High Alkaline-Solvent Cleaner for Polymerized Trans Fat Soils
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Solution Overview
Problem
The food industry faces challenges in cleaning polymerized zero trans fat soils from equipment and surfaces due to their stability and tendency to polymerize, making them difficult to remove, especially when left for extended periods or exposed to heat, leading to costly cleaning processes or equipment replacement.
Innovation Solution
A high alkaline-solvent composition is developed, comprising soil wetting solvents, alkaline wetting and saponifying agents, surfactants, and optional chelating/sequestering agents, which effectively breaks down and dissolves polymerized zero trans fat soils at various temperatures, facilitating their removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If zero trans fats are used in food products, then health benefits are improved, but cleaning difficulty increases due to polymerization
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning composition uses high alkaline pH (12-14) to change the chemical environment, enabling saponification of polymerized zero trans fats that cannot be removed by conventional cleaners. The elevated pH activates the saponifying agents to break down the stable polymerized structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple cleaning mechanisms in a single composition: saponifying agents (potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide), solvents (dibasic esters, glycol ethers), and surfactants work synergistically to tackle the complex polymerized zero trans fat soils that single-mechanism cleaners cannot remove.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If zero trans fats are left on surfaces for extended periods, then polymerization increases, but removal efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The high alkaline composition performs preliminary chemical action by saponifying the polymerized zero trans fats in place, converting them into removable soap structures before physical removal. This preliminary chemical breakdown enables efficient removal even of long-standing soils.
Solution Approach 2:
The composition includes oxidizing agents that accelerate the breakdown of polymerized structures through oxidation, enabling rapid degradation of even highly polymerized zero trans fat soils that have been on surfaces for extended periods.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional cleaning techniques are used, then cleaning cost is reduced, but cleaning effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of conventional cleaners by using high alkaline pH (12-14) instead of neutral or mild alkaline formulations. This parameter change enables the composition to saponify and remove polymerized zero trans fats that conventional cleaners cannot touch.
Solution Approach 2:
The saponifying agents act as intermediaries that chemically convert the stubborn polymerized zero trans fats into soap structures that can then be easily removed by the surfactants and solvents in the composition, bridging the gap between chemical stability and removable form.
4Loss of time
If equipment is replaced instead of cleaned, then cleaning time is reduced, but equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The high alkaline composition performs preliminary saponification of the polymerized zero trans fat soils, converting them into removable forms before mechanical removal. This preliminary chemical action reduces the mechanical cleaning time and equipment downtime significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful stability of polymerized zero trans fats into a benefit by using high alkaline saponification to transform the stable polymerized structures into removable soap structures, turning the previously uncleanable soils into easily removable residues.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The high alkaline-solvent composition efficiently removes polymerized zero trans fat soils at ambient and elevated temperatures, reducing cleaning costs and extending equipment lifespan by providing a method to effectively clean hard-to-reach areas and complex soil residues.
Implementation Method 1
one or more alkaline agent(s) that wets and saponifies the soil
Implementation Method 2
at least one cleaning agent comprising a surfactant or surfactant system
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to high alkaline-solvent cleaners, cleaning systems and methods for removing polymerized zero trans fat soils. The high alkaline-solvent cleaner of the present invention generally includes one or more soil wetting and cleaning solvent(s) and one or more alkaline wetting and saponifying agent(s) that wets and saponifies the soil. In various embodiments, the cleaners may include, at least one cleaning agent comprising a surfactant or surfactant system and/or a at least one chelating/sequestering/threshold agent. In some embodiments, the cleaners may include one or more components to modify the composition form and/or the application method. All components described above can also be optimized optionally, to provide emulsification of a composition (both as a usable product or a concentrate that can be diluted to form a usable product). The use of the high alkaline-solvent cleaner of the present invention has demonstrated enhanced cleaning characteristics especially at ambient temperatures and showing increased cleaning with increased temperatures in comparison to other conventional cleaning techniques.