Online Brix and Concentration Measurement for Food & Beverage Processes

Categoría：Industry application · Food & beverage

Selection and validation guidance for dairy, beverages, fruit syrups, brewing and sugar processes, including hygienic connections, CIP/SIP and IR100/MW100 evaluation.

Typical processes and targets

Food and beverage lines commonly monitor Brix/solids in beverages and syrups, dairy concentration, brewing process values and sugar-process brix. Yifan Technology can first evaluate an IR100 online refractometer or MW100 online microwave concentration analyzer from the medium, target and reference method; final range and conversion must be checked with representative samples.

  • Beverages and fruit syrups: confirm Brix/solids, temperature and bubbles
  • Dairy: confirm hygienic connection, cleaning, deposits and service access
  • Sugar boiling or crystallization: confirm temperature, pressure, deposits and brix reference method
  • Brewing: confirm coverage, foam, flow and laboratory comparison timing

How IR100 and MW100 are initially differentiated

For refractive index or liquid concentration in a relatively uniform medium with hygienic clamp requirements, evaluate the IR100 hygienic compact configuration first. For sugar slurries, higher solids or a need to evaluate density/moisture information, evaluate MW100 as appropriate. Both principles require representative samples and flow verification.

  • IR100: critical-angle total reflection converted to Brix, solids or concentration through an application curve
  • MW100: microwave phase/attenuation model evaluated for concentration, solids or density by application
  • Final model, materials, limits and interfaces follow the technical file

Hygienic installation, CIP/SIP and quality control

The hygienic clamp, seal and weld socket must match the pipe size and cleaning procedure. Choose a drainable location without hard-to-clean dead legs. CIP/SIP temperature, duration and chemical compatibility must be confirmed for the model. During commissioning, record online value, sample temperature, sampling time and laboratory reference, and include post-cleaning checks in the quality-control record.

  • Keep the measuring surface covered during production and cleaning
  • Avoid bubbles at high points, deposits at low points and severe pump pulsation
  • Maintain before/after-cleaning readings, references, exceptions and review actions

Preguntas frecuentes

Does every food line require a hygienic IR100?

Not necessarily. The hygienic compact configuration depends on the medium, cleaning procedure, connection standard and cleanliness requirements; general process lines may need another configuration.

Can online Brix completely replace laboratory testing?

Online values support continuous trends and quality control, but initial application work and major process changes still require comparison with a reliable laboratory method.