Paste Detergent Thickener System for Membrane Filtration Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing membrane-compatible detergent compositions in paste form have high viscosity that changes significantly with temperature, making them difficult to pump through standard washing devices and unstable at varying temperatures, which can lead to separation and incompatibility with membrane filtration units.
Innovation Solution
A hydrous, paste-like detergent composition with a thickener system comprising polyacrylate, swellable phyllosilicate, and polyethylene glycol, which maintains low viscosity and stability across temperature extremes, preventing membrane blockage and ensuring stability as an emulsion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If membrane-compatible detergent compositions are used to prevent membrane blockage, then membrane compatibility is improved, but viscosity increases significantly and stability at varying temperatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the ethoxylate chain length (n=2-10) and alcohol chain length (C9-C20) of the non-ionic surfactant to achieve optimal balance between membrane compatibility and viscosity stability. By adjusting these molecular parameters, the detergent maintains low viscosity across temperature ranges while remaining compatible with membrane filtration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material principles by combining multiple components in specific ratios: non-ionic surfactants (10-40 wt%), alkalinity sources (5-20 wt%), and water (60-85 wt%). This composite formulation creates a synergistic effect where the combination provides both membrane compatibility and temperature-stable viscosity that individual components cannot achieve alone.
2Stability of the object's composition
If high viscosity paste form is used to maintain emulsion stability, then emulsion stability is improved, but pumpability through standard devices deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the viscosity within a specific range (100-10,000 cP at 25°C) through adjustment of surfactant molecular weight and concentration. This parameter optimization ensures the paste is thick enough to maintain emulsion stability but thin enough to be pumped through standard washing device pumps without requiring specialized high-viscosity pumping equipment.
3Ease of operation
If viscosity is reduced to improve pumpability, then ease of operation is improved, but emulsion stability at extreme temperatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite material principles by formulating a multi-component system where non-ionic surfactants, alkalinity sources, and water work synergistically. The specific composition ratios create a stable emulsion structure that maintains integrity at extreme temperatures while keeping viscosity low enough for standard pumping, achieving both pumpability and thermal stability simultaneously.
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 allows for efficient pumping through standard devices, maintains stability at extreme temperatures, and is compatible with membrane filtration units, ensuring effective wastewater purification without membrane blockage.
Implementation Method 1
A hydrous, paste-like detergent composition with a thickener system comprising polyacrylate, swellable phyllosilicate, and polyethylene glycol, which maintains low viscosity and stability across temperature extremes
Implementation Method 2
maintains stability at extreme temperatures, preventing membrane blockage and ensuring stability as an emulsion
Implementation Method 3
The cleaning or detergent composition is an emulsion of the water-in-oil-type emulsion or oil-in-water emulsion, dependent on the amounts of water and oil in the emulsion
Implementation Method 4
the wastewater of the washing process is usually cleaned and purified by using membrane filtration units
Implementation Method 5
WO 02/46351 A1 describes for example a membrane-compatible paste-like composition which is used in a washing process in which the wastewater is purified by a membrane filtration unit and especially in a membrane filtration unit comprising one or more reverse osmosis steps
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a hydrous, paste-like cleaning or detergent composition comprising an emulsion having an aqueous phase and an oil phase, the composition comprises based on the whole concentrate 1 to 50 wt-% of one or more alka- unity source, 1 to 60 wt-% of a guerbet alcohol ethoxylate of the formula (R1- (OC2H4)n-OH, wherein Ri is a branched C9 to C20 alkyl group and n is from 2 to 10, 1 to 30 wt-% of a linear alkoxylated fatty alcohol of the formula R2-(OC2H4)X- (OC3H6)y-OH, wherein R2 is a linear C10 to C16 group and n is from 3 to 7 and m is from 3 to 7, 0.01 - 10 wt-% of one or more crosslinked or partly crosslinked polyacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid or mixtures thereof, 1 - 10 wt-% of a thickener system comprising the following components: 1 - 5 wt-% of a polyacrylate, 0 - 5 wt-% of a swellable phyllosilicate, 0 - 2 wt-% of a polyethylene glycol with the provision that the thickener system comprises at least two of these components, and the rest up to 100 wt-% is water.