Endoscope Washer Detergent Composition Suppressing Foam at Low Temperatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional detergents for endoscope washers suffer from foaming issues at low temperatures, leading to reduced detergency and operational inefficiencies, particularly with low-hardness water and physical forces like ultrasonic waves and water flow.
Innovation Solution
A detergent composition comprising a nonionic surfactant with a specific branched-chain structure, a branched-chain fatty acid, a defoaming agent, and water, which suppresses foaming even at 5°C and maintains high detergency and storage stability, along with a method of washing using an endoscope washer that includes a protease for effective stain removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional detergents are used in endoscope washers, then detergency can be achieved, but foaming occurs at low temperatures which reduces detergency and causes operational inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the detergent by specifying a particular nonionic surfactant with a defined molecular structure (formula 1) containing specific ether groups and hydrocarbon chains. This structural parameter change allows the surfactant to maintain low foaming properties while preserving detergency performance across a wide temperature range including low temperatures of 5°C or lower.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite detergent system by combining the specific nonionic surfactant (formula 1) with water in a controlled composition. This composite formulation achieves synergistic effects where the unique molecular structure of the surfactant provides both low foaming characteristics and effective detergency, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
2Reliability
If washing is performed at low temperatures to prevent protein denaturation, then stain removal effectiveness is maintained, but foaming increases which reduces physical cleaning efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the surfactant molecular parameters by using a nonionic surfactant with specific ether linkage structures and hydrocarbon chain lengths as defined in formula (1). This parameter optimization enables the surfactant to provide effective detergency at low temperatures without generating excessive foam, thereby maintaining both stain removal effectiveness and physical cleaning efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of low-temperature washing (which typically increases foaming and reduces cleaning efficiency) into a benefit by using the specific nonionic surfactant structure. The surfactant's molecular design allows it to function effectively at low temperatures while inherently suppressing foam formation, thus turning the low-temperature constraint into an advantage for both gentleness and efficiency.
3Reliability
If low-hardness water is used for washing, then detergency is enhanced, but foaming is promoted which adversely affects washing operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surfactant's chemical parameters by selecting a nonionic surfactant with a specific molecular architecture (formula 1) that includes polyether chains and hydrocarbon segments. This structural parameter selection makes the surfactant less sensitive to water hardness, allowing it to provide effective detergency in low-hardness water while maintaining low foaming properties, thus resolving the contradiction between enhanced detergency and foam suppression.
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 detergent composition effectively prevents foaming at low temperatures, ensuring high detergency and storage stability, and enables efficient washing of endoscopes using an endoscope washer without adverse operational impacts.
Implementation Method 1
a nonionic surfactant (A) represented by formula (1)
Implementation Method 2
a defoaming agent (C)
Implementation Method 3
a protease
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to [1] a detergent composition for endoscope washers, including a nonionic surfactant (A) represented by the following formula (1), a branched-chain fatty acid having not less than 6 and not more than 10 carbon atoms or a salt thereof (B), a defoaming agent (C) and water,R—O-[(EO)m/(PO)n]—H (1)wherein R represents a branched-chain alkyl group having not less than 7 and not more than 9 carbon atoms; EO represents an ethanediyloxy group; PO represents a propanediyloxy group; m and n each represent an average molar number of addition of the ethanediyloxy or propanediyloxy group in which m is a number of not less than 1 and not more than 30, and n is a number of not less than 2 and not more than 50; and the mark “/” represents that EO and PO may be added either in a random form or in a block form, and an order of addition of EO and PO is optional; and [2] a method of washing an endoscope using an endoscope washer, including the step of washing the endoscope with a mixture including the detergent composition for endoscope washers as described in the above [1], and a protease. The present invention provides a detergent composition for endoscope washers which is less foamed even at a low temperature and is excellent in detergency and storage stability, and a method of washing an endoscope using an endoscope washer in which the above detergent composition is used.