Multiuse Enzymatic Detergent for High-pH Heat Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing detergents face challenges in maintaining enzyme stability under high temperature and pH conditions, leading to reduced detergency and soil redeposition, especially with the phase-out of phosphorus-containing compounds.
Innovation Solution
A solid stabilized detergent composition containing protease enzymes and stabilizing agents, such as amines and polysaccharides, is developed to maintain enzyme stability and detergency under elevated temperatures and pH conditions, preventing soil redeposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If phosphorus-containing compounds are used to maintain detergency and prevent soil redeposition, then cleaning performance is improved, but environmental harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes phosphorus-containing compounds from the detergent formulation and replaces them with alternative ingredients such as enzymes (protease, amylase, lipase), surfactants, and chelating agents. This extraction of the harmful substance while maintaining cleaning functionality through alternative mechanisms resolves the contradiction between effective detergency and environmental protection.
2Reliability
If enzyme-containing liquid detergent formulations are used to improve cleaning performance, then detergency is enhanced, but shelf stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from liquid to solid detergent formulation, fundamentally changing the physical state parameter. This parameter change allows enzymes to be incorporated in a stable solid matrix that prevents degradation during storage, while the enzymes remain active when dissolved during use, thus resolving the contradiction between enhanced detergency and shelf stability.
3Reliability
If enzymes are used to break down soils and improve detergency, then cleaning effectiveness is enhanced, but enzyme stability under high temperature and pH conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite detergent system where enzymes are combined with stabilizing agents, surfactants, and buffer systems. This composite formulation provides a protective environment for the enzymes, maintaining their stability under high temperature and alkaline pH conditions typical of warewashing applications, while preserving their catalytic activity for soil breakdown.
4Reliability
If conventional alkaline detergents are used to achieve effective detergency, then soil removal is improved, but soil redeposition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates multi-functional ingredients that simultaneously perform multiple roles: enzymes break down soil proteins and starches, surfactants emulsify and suspend soils, and chelating agents bind metal ions that could promote redeposition. This multi-functionality ensures both effective soil removal and prevention of redeposition, resolving the contradiction between the two opposing effects.
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 composition achieves prolonged enzyme stability and improved detergency, retaining at least 30% enzyme activity for extended periods at temperatures above 65°C and pH above 9, effectively removing protein soils and reducing foaming.
Implementation Method 1
Enzymes break down soils making them more soluble and enabling surfactants to remove them from a surface
Implementation Method 2
The use solutions according to the invention are preferably generated from solid compositions containing the enzymes and enzyme stabilizing agents, beneficially providing shelf-stability for the enzyme-containing solid compositions
Implementation Method 3
Detergency is defined as the ability to wet, emulsify, suspend, penetrate, and disperse soils
Implementation Method 4
Alkaline detergent formulations employing alkali metal carbonates and/or alkali metal hydroxides, intended for both institutional and consumer use, are known to provide effective detergency
Data Source
AI summary
Stabilized use solutions of low phosphorus, alkali metal carbonate detergents employing enzymes for cleaning compositions are disclosed. In particular, the present invention is a composition for, and method of, removing soils, preventing redeposition of protein soils and reducing foam, using stabilized enzyme cleaning compositions, namely use solutions of the same.