Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-17
2001-01-09
Hardee, John R. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Liquid composition
C510S506000, C510S505000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172031
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for removing stains, grease, fatty acids, oil and soil, among other contaminants, from textiles, fabrics and garments normally encountered in the dry cleaning industry, in particular, commercial and industrial uniforms, fabrics and garments normally encountered in the uniform rental business. The present invention also relates to degreaser formulations for use in removing grease and oil from equipment, machinery and the like. In addition, the present invention may also be used to separate and concentrate oil removed from garments, obviating the need to dispose of it as a perchlorethylene contaminated hazardous waste.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Garments and other fabrics, including carpeting curtains, etc. become soiled with stains, fatty acids and other contaminants which attach to dust attracted to the garment during the normal course of wear.
Industrial uniforms become soiled with grease, oil, blood and other microbial contaminants. At present uniforms are cleaned by use of perchloroethylene (dry-cleaning) or by laundering. Laundering uses 1.2 gallons of water for each pound of clothing cleaned, requiring large energy inputs for heating, and resulting in large discharges of detergent and oil contaminated water. A typical industrial laundering operation washes a 400 lb. load. This would require 816 liters of water for washing and rinsing. Laundering operations typically utilize four rinses, the last rinse at temperatures of 200° F. Assuming that the temperature of source water measures between 40° F. (4.4° C.) and 50° F. (10° C.) each wash cycle requires approximately 70,000 KCalories of heated water. Since this water is discarded, the energy is lost.
The discharges usually require installation of a water treatment facility on-site or they are made directly to a P.O.T.W. (Publicly owned treatment works). Most states require installation of on-site water treatment facilities.
Cleaning with perchloroethylene results in an exponential expansion of effluent in the form of oil contaminated perchloroethylene which must be handled and treated as hazardous waste.
The most frequently used solvent in the world for textile cleaning today is perchloroethylene. White mineral spirits and trichloroethylene, formerly of great significance, have, with the exception of China and Japan, have now virtually disappeared. In recent years two fluorocarbons, R113 and R11, entered the market for use as solvent cleaners; however, their use has been limited and is expected to end because of the Montreal Protocol, restricting and ultimately banning production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), beginning in 1996.
The attendant deleterious safety and/or environmental effects of perchloroethylene makes it disadvantageous for use as a cleaning solvent. Organohalogens in general are environmentally suspect, but perchloroethylene use presents an additional set of concerns because of its high specific gravity of 1.626 (density 13.49 lbs/gal) and its high vapor pressure. Because the density of perchloroethylene is far greater than that of water (8.33 lbs/gal) and because it is clearly not biodegradable, perchloroethylene spillage presents a threat to groundwater with effects lasting many years. Moreover, in many instances in mixed use buildings, air emission guidelines are not met, even with new dry cleaning equipment. The recent problems documented in New York State show that the use of perchloroethylene is of ongoing concern.
White or mineral spirits, which are presently used in Japan and China, as well as other petroleum based solvents present a hazard and exhibit a proclivity to catch fire or even explode in dry cleaning equipment. This is a too-frequent occurrence in Japan where these solvents are in heavy use.
Typical prior art semi-aqueous washing processes employ two steps. The first step is a water-immiscible solvent wash step followed by a second step aqueous rinse. The second step is generally required because the solvents used in this process, unlike perchloroethylene or the CFC's, generally are not volatile and will not evaporate.
Degreaser compositions are presently used in various industrial settings to remove grease and oil from equipment, machinery and related metal-containing objects. Degreasers are used in the aircraft and automobile industry and the market is considered large worldwide. Presently, the primary degreaser solvent is perchloroethylene and other non-biodegradable chlorinated hydrocarbons are also used. The environmental hazard created by the use of these chlorinated degreasers complicates their use and has made them undesirable.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide compositions for cleaning textiles in clothing and related articles, especially commercial uniforms and gloves.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide compositions which are substantially biodegradable and are effective substitutes for cleaning solvents which presently find use in cleaning processes and for use as degreasers for machinery and related equipment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide methods for cleaning textiles in garments and related articles which make use of the present compositions.
These and other objects of the invention may be readily gleaned from the description of the present invention which follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compositions and methods of removal of contaminants from textiles and related fabrics and garments and grease and oil from machinery and related equipment utilizing compositions which pose no significant risk to ground-water, are environmentally compatible and which are substantially biodegradable. Compositions according to the present invention preferably are substantially non-toxic, substantially biodegradable liquids at room temperature or higher and are effective in removing substantial quantities of contaminants from fabrics, especially including garments such as uniforms and commercial gloves.
Compositions according to the present invention avoid the use of perchloroethylene, mineral spirits or chlorinated fluorinated hydrocarbons (CFC's). The present compositions may be utilized as effective substitutes for perchloroethylene in commercial cleaning processes and as degreasers.
The present compositions have many of the favorable physical and chemical characteristics of perchloroethylene without the attendant unfavorable characteristics, most notably, the environmental incompatibility of perchloroethylene.
The present compositions preferably are compatible for use with cleaning equipment with minor modification and are also capable of being regenerated after a cleaning operation, usually by simply separating an oil layer (preferably, by centrifugation) from the remainder of the cleaning composition. The present compositions may accommodate surfactants which may aid the removal of fatty acids, stains and other contaminants from fabrics, especially clothing. In addition, the present compositions are compatible with most, if not all, of the commercial fibers used in fabrics. Like perchloroethylene, the present compositions advantageously do not substantially change the shape or deform the underlying fibers of the cloth. Compositions according to the present invention are generally stable during cleaning operations and at drying and separation temperatures.
Cleaning compositions according to the present invention comprise:
(i) about 5% to about 70% by weight of a vegetable oil or fatty acid ester;
(ii) about 0.001% to about 25% by weight of at least one surfactant; and
(iii) about 20% to about 95% by weight water.
Compositions according to the present invention are preferably in the form of an emulsion.
Preferred amounts of vegetable oil or fatty acid ester for use in the present cleaning compositions range from about 5% to about 60% by weight, more preferably about 10% to about 50% by weight, even more preferably about 15% to aout 45%, even more preferably a
Coleman Henry D.
Hardee John R.
Sudol R. Neil
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