Two-Phase Fabric Laundering Method for Solid Fat Soil Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry cycles, especially those at 30°C or lower, face challenges in effectively removing solid fat soils and other temperature-sensitive soils due to insufficient cleaning performance.
Innovation Solution
The method involves an intermediate wash step with a reduced amount of water and higher temperature, above the melting point of solid fat soils, followed by a final wash step at the desired temperature, allowing for concentrated chemistry and thermal energy to enhance cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a standard wash cycle at 30°C or lower is used, then energy consumption is reduced, but cleaning performance on solid fat soils is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The wash cycle is divided into two distinct phases: an intermediate wash phase with reduced water volume and higher temperature, followed by a final wash phase with additional water and lower temperature. This segmentation allows concentrated thermal energy and chemistry to act on soils in the first phase, then dilutes and rinses in the second phase, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and cleaning performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention dynamically changes temperature and water volume parameters during the wash cycle. The intermediate phase uses higher temperature (above melting point of solid fats) and reduced water volume, then transitions to lower temperature and increased water volume in the final phase. This parameter manipulation enables effective soil removal while maintaining overall energy efficiency.
2Reliability
If water volume is reduced to concentrate chemistry and thermal energy, then cleaning performance improves, but fabric saturation and rinsing efficiency may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The water volume is segmented into two stages: initially reduced water for the intermediate wash to concentrate chemistry and heat, then additional water added in the final wash phase to ensure proper fabric saturation and enable effective rinsing. This temporal segmentation of water addition resolves the contradiction between concentration and saturation requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate wash phase performs the preliminary action of concentrating chemistry and thermal energy on a subset of the total water volume to maximize cleaning effectiveness. The remaining water is then added to complete the saturation and rinsing functions, ensuring that each phase operates at its optimal concentration without compromising overall water availability.
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
This approach significantly improves stain removal performance, particularly for temperature-sensitive soils like body sebum, butter, and lard, by ensuring the intermediate wash bath temperature exceeds their melting points, facilitating removal through surfactancy and mechanical action.
Implementation Method 1
heating the water that contacts the fabric during step (c) with the energy calculated in step (b) such that the intermediate wash bath has a temperature above the desired final temperature
Implementation Method 2
facilitating removal through surfactancy and mechanical action
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of laundering fabric comprising the steps of: (a) calculating a final amount of water to be added to a final wash bath; (b) calculating the amount of energy needed to heat this final amount of water to a desired final temperature; (c) contacting an amount of water that is less than the final amount water with fabric to form an intermediate wash bath, wherein a detergent composition is contacted to the fabric during the formation of the intermediate wash bath, or prior to the formation of the intermediate wash bath; (d) heating the water that contacts the fabric during step (c) with the energy calculated in step (b) such that the intermediate wash bath has a temperature above the desired final temperature; (e) washing the fabric in the intermediate wash bath for at least 3 minutes; (f) contacting the remaining amount of water to the intermediate wash bath to form the final wash bath having the desired final temperature; (g) washing the fabric in the final wash bath for at least 5 minutes; and (h) rinsing the fabric.