Jacketed Process Tank with Agitator: What It Is and When You Need One

A jacketed process tank with an agitator is a stainless steel tank that can heat or cool its contents and mix them during production. The jacket is a double wall through which water, steam or coolant flows, and the agitator mixes the product. It is used in food, beverage, cosmetics, pharma and chemical production.

Jacket types

Conventional jacket: a full double wall
Dimple jacket: a dimpled wall, lighter and suited to pressure
Half-pipe coil: a pipe welded around the tank, for high temperatures and pressures

Agitator types

Propeller for thin liquids
Anchor with scrapers for viscous products such as creams and sauces
Bottom magnetic mixer, common in biotech and pharma
Homogenizer for emulsions

What to check in a used process tank

Stainless grade in product contact (304 or 316L)
Rated working pressure for the jacket and the vessel
Agitator motor, gearbox and shaft seal
Heating and cooling connections, temperature gauges and CIP connections if present
Load cells, if you need weighing

Frequently asked questions

Storage tank vs process tank?

A storage tank only holds the product. A process tank performs a production step such as heating, cooling or mixing, so it has a jacket, an agitator and controls.

Do you buy process tanks?

Yes. IHD Taub buys process tanks, stainless tanks and complete process lines, paid upfront, including dismantling and removal.