Dairy Cleaning Formulation for Low-Temperature Protein Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dairy equipment cleaning processes require high temperatures to effectively remove proteinaceous deposits, often using chlorine-based oxidizers that pose environmental and safety concerns, and result in energy inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A formulation comprising a sequestrant, surfactant, and alkalinity agent, used at reduced temperatures (≤50°C or ≤40°C), which includes a product stabilization solvent, degreaser/emulsifier solvent, hydrotrope, and optionally a biocide or buffer, to effectively clean dairy equipment without the need for significant modifications to existing cleaning equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high temperature cleaning is used to remove proteinaceous deposits, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the cleaning solution by incorporating specific enzymes (proteases, lipases, amylases), surfactants, and chelating agents that enable effective cleaning at lower temperatures (20-40°C) rather than requiring conventional high temperatures (60-80°C), thus reducing energy consumption while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the thermal mechanism (heat) with a chemical-biological mechanism (enzymatic action, surfactant action, chelating action) to achieve soil removal, thereby substituting thermal energy consumption with chemical processes that are effective at lower temperatures
2Reliability
If chlorine-based oxidizers are used for cleaning, then cleaning capability is improved, but environmental harm increases and safety concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes chlorine-based oxidizers from the cleaning formulation, replacing them with environmentally benign alternatives including enzymes, surfactants, and chelating agents that provide equivalent or superior cleaning capability without the harmful environmental and safety issues associated with chlorine
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts potentially harmful substances (chlorine-based oxidizers) into beneficial or neutral substances (enzymes, surfactants, chelating agents) that maintain cleaning effectiveness while eliminating environmental harm and safety concerns
3Reliability
If high temperature cleaning is used, then detergent action is improved, but heat-induced deposition of undesirable compounds increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter from high (60-80°C) to low (20-40°C) and compensates by optimizing chemical parameters (enzyme concentration, surfactant type and concentration, chelating agent levels) to achieve effective detergency without heat-induced deposition of proteinaceous materials
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 formulation enables effective cleaning of dairy equipment at lower temperatures, reducing energy consumption and costs while avoiding the use of chlorine-based oxidizers, thereby improving environmental and safety profiles.
Implementation Method 1
a sequestrant, wherein the surfactant, the hydrotrope, the degreaser/emulsifier solvent, and the biocide or buffer are dissolved in the product stabilization solvent
Implementation Method 2
a surfactant, wherein the hydrotrope, the degreaser/emulsifier solvent, and the biocide or buffer are dissolved in the product stabilization solvent
Implementation Method 3
The present invention also provides the method of use for such formulations
Implementation Method 4
a formulation comprising a sequestrant, surfactant, and alkalinity agent, used at reduced temperatures (≤50°C or ≤40°C), which includes a product stabilization solvent, degreaser/emulsifier solvent, hydrotrope
Data Source
AI summary
A formulation having at least one of a product stabilization solvent, a sequestrant or chelating agent, and an alkalinity agent capable of use in a cleaning operation at a reduced temperature. Optionally, the formulation may additionally comprise any one or more of a degreaser emulsifier solvent, a surfactant, a hydrotrope, a stabilizer, a biocide, and a buffer. An additive formulation of the invention, as defined herein, comprises these stated types of compounds and is combined with an alkalinity agent at the time of the formulations use in a reduced temperature dairy equipment cleaning operation. A full formulation of the invention, as defined herein, additionally comprises an alkalinity agent in addition to the other named compounds. In many cases, the full formulations are used in a reduced temperature dairy equipment cleaning operation without being combined with an additional alkalinity agent. The reduced temperature of the dairy equipment cleaning operation using the formulation of the invention may be less than about 50° C. or, alternatively, less than about 40° C.