invert Sugar; Cane Sugar; Sucrose; Beet Sugar.

For more information about the application of process refractometers in industrial applications, contact Electron Machine Corporation by calling 352-669-3101 or by visiting https://electronmachine.com.

Inline Process Refractometers for Food & Beverage

Inline process refractometers are used in many food and beverage applications. Some examples are beer, wine, gelatin & gummy candies, soy milk & tofu, tomato purée, ketchup, brine, canned coffee, jams, jellies, and honey.

The  process refractometer is used to assist in controlling sweetness and dissolved solids. The sensor is mounted in the sanitary process piping, while the control electronics are remotely mounted and provide outputs and communications to larger supervisory control systems.

For more information about inline process refractometers used in food and beverage applications, contact Electron Machine Corporation by calling 352-669-3101 or visiting https://electronmachine.com.

°Brix Measurement with Inline Refractometers

Refractometers are used to measure Brix in various juices.

A wide variety of food and beverage products rely on sweetness as a standard of consistency and quality. The unit of measurement to determine the concentration of sugar in food and beverage is °Brix (degrees Brix). Commercial processors of juices, wine, beer, soft drinks, tomato products, dairy, maple syrup, honey, jams and jellies implement the use of some form of refractometry to determine °Brix in their products.

°Brix (symbol °Bx) is the percentage of sugar dissolved in the subject product. One degree Brix equals 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution. °Bx is a degree scale from 1-100. A solution that is 15°Bx is 15 percent sucrose by weight. Measuring °Bx is based on the index of refraction or the density of the process media at specific reference temperatures of 20°C.

Inline industrial refractometer with control electronics.

One type of instrument used to measure °Bx is called a refractometer. Smaller food and beverage producers use hand-held refractometers to determine °Brix in product batches. Large scale producers, with continuous processing or high volume batches, use highly accurate, rugged, inline industrial refractometers which are installed on the process piping and become part of their overall control scheme.

All refractometers use the refractive index (RI) of the food/beverage concentration as the measurement method to determine °Bx.  The refractive index (or index of refraction) of a material is a dimensionless number that describes how fast light propagates through the material, or in other words, how much the path of light is bent, or refracted, when entering a material.

Refractometers often require some type of correction or linearization based upon the substance they are measuring. To account for other undissolved solids, organic acids or ethanol in the process media, specialized curves must be used. Inline process refractometers include these custom curves in the microprocessor programming, and can be selected through the refractometers user interface for varying product runs.

For more information about the measurement and control of °Brix using inline refractometers, contact Electron Machine Corporation.

352-669-3101

https://electronmachine.com

Measuring Brix

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

Process Refractometers Maintain Product Quality in Commercial Food and Beverage Production

Process Refractometer (sensor)
(Electron Machine Corp.)

All commercial food products are selected on the basis of quality, freshness and affordability. Varying product quality is the best way to lose brand-loyal customers. Quality and consistency can be different between brands, but they cannot vary within a brand.

Manufacturers of juices, jellies, honey, wine, and carbonated beverages rely on the measurement of "Brix" to control product quality and consistency. Brix (symbol °Bx) is defined as 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution, and represents the strength of the solution as percentage by mass.

Examples of food and beverage products that need to carefully measure sucrose, fructose, and dextrose include soft drinks, fruit juices, dairy, apple sauces, jams, jellies, beer, wine, coffee, tea, vegetable oils, tomato products, and honey.  To do this, a device known as a refractometer is used to measure Brix (as well as other dissolved solids).

In smaller food and beverage applications, the refractometer is a handheld device used for batch sampling, but for high volume commercial processing, a more robust and heavy duty "process refractometers" is used. Sometimes referred to as "inline refractometers", these process instruments provide real-time, continuous measurement of Brix and dissolved solids.

Process Refractometer with
sensor mounted on sanitary
pipe shown with control box.
(Electron Machine Corp.)

This category of process refractometer is designed to provide very accurate and repeatable measurement for products flowing through a pipe or mixing in a vessel. They are designed to handle higher temperatures, resist contamination and corrosion, and they respond very quickly to any process deviation.

A process refractometer works by shining an LED light source from a range of angles, through a product sample, onto a prism surface. By measuring the difference in the reflection and refraction of the light source, a critical angle can be determined and the refractive index can be accurately calculated.  This measurement and calculation can be done accurately, repeatably, and quickly, making process refractometers the de-facto standard for the measurement of Brix in high production  food processing applications.

For more information on the use of process refractometers in food and beverage production, visit this link.

Quality and Process Optimization with Inline Refractometers

Process refractometer
in plant.

Process refractometer
(Electron Machine Corp.)

Refractometry is a technology used to quickly, reliably, and very accurately identify a sample and determine the concentration and purity levels. This is done be taking a sample and measuring the refractive index and temperature of the media.

Process refractometers are used for monitoring and controlling process variables in the flowing process media (liquid) . These instruments are used for continual, extremely accurate, real-time substance identification. Through identifying critical factors such as the concentration and purity, manufacturer's can gain tight control over quality can consistency of product. Applications for process refractometers are found in commercial food & beverage, chemical, pulp & paper, and pharmaceutical industries. All share similar processes lines where process refractometry provides real-time, high value information about the product at critical points. These shared processes are:

Process refractometers are used
for food and beverage production.

Concentration
The measurement of concentrations in compounds of organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, and total dissolve solids are often required for product consistency. Process refractometers can be calibrated to detect a wide range of dilute chemicals and dissolved solids and be an excellent feedback mechanism for these process variables.


Mixing 
Using process refractometers for ingredient mixing to control product quality and production reduces errors and limits variance. Comparing the process media to known reference values, through the use of an inline refractometer, optimizes consistency and maintains quality.


Crystallization

Process refractometers are critical
for making pulp and paper.

Crystallization plays a key role in purification in many chemical processes, ranging from pharmaceutical manufacturing to food processing to liquor processing in pulp & paper production.  Keeping track of concentration levels is essential for the crystallization process and process refractometers provide real time information that allow process optimization.



Cleaning

Process refractometers
have many uses in
chemical production.

Changing product runs through existing lines is a major problem area for quality control. If a process line is used in the production of more than one product, it is important to ensure that no cross-product contamination occurs. To virtually eliminate this concern, process refractometers are used to check in for residual product presence (in real-time), providing assurance that purity levels are their highest.

For more information on industrial process refractometers, contact Electron Machine by visiting https://www.electronmachine.com or call 352-669-3101.

Get to Know Electron Machine Corporation

Electron Machine Corporation, headquartered Umatilla, FL, manufactures industrial, inline, process refractometers. As a vertically-integrated manufacturer, we have complete control over the time it takes to manufacture our instruments providing the highest levels of service and support to our customers. Superb quality control is attained by adapting modern technology and practices to existing designs. These include in-house microprocessor and DSP software design, surface-mount PC card design and assembly, 3D CAD/CAM designing, CNC machining, and MIG/TIG welding. Additionally, our founder's innovative nature is still with us as we continue to research and develop new products.

Learn more about Electron Machine at https://www.electronmachine.com or by calling 352-669-3101.

Inline Refractometers for the Production of Jams and Jellies

Refractometers are used to maintain
standards of jams and jellies.

The quality and uniformity of a food product is paramount to the sales of that product. Assuring that standards are maintained is key to quality and consistency.  Jams, jellies, marmalades, conserves and fruit butters are characterized by concentration of fruit components and sugars. Attention to solids content, pH, and sweetness is essential, and controlling these variables in a production environment requires the proper systems, instruments, and automation.

Jams, jellies, marmalades, conserves and fruit butters are made by boiling fruit and sugar together to give a high solids product, and are characterized by concentration of their fruit components and sugars.

Inline refractometer for jam and jelly production.

Accordingly, standards of identity have been enacted to require specific amounts of the comparatively expensive fruit ingredient. Without these guides, producers could substitute flavored and colored pectin and sugars in place of real fruit.

Definitions:

• Jam – a product containing both soluble and insoluble fruit constituents.
• Conserve or preserve – large pieces of fruit are present.
• Butter - a smooth, semisolid fruit mixture with no fruit pieces or peel. May be spiced
• Marmalade – are made from citrus fruits and contain some peel.
• Jelly – is made from filtered fruit juice, no pieces of fruit or insoluble solids present.

In the U.S. jams and jelly products are graded as follows:

• Fancy  - 50 parts fruit to 50 parts sugar 
• Standard  - 45 parts fruit to 55 parts sugar 
• Imitation - 35 parts fruit to 65 parts sugar
• Fruit butters - At least 5 parts fruit to 2 parts sugar

Standards of identity can be easily formulated with the aid of a refractometer - and instrument that the sugar/solids content by the angle that the solution refracts or bends light. Refractometers are the preferred method of determining of measuring soluble solids and sugars in many food products.

In large scale commercial food production environments, inline process refractometers provide real-time sugar and solids measurement allowing plant operators tight control of product variables so that product uniformity and quality is maintained.

Refractometers for Food and Beverage Processing

Refractometers commonly used to detect sugar levels and properties of jams juices, beverages, dairy products and much more.

Electron Machine Corporation developed the first in-line process refractometer more than 50 years ago when orange juice was first concentrated. Since that time, their refractometers have been successfully applied on many more applications including the production of sucrose, fructose, dextrose, soft drinks, fruit juices, dairy, apple sauce, jams, jellies, beer, wine, coffee, tea, vegetable oils, tomato paste, ice cream and honey.

With an extremely durable Sapphire prism as its foundation, the Electron Machine MPR E-Scan combines accurate measurements with ruggedized components in the sensing head combining for years of of dependable and accurate service in harsh food production environments.

Understanding the Use of Inline Refractometers in Food and Beverage Production

Inline refractometers are used
for jam and jelly production to
ensure consistency and quality.

This post is intended to give a basic understanding of the use of inline refractometers in commercial food and beverage production. 

Refraction

According to Wikipedia, "Refraction is the change in direction of wave propagation due to a change in its transmission medium."

To understand more clearly, consider this. If you place a pencil in a jar of standing in water and look through the jar, it appears to be broken at the water line. When you add sugar to the water, the pencil appears to bend even more. The reason for this is because light travels slower in water than through air. When you dissolve materials (sugar) in the solution, the light will travel even slower.  Understanding this basic concept allows you to understand how you can measure, and therefore control, the concentration on a material in a solution through the use of refraction.

Refractive Index

The refractive index (RI), is the ratio between the speed of light in vacuum and the speed of light in a given media. It determines how much light is bent, or refracted, when entering a material. The Refractive Index of air is 1.0003, and the RI of most gases, liquids, and solids is between 1 and 2.

Refractive Index is defined as:

• RI= Speed of Light in Vacuum / Speed of Light in a Particular Medium

Applying Refraction to Food and Beverage Processing

Food and beverage industries prefer to use their own units rather than the index of refraction for controlling quality of their product. Examples are measuring sugar content in tomato products, citrus juices, and jams and jellies. These industries prefer to use the % Brix scale, which refers to the sugar concentration. Refractive Index is easily converted to % Brix units through simple calculations.

Inline Refractometers for Large Scale Food and Beverage Production

Industrial inline refractometers directly measure the Refractive Index of process fluids and then display the reading in any number of customer-desired units such as Brix, Percent Solids, Dissolved Solids, etc. 

Inline refractometer in food and beverage process
highlighting sensing element and electronics console.

There are two primary components to an inline refractometer, the electronics console and the sensing head.  

The electronics console usually contains a display of some type, and provides a standard output such as 4-20mA. Optionally, there may be some form of networking protocol such as HART® or RS-232/422. 

The sensing head is installed in line by mounting the prism assembly in a pipe and inserting this pipe section in the process line. Vessel mounting is accommodated by having the prism assembly inserted in a flange that can be attached to a storage tank or mixing tank. 

For more information on any commercial or industrial application for inline refractometers, contact visit Electron Machine at http://www.electronmachine.com or call 352-669-3101.

Inline Refractometers Used in Commercial Food and Beverage Production

Refractometers assist in consistent quality
in commercial food and beverage processing.

All commercial food brands must assure a level of quality their users have grown to expect. A change in their product's quality can trigger a change in the customer's buying habits. The ability to provide consistent quality and taste is key to happy customers and continued sales.

For producers of many commercial food products, such as wine, fruit juice, jams, and carbonated beverages, a critical way to control quality is by measuring "Brix".

Brix is a unit of measurement used to to establish the concentration of sucrose and other sugars (as well as other dissolved solids) in aqueous solutions. When evaluating sweetness, one degree Brix (symbol °Bx) is defined as 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution, and represents the strength of the solution as percentage by mass.

Inline refractometers provide commercial food,  juice and wine producers critical information about the make-up of their product. Many commercial food processing plants use refractometers to blend their products to consistent Brix level, thus assuring consistency. Because the dissolution of sucrose and other sugars in a solution changes the solution’s refractive index, measuring this change can be used reliably to measure consistency and quality. A refractometer works by shining an LED light source from a range of angles, through a product sample, onto a prism surface. By measuring the difference in the reflection and refraction of the light source, a critical angle can be determined and the refractive index can be accurately calculated.  This measurement and calculation can be done accurately, repeatably, and with speed, so inline refractometers have proven themselves reliable instruments for the measurement of Brix in all food processing applications.

Typical applications for the measurement of sucrose, fructose, and dextrose by an inline refractometer:

• Soft drinks, fruit juices, dairy.
• Apple sauces, jams and jellies.
• Beer wine, coffee, and tea.
• Vegetable oils.
• Tomato pastes and sauces.
• Honey.

For any questions about the use of refractometry in food and beverage processing, contact Electron Machine Company at 352-669-3101 or visit http://www.electronmachine.com.

The World's Most Rugged Inline Process Refractometers

Electron Machine manufactures the world's most rugged industrial, in-line refractometers used in pulp & paper processing, chemical production, and food and beverage processing.

The company is renowned for manufacturing industrial inline refractometers that hold up to the rigorous environments and the steady demands in these applications. These refractometers are built to withstand the most harsh conditions while delivering reliable and consistent readings and providing safe, reliable, and accurate process measurement and control.

Electron Machine inline refractometers are used in numerous applications in the paper industry such as black liquor, and green liquor sensing; in the food industry to detect sugar levels and properties of jams juices, beverages, and dairy product; and in the chemical industry to measure the strength of a chemical when diluted with water or another chemical.

For more information, visit http://www.electronmachine.com.

Industrial Refractometry: The Very Basics

Most objects can be evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. Determining the number of cars on a highway is a quantitative calculation; determining the color of a car is a qualitative calculation. In the process control industry, analyzing the qualitative and quantitative natures of a product is one of the most important steps in ensuring a manufacturer is delivering their clients not only the best product, but making sure that every product made is the best product.

If you’ve ever cracked open a crisp, cold beer on a Sunday, sampled a great wine, or asked yourself, “why does this soda taste so good?” you’ve had experience with what the process control industry calls “industrial refractometry.” Pink Floyd’s album cover for Dark Side of the Moon, where a beam of light hits a prism at a certain angle and then exits the other side in multiple colors, illustrates a core component of refractometry. Refractometry measures the speed at which light passes through an object.

Here’s how evaluating a substance with a refractometer works: a substance is placed on top of a prism. Then, a beam of light shines through the prism and reflects through the substance. The refractometer compares how much slower (or faster) light travels through the object compared to the speed of light through air. The comparison allows the evaluator to determine qualitative aspects of the substance, such as the density or concentration. For standardization purposes, the speed at which light passes through air has a refractive index (RI) value of 1. If a substance has an RI value of 1.16, light travels 16% quicker through air compared to the substance on the prism. Depending on the color and temperature of the reflected light, even more qualitative characteristics of the substance can be determined.

Electron Machine Inline Industrial Refractometer

While the process won’t always help determine what exactly a substance is (different substances can have the same RI values), refractometry is essential in determining how something is. If a corporation knows the RI value of a liquid product, they can ensure each iteration of said product is precisely made, quantitatively and qualitatively. When two substances are being combined to create one resulting substance, refractometry can show exactly how close the combined substance is to being an accurate fusion.

Overall, refractometry is used by industrial companies as a control method. Industry professionals use refractometers to perform evaluations; these refractometers range from small, hand-held devices to full-powered, computer-controlled precision machines which measure the quality of every product coming out of on an assembly line. Refractometry is an objective way to prove standards are being met while achieving production excellence, making refractometry an extremely valuable tool for industrially geared businesses of almost every size.

So, the next time you want to combine coffee and creamer, if you know the refractive value of the best cup of coffee, you could use your own refractometer to measure how close you are to the perfect morning blend!

Consistent Ice Cream Quality with Inline Process Refractometer

Inline refractometer helps
make better ice cream.

Improve large scale ice cream production and quality control by accurately measuring milk and sugar concentrations with inline process refractometers. The refractometer directly measures dissolved solids, which can be easily converted to Brix. This measurement is unaffected by bubbles or suspended particles.

The Electron Machine MPR E-Scan refractometer is used to measure both the dairy concentration as well as the sweetener (sucrose, fructose, etc.) Brix level going into the mixing tank. This in-line measurement allows real-time trimming of both ingredients to meet the final target concentration in the mixing tank. Additional measurement of the mixed product is used for further adjustments to the composition before packaging.

By installing the Electron Machine Corporation MPR E-Scan a factory can insure an accurate process control resulting in consistent ice cream quality. Thus, increasing profit from economical operation. By maintaining a desired process concentration there will be a decrease in offline testing and an increase quality control. This results in the ability to optimize work force man hours and eliminate unnecessary product waste saving the factory time and money.

Inline Process Refractometers for Ice Cream Production from Electron Machine Corporation