Spray-Dried Detergent Particle Slurry Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Formulating high-concentration laundry detergent particles with high detersive surfactant content poses challenges due to gel phase formation, stickiness, increased energy consumption, and limited space for additional ingredients, leading to issues with powder properties and storage stability.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the formation of in-situ silicate and/or disilicate salts of alkaline earth metals by reacting alkali metal silicate with alkaline earth metal salts, followed by adding sodium carbonate to create a spray-dried detergent particle with a weight ratio of sodium carbonate to detersive surfactant less than 1, optimizing powder properties and pH for effective cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high concentration of detersive surfactant (21 wt.% or more) is used in the slurry, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but gel phase formation occurs during detergent salt formation, causing the slurry to become lumpy and sticky
Solution Approach 1:
A water-soluble polymer is introduced as an intermediary substance to modify the interaction between detersive surfactant and water. The polymer acts as a mediator that prevents gel phase formation by interfering with the surfactant aggregation process, allowing high surfactant concentrations to be maintained without causing lumpiness or stickiness in the slurry.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the slurry system by adding a water-soluble polymer, which alters the phase behavior and rheological properties. This parameter change enables the system to accommodate high surfactant concentrations while maintaining slurry stability and pumpability throughout the spray-drying process.
2Quantity of substance
If high slurry moisture content is used to accommodate high detersive surfactant content, then the surfactant can be fully incorporated, but increased energy consumption is required to reduce final particle moisture content below 2.5 wt.%
Solution Approach 1:
The water-soluble polymer serves as a rheology modifier that changes the relationship between moisture content and surfactant solubility. By introducing this intermediary, the system can maintain high surfactant concentrations at lower moisture levels than traditionally required, reducing the energy needed for evaporation during spray-drying while preventing phase separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The addition of water-soluble polymer fundamentally changes the phase diagram and drying characteristics of the slurry. This parameter change allows the process to operate at optimized moisture levels that balance surfactant incorporation with reduced energy requirements for achieving the target final moisture content of below 2.5 wt.%.
3Quantity of substance
If high drying temperatures are used to remove excess water from high surfactant slurry, then the final moisture content can be reduced, but the risk of fire in the tower and/or dry cyclones increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water-soluble polymer modifies the thermal and drying characteristics of the slurry, changing the evaporation kinetics and temperature profile during spray-drying. This parameter change allows for effective moisture removal at reduced temperatures, eliminating the fire hazard associated with high-temperature processing of high-surfactant slurries while still achieving the required final moisture content below 2.5 wt.%.
4Stability of the object's composition
If inorganic salt is added to manage stickiness of spray-dried particle, then powder properties are improved, but the space available for additional ingredients in the formulation is severely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The water-soluble polymer acts as a multifunctional intermediary that simultaneously addresses stickiness management and formulation flexibility. Unlike inorganic salts that merely reduce stickiness, the polymer provides rheology modification, phase stabilization, and stickiness control in one additive, preserving formulation space for other functional ingredients while achieving the required powder properties.
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 process results in spray-dried detergent particles with improved powder properties, extended shelf life, and desired pH for effective stain removal without harshness on hands or fabrics, while maintaining high detersive surfactant levels and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
contacting an alkaline earth metal salt with an alkali metal silicate salt in an aqueous mixture comprising detersive surfactant, wherein the alkaline earth metal salt reacts with the alkali metal silicate salt to form in-situ silicate salt and/or disilicate salt of alkaline earth metal
Implementation Method 2
spray-drying said aqueous slurry to form said spray dried detergent particle
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for preparing of a particulate, free flowing detergent particle by a slurry making and spray drying technique. In particular it relates to the process for preparing a slurry with lower alkalinity for the production of spray dried laundry detergent particle. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing a detergent solution for a spray-dried detergent particle which provides for incorporating higher levels of the detersive surfactant whilst providing good powder properties. The present inventors have found that a spray dried detergent particle prepared from a slurry with high detersive surfactant content in presence of an in-situ formed silicate and/or a disilicate salt of alkaline earth metal, formed by reacting an alkali metal silicate with an alkaline earth metal salt, and an alkali metal silicate salt provides for excellent powder properties and extended shelf life without getting caked. It is also surprisingly found that the spray-dried particle provides desired pH in wash solution required for good stain removal performance without being harsh on the hands or the fabrics.