Cosmetic emulsions heated with stored hot water
How a personal care plant making 9 tonnes of creams and lotions a day can heat oil and water phases to 60–80 °C with heat pumps, against a diesel-fired boiler.
▶Video: Heat pumps for pharma, chemicals and FMCG
V04 · 2–2.5 minJacketed reactors, hot loops, cleanroom reheat and solvent recovery
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Steam is too aggressive for jackets. Steam jackets overheat the wall and can scorch waxes or break down actives and fragrances.
- Both phases must match. Oil and water phases need to reach the same 70 to 75 °C before emulsification, and uneven heating causes poor emulsions.
- Boiler for a short daily load. Heating runs only a few hours a day, but a boiler has to be fired, warmed and attended.
- Losses between fuel and process. Burning diesel in a boiler or heater and distributing the heat loses a quarter or more of the fuel's energy before it reaches the process.
- Compliance, safety and handling. Fired equipment brings boiler inspections, fuel storage and unloading, flue emissions and an attendant on every shift.
02Use case
The reference plant makes creams, lotions and hair care products in four jacketed vacuum emulsifying vessels. It runs two batches per vessel line a day on two shifts.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil phase heating | 25 → 75 °C | 2 batches × 1,500 kg (3,330 L at 0.9 kg/L), cp 2.0 kJ/kg·K | 83 |
| Water phase heating | 25 → 75 °C | 2 batches × 3,000 L | 348 |
| Vessel jacket heat-up | 25 → 75 °C | 4 vessels × 2 batches × 2,000 kg steel × 0.5 kJ/kg·K × 50 K | 111 |
| Hot water for cleaning | 30 → 75 °C | 4,000 L/day | 209 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 38 |
| Total useful heat | 789 | ||
Averaged over 16 running hours, the heat pumps need about 49 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- 1 × SE-SHT-50C (50 kW) (SE-SHT cascade heat pump) delivering 85 °C, covering the day's 789 kWh in about 15.8 running hours.
- A 1,500 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- The diesel-fired steam boiler stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- The heat pumps charge a storage tank at 80–85 °C. Vessel jackets are heated from a hot-water loop in place of steam.
- Oil and water phase vessels heat in parallel from the same loop, so both reach temperature together.
- After emulsification the jackets switch to cooling water, with the hot water returned to the tank.
Selected equipment
| Model | SE-SHT-50C × 1 |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity | 50 kW each, 50 kW total |
| COP | 2.6 at A20 °C / W90 °C (data sheet T1) |
| Power input | about 18.6 kW total at rated conditions |
| Rating | cascade R410A + R515B, rated 90 °C, 95 °C maximum |
| Supply temperature | 85 °C |
| Storage | 1,500 L insulated tank |
Ratings from the Sunniva TDS 2026 data sheets.
Control philosophy
TT-101 starts the heat pumps below 78 °C and stops them at 85 °C. TIC-201 and TIC-202 hold each vessel jacket at its recipe temperature through a mixing valve. The boiler stays as standby for peak days.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| Cost per tonne of product | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
No scorching
Hot water at 80–85 °C keeps jacket wall temperature close to the product, protecting waxes and fragrances.
Phases matched
Both phases heat from the same loop, so emulsification starts on time.
Instant start
Stored hot water is ready at shift start, with no boiler warm-up.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 2.6 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
No flame on site
No burner, flue or fuel tank for this duty, and no fuel deliveries to schedule.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Vessel sizes and batches per day
- Oil and water phase quantities and temperatures
- Present jacket heating medium
- Cleaning water volumes
- Boiler fuel use per day
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
- Winter minimum ambient at site
Design notes
- Microbial control. Hot cleaning water at 75 °C helps sanitise vessels. Keep the heating loop closed and separate from product and rinse water.
- Jacket changeover. Purge hot water back to the tank before switching to cooling, so the tank does not lose heat to the chiller loop.
- Water hardness. Use softened water in the heating loop to prevent scale in jackets.
- Electrical. About 19 kW of heat pump input at rated conditions, plus pumps and fans. Check spare sanctioned load before ordering.
- Winter output. The SE-SHT cascade gives about 80% of rated output at 7 °C ambient and still runs at −20 °C. Size on the coldest design day for northern sites.
- Water quality. Scale forms quickly above 60 °C. Use softened make-up and keep the heat pump loop closed, with process fluids on the far side of an exchanger or coil.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.
Talk to us
Cosmetic emulsions heated with stored hot water
How a personal care plant making 9 tonnes of creams and lotions a day can heat oil and water phases to 60–80 °C with heat pumps, against a diesel-fired boiler.
▶Video: Heat pumps for pharma, chemicals and FMCG
V04 · 2–2.5 minJacketed reactors, hot loops, cleanroom reheat and solvent recovery
Video coming soon01Problem statement
- Steam is too aggressive for jackets. Steam jackets overheat the wall and can scorch waxes or break down actives and fragrances.
- Both phases must match. Oil and water phases need to reach the same 70 to 75 °C before emulsification, and uneven heating causes poor emulsions.
- Boiler for a short daily load. Heating runs only a few hours a day, but a boiler has to be fired, warmed and attended.
- Losses between fuel and process. Burning diesel in a boiler or heater and distributing the heat loses a quarter or more of the fuel's energy before it reaches the process.
- Compliance, safety and handling. Fired equipment brings boiler inspections, fuel storage and unloading, flue emissions and an attendant on every shift.
02Use case
The reference plant makes creams, lotions and hair care products in four jacketed vacuum emulsifying vessels. It runs two batches per vessel line a day on two shifts.
| Heat user | Process temp. | Basis | Heat, kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil phase heating | 25 → 75 °C | 2 batches × 1,500 kg (3,330 L at 0.9 kg/L), cp 2.0 kJ/kg·K | 83 |
| Water phase heating | 25 → 75 °C | 2 batches × 3,000 L | 348 |
| Vessel jacket heat-up | 25 → 75 °C | 4 vessels × 2 batches × 2,000 kg steel × 0.5 kJ/kg·K × 50 K | 111 |
| Hot water for cleaning | 30 → 75 °C | 4,000 L/day | 209 |
| Storage and pipework standing losses | – | about 5% | 38 |
| Total useful heat | 789 | ||
Averaged over 16 running hours, the heat pumps need about 49 kW.
03P&ID
Tags: HP heat pump, TK tank, SG steam generator, P pump, PHE plate heat exchanger, TCV temperature control valve, TIC temperature indicating controller (panel), TT temperature transmitter, MT moisture transmitter, PT pressure transmitter, LT level transmitter, FS flow switch, NC normally closed. Process fluids are heated through their own exchanger, coil or jacket.
04Solution
System description
- 1 × SE-SHT-50C (50 kW) (SE-SHT cascade heat pump) delivering 85 °C, covering the day's 789 kWh in about 15.8 running hours.
- A 1,500 L insulated storage tank decouples the heat pumps from the process peaks.
- The diesel-fired steam boiler stays connected behind a normally closed valve as standby.
- The heat pumps charge a storage tank at 80–85 °C. Vessel jackets are heated from a hot-water loop in place of steam.
- Oil and water phase vessels heat in parallel from the same loop, so both reach temperature together.
- After emulsification the jackets switch to cooling water, with the hot water returned to the tank.
Selected equipment
| Model | SE-SHT-50C × 1 |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity | 50 kW each, 50 kW total |
| COP | 2.6 at A20 °C / W90 °C (data sheet T1) |
| Power input | about 18.6 kW total at rated conditions |
| Rating | cascade R410A + R515B, rated 90 °C, 95 °C maximum |
| Supply temperature | 85 °C |
| Storage | 1,500 L insulated tank |
Ratings from the Sunniva TDS 2026 data sheets.
Control philosophy
TT-101 starts the heat pumps below 78 °C and stops them at 85 °C. TIC-201 and TIC-202 hold each vessel jacket at its recipe temperature through a mixing valve. The boiler stays as standby for peak days.
05Energy saving and ROI
Change any input to match a customer's site. Defaults are typical Indian prices for October 2026. The installed cost is a placeholder; replace it with the actual quotation.
| Existing | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | – | – |
| Annual energy cost | – | – |
| Cost per tonne of product | – | – |
| CO₂ per year | – | – |
06Benefits
No scorching
Hot water at 80–85 °C keeps jacket wall temperature close to the product, protecting waxes and fragrances.
Phases matched
Both phases heat from the same loop, so emulsification starts on time.
Instant start
Stored hot water is ready at shift start, with no boiler warm-up.
Lower energy cost
Each kWh of electricity delivers about 2.6 kWh of heat at the required temperature, against well under one kWh of useful heat per kWh of fuel burnt.
No flame on site
No burner, flue or fuel tank for this duty, and no fuel deliveries to schedule.
Solar-ready
Running hours can be placed in daylight so rooftop solar supplies much of the electricity, which also cuts CO₂ further.
07Engineering pointers
Site data to collect
- Vessel sizes and batches per day
- Oil and water phase quantities and temperatures
- Present jacket heating medium
- Cleaning water volumes
- Boiler fuel use per day
- Present fuel or electricity use and monthly bill
- Sanctioned electrical load and spare capacity
- Space for the heat pumps and storage, with service access
- Winter minimum ambient at site
Design notes
- Microbial control. Hot cleaning water at 75 °C helps sanitise vessels. Keep the heating loop closed and separate from product and rinse water.
- Jacket changeover. Purge hot water back to the tank before switching to cooling, so the tank does not lose heat to the chiller loop.
- Water hardness. Use softened water in the heating loop to prevent scale in jackets.
- Electrical. About 19 kW of heat pump input at rated conditions, plus pumps and fans. Check spare sanctioned load before ordering.
- Winter output. The SE-SHT cascade gives about 80% of rated output at 7 °C ambient and still runs at −20 °C. Size on the coldest design day for northern sites.
- Water quality. Scale forms quickly above 60 °C. Use softened make-up and keep the heat pump loop closed, with process fluids on the far side of an exchanger or coil.
Service and warranty
Sunniva has supplied 5,000+ heat pumps since 2012, with nine service technicians across India, including remote sites such as Leh. All components carry a one-year warranty.