Core-shell Dosing Particles for Textile Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textile fabric washing processes face inefficiencies in reducing water, energy, and detergent consumption while maintaining effective mechanical action and hygiene, particularly due to the need for separate dosing and transport of detergent components, which complicates the washing cycle and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of core-shell dosing particles intimately mixed with solid cleaning particles, where the shell is made of partially or completely water-soluble polymeric materials and the core contains releasable cleaning or post-cleaning agents, allows for targeted and controlled delivery of additives directly to the substrate, eliminating the need for separate dilution and transport of detergent components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate dosing operations are used for detergent and supplemental additives, then complete coverage of all cleaning functions is achieved, but process complexity and dosing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detergent components (surfactants, enzymes, bleaches, fabric softeners, dye transfer inhibitors) into a single integrated dosing particle formulation. These particles contain core-shell structures where the core holds concentrated detergent ingredients and the shell controls release, eliminating the need for separate dosing operations for each additive type while maintaining complete cleaning function coverage
2Manufacturing precision
If separate dilution and transport steps are used for detergent components, then proper dosage distribution is achieved, but water consumption and process time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detergent components are pre-loaded into dosing particles before the washing cycle begins. The particles are designed to release their contents directly onto the fabric surface during the wash, eliminating the need for separate dilution and transport steps. This preliminary preparation ensures accurate dosage distribution while reducing overall process time
Solution Approach 2:
The dosing particles act as intermediary carriers that transport concentrated detergent ingredients directly to the fabric surface. Instead of diluting components in water and transporting the solution, the particles themselves serve as the transport medium, releasing their payload where needed without requiring additional water or time for distribution
3Reliability
If higher water levels are used in the wash drum, then better mechanical action and cleaning are achieved, but energy consumption and detergent dosage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing particles provide localized concentration of detergent ingredients directly at the fabric-particle contact points during mechanical action. This localized delivery ensures effective cleaning at the interface where it is most needed, allowing reduced overall water levels while maintaining cleaning effectiveness. The particles concentrate their action where required rather than dispersing detergent throughout large volumes of water
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 reduces the amount of additives required, minimizes water usage, and simplifies the washing process, achieving improved cleaning performance, reduced dye transfer, and enhanced substrate hygiene with lower energy consumption and fabric care.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the shell is made of partially or completely water-soluble polymeric materials
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a formulation and method for the treatment of a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the substrate with the formulation, the formulation comprisinga multiplicity of solid cleaning particles and a multiplicity of dosing particles, wherein the dosing particles comprise at least one host material and atleast one releasable material, wherein the host material comprises, asthe shell of the dosing particles, at least one partially or completely water soluble polymeric material and theat least one releasable material comprises the core material of the dosing particles, comprising at least one cleaning or post-cleaning agentor other treatment additive for the treatment of the substrate, wherein the solid cleaning particles are polymeric and/or non- polymeric cleaning particles, wherein the polymeric solid cleaning particles have an average density in the range of 0.5-2.5 g/cm3 and an average volume in the range of 5-27 mm3. The method and formulation are advantageously applied to the cleaning of textile fabrics.