Decoding Beverage Pasteurizers: Plate, Tubular, and Tunnel Pasteurizers

In the era of healthy and safe beverage consumption, pasteurization technology is the core link of beverage production, and its equipment form directly affects the quality and efficiency of the product. At present, mainstream beverage pasteurizers mainly adopt three different forms, relying on core advantages such as efficient inactivation of pathogens, maximum retention of beverage fresh flavor and nutrition, and flexible automation control, jointly guarding the safety and deliciousness of every bottle in the hands of consumers.

1. Plate pasteurizer: the "mainstream choice" of high efficiency and energy saving.

As the most widely used type, the plate pasteurizer forms a tight flow channel through multiple layers of stainless steel plates, and the beverage and the hot medium/cold medium exchange heat at high speed in countercurrent on both sides of the plate. Its core advantages are high heat exchange efficiency (usually>90%), small floor space and significant energy conservation. It is especially suitable for continuous HTST (high temperature, short time) sterilization of large volume, low viscosity liquid beverages such as milk, fruit juice and tea (typical parameters: 72 ° C-85 ℃, 30 seconds; ℃ for 15 seconds). Modern devices are often equipped with intelligent control systems to ensure accurate temperature and time, fast cooling effectively protects thermo-sensitive components while effectively killing pathogens.

2. Tubular pasteurizer: "stable" for high-viscosity and particle-containing beverages. 

For beverages containing pulp, grains, or high viscosity (such as fruit juice, yogurt drinks, and vegetable protein drinks), tubular pasteurizers are a better choice due to their large tube design (significantly reducing the risk of blockage) and low shear force. The product flows in the inner tube, and the heating/cooling medium surrounds the tubes. This design can maintain the integrity and original texture of the particles in the beverage to the greatest extent, avoiding blockage or excessive shearing that may be caused by plate heat exchangers. Although the initial investment and energy consumption may be slightly higher than the plate type, it is key to ensure quality and continuous production for specific product lines.

3. Tunnel pasteurizer: the "safety guard" for sterilization after bottle/can filling.

 Unlike the first two, which process liquid semi-finished products, the tunnel pasteurizer acts on bottled or canned beverages after final filling and sealing. The product passes through the precisely controlled heating (spraying hot water or steam), insulation, and cooling (spraying cold water) temperature zones in turn through the conveyor belt. This method can effectively kill secondary contamination microorganisms that may be introduced during the filling process, providing a vital secondary safety guarantee for long-shelf refrigerated beverages (such as juice, functional drinks, and coffee drinks). The key to its technology lies in the precise control of the heat penetration effect under different packaging materials (glass/PET/aluminum cans) and specifications to avoid packaging deformation, flavor deterioration of the contents, or nutritional loss due to overheating.

Adapting product characteristics is the key The high efficiency of the plate type, the inclusiveness of the tube type, and the terminal protection of the tunnel type constitute a complete system for beverage pasteurization. When choosing, beverage manufacturers need to first consider the viscosity of the product itself, whether it contains particles, the packaging form, and the target shelf life. With the development of intelligence, a new generation of pasteurization equipment that integrates advanced control, data traceability, and energy efficiency optimization functions is continuing to provide safer, fresher, and more sustainable production solutions for the beverage industry. In the production of some juices and jams, depending on the filling form, tubular pasteurizers and tunnel pasteurizers are often used before and after filling to effectively sterilize the product at the same time to ensure productquality.