Solid Rinse Aid Composition for High TDS Water

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional rinse aids for warewashing machines are not environmentally friendly and often contain phosphates and aminocarboxylates, and they do not effectively prevent spotting and filming on surfaces, especially in high solids containing water environments.

Innovation Solution

A solid rinse aid composition incorporating short-chain alkyl benzene and alkyl naphthalene sulfonates as a solidification agent, combined with a surfactant system including alcohol ethoxylates, defoaming agents, and association disruption agents, which forms a low-foaming, high-drying agent that reduces spotting and filming on various surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional rinse aids containing phosphates and aminocarboxylates are used, then drying performance is improved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying performanceVSAvoidenvironmental friendliness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing phosphates and aminocarboxylates with alternative surfactants including alcohol ethoxylates, alkyl polyglucosides, and fatty acid alkyl amides, achieving both environmental compliance and effective drying performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite surfactant system combining multiple types of surfactants (anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric) to achieve synergistic effects that maintain drying performance while eliminating harmful phosphates and aminocarboxylates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If high concentration surfactants are used to prevent spotting, then spotting prevention is improved, but foam formation increases which interferes with warewashing machine operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespotting preventionVSAvoidfoam formation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes surfactant concentration parameters and selects surfactants with appropriate HLB values to achieve effective spotting prevention at concentrations that minimize foam formation, compatible with automated warewashing operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates different functional zones within the rinse aid composition by combining surfactants with different properties - some that provide spotting prevention and others that control foam, allowing each component to perform its specific function optimally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If biodegradable and GRAS ingredients are used, then environmental safety is improved, but effectiveness in high TDS water conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental safetyVSAvoideffectiveness in high TDS water

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention develops a composite formulation combining multiple biodegradable surfactants (alcohol ethoxylates, alkyl polyglucosides, fatty acid alkyl amides) that work synergistically to maintain effectiveness in high total dissolved solid water conditions while meeting environmental safety requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adjusts formulation parameters including surfactant ratios, concentration levels, and molecular weight distributions to optimize performance in high TDS environments while using only biodegradable and GRAS-certified ingredients

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 effectively reduces spotting and filming on surfaces, enhances drying times, and is environmentally friendly, suitable for use in high solids containing water environments, and meets food service industry standards as it is biodegradable and phosphate-free.

Implementation Method 1

the surfactant in the rinse agent is absorbed on the surface at temperatures at or above its cloud point

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCloud point:

Implementation Method 2

the surfactant in the rinse agent is absorbed on the surface at temperatures at or above its cloud point, and thereby reduces the solid-liquid interfacial energy and contact angle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant: Surfactant

Implementation Method 3

reduces the solid-liquid interfacial energy and contact angle. This leads to the formation of a continuous sheet which drains evenly from the surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentUS11827865B2Solid fast draining/drying rinse aid for high total dissolved solid water conditions

Publication Date: 2023.11.28 ECOLAB USA INC

AI summary

The present invention is a solid rinse aid composition and methods of making and using the same. Applicants have surprisingly found that the crystal modifier sodium xylene sulfonate (short chain alkyl benzene or alkyl naphthalene sulfonates) at higher percentage can act as a solidification agent. The solid rinse aid composition generally includes a short chain alkyl benzene or alkyl naphthalene sulfonates solidification agent and an effective amount of a surfactant which can include a sheeting agent component, defoamer component and/or association disruption agent. The solid rinse aid composition may be phosphate-free, aminocarboxylate-free, and GRAS if desired.