Wash Cycle Bleach Activation With Metal Ion Recapture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bleaching agents in detergents can counteract with other cleaning chemistries, reducing effectiveness, and may not be stable over time, requiring prompt use or inactive forms that lose potency, while their activation with metal ions can cause environmental concerns if not controlled.
Innovation Solution
A wash cycle that mixes metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent to catalyze an activation reaction, producing an active bleaching agent, and captures the metal ions before disposal, allowing for controlled bleaching action and improved stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bleaching agents are provided in active state, then bleaching effectiveness is improved, but stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the bleaching agent into inactive forms (perborate, percarbonate, perphosphate, persulfate, or organic peroxide) that are stable during storage, and separates the activation function to metal ions that are dispensed at the desired time during the wash cycle. This segmentation allows the bleaching agent to remain stable until activation is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The inactive bleaching agent is prepared and stored in advance in a stable form, and the metal ions are made available for dispensing. The activation reaction occurs at the predetermined time during the wash cycle, allowing the system to prepare components beforehand without compromising stability.
2Reliability
If metal ions are used to activate bleaching agents, then bleaching effectiveness is improved, but environmental harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers metal ions after they have catalyzed the activation of the bleaching agent. The metal ion recovery device captures metal ions from the wash water, preventing their discharge into the environment. This allows the metal ions to be reused in subsequent wash cycles, reducing environmental impact while maintaining bleaching effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system includes a metal ion recovery device that monitors and captures metal ions in the wash water, creating a feedback loop that prevents harmful discharge. The recovered metal ions can be reused, creating a closed-loop system that reduces environmental harm while maintaining the catalytic activation function.
3Stability of the object's composition
If inactive bleaching agent and metal ions are provided simultaneously, then stability is improved, but user control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls the dispensing of metal ions during the wash cycle based on user-selected programs. The control system allows users to choose when activation occurs by selecting different wash programs that trigger metal ion dispensing at appropriate times, providing flexibility and control while maintaining stability during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically controls the timing of metal ion dispensing based on the selected wash program, eliminating the need for user intervention during the activation process. The control system manages the timing and sequence of operations, allowing users to simply select a program while the system handles the complex timing of activation.
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
This approach enhances the cleaning effectiveness of bleaching agents by maintaining stability and controlling their activation, reducing environmental impact by capturing metal ions, thus improving the wash cycle's efficiency and user control.
Implementation Method 1
mixing metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent as catalyst agents to catalyze an activation reaction to produce an active bleaching agent
Implementation Method 2
forming an electrode with a transition metal and running a current through the electrode while the electrode is in contact with the wash liquor
Implementation Method 3
capturing the metal ions in a disposable cartridge comprises using an ion exchange resin
Implementation Method 4
capturing the metal ions in the disposable cartridge comprises using a molecular sieve
Implementation Method 5
dispensing a compound to the wash liquor to one of precipitate or sequester the ions
Implementation Method 6
The compound dispensed to precipitate the ions comprises a flocculent
Data Source
AI summary
A wash cycle is provided for a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned. The wash cycle includes a step of providing a wash liquor for applying to the substrate load. Another step is loading the wash zone with the substrate load. Another step is mixing metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent as catalyst agents to catalyze an activation reaction to produce an active bleaching agent. Another step is combining the active bleaching agent with the wash liquor. Another step is applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load. Another step is capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor.