Powder detergent process

Details Powder detergent process Powder detergent process

2000-06-14

2002-10-01

Douyon, Lorna M. (Department: 1751)

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions

Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing

Heterogeneous arrangement

C510S101000, C510S276000, C510S441000, C023S3130FB

Reexamination Certificate

active

06458756

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
Powdered detergents are well known commercial products in the laundry care industry. Detergents sold under the brand names Wisk (Unilever) and Tide (Procter & Gamble) have been available for many years.
Processes for manufacturing powdered detergents are also well known. In a typical process, a base powder formulation is passed through several steps wherein one or more agents are added. These agents can include, for example, perfumes, enzymes and colorants. It is not uncommon for commercial detergents that are marketed and sold under different brand names to have a common base powder, yet be different because they have different agents or additives. For example, brand A may have perfume X and enzyme Y, while brand B has perfume Z and no enzyme. It is also not uncommon for a single plant to be used to make several brands, even though those brands are unique. This can present scheduling issues because, for purposes of safety and quality control, it must be ensured that there is no cross contamination between the brands.
When processing powdered detergents, it has been found that a significant amount of agents can be lost prior to final packaging, particularly volatile agents such as perfumes. This is generally due the type of processes through which the powdered detergent is passed and the manner in which agents are applied to the base powder.
With reference to
FIG. 1
, a prior art process for manufacturing powdered detergents is shown. Base powder
100
flows from storage vessel
10
onto weigh feeder
20
. Belt
22
moves the powder across weigh feeder
20
, causing base powder
100
to cascade off belt
22
into vessel
30
. Flow rates of base powder
100
can range from about 15,000 lbs/hr to about 100,000 lbs/hr. As powder
100
falls towards vessel
30
, pressurized spray system
40
sprays liquid perfume P onto the powder, designated as powder
100
P in vessel
30
. Spray system
40
can include tank
42
containing perfume P, pressure pump
44
and spray nozzle
46
. The rate of perfume application from pressurized spray system
40
is coordinated with the rate of flow of powder to ensure uniform dosing. Levels of perfume in the final product is typically in the range of from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt %.
From vessel
30
, powder
100
P is transferred to post dosing belt
50
, wherein belt
50
further transfers the perfumed powder towards mixer
60
, which is preferably a fluidized bed. Prior to entering mixer
60
, various miscellaneous agents M
2
, M
4
and M
6
are added to powder
100
P via vessels
62
,
64
and
66
, respectively. Agents that can be added to the powder moving along post dosing belt
50
include enzymes, colorants, sulfates, carbonates and other known additives. Typically, between 5 wt % and 25 wt % of the final powder composition can be added in this process. After addition of the miscellaneous agents, the powder is mixed in mixer
60
to ensure uniformity and is designated as
100
P+M.
After mixer
60
, powder
100
P+M is transferred to vessel
70
. Vessel
70
is preferably a hopper and serves to transfer powder
100
P+M to one or more weigh flasks
80
. The weigh flasks then gravity dispense a known quantity of powder (based on a weight measurement)
100
P+M into suitable containers
90
, such as boxes, bottles, buckets or bags.
Several inefficiencies can be identified with the process of
FIG. 1
, all relating to the application of perfume between weigh feeder
20
and vessel
30
. First, the relatively high rate of powder flow from weigh feeder
20
requires a correspondingly high rate of flow of perfume from pressurized spray system
40
. This can result not only in inefficient and uneven application of the perfume that can further result in clumps of powder
100
P, but misapplied spray can accumulate on belt
22
, hopper
30
and other equipment in the area. Second, when powder
100
P travels along post dosing belt
50
, at least some quantity of perfume volatilizes. Third, when powder enters mixer
60
, the action within the mixer causes further loss of perfume, particularly if fluidized bed technology is utilized. Fourth, because between about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of the final product is added after application of the perfume, the amount of perfume, on a weight percent (wt %) basis is higher for powder
100
P than for powder
100
P+M. This tends to exacerbate the above-identified inefficiencies. Fifth, when production of a first variant having a first perfume is complete and a second variant with a second perfume is to be manufactured, the production line must be cleaned from weigh feed
20
forward. Similarly, because the perfume is introduced early in the process and is able to enter the atmosphere at several steps, it is generally not possible to simultaneously run other variants in the same plant, for purposes of quality control. Lastly, losing perfume to the atmosphere results in economic and environmental costs.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved powdered detergent manufacturing process wherein the loss of perfume and other volatile actives during the process of making the powder is minimized. There is also a need to ensure uniformity of the final packaged product. There is a further need to increase plant efficiency.
Perfume agents can be classified by their relative volatility. High volatile perfumes are also known as “high notes” while relatively non-volatile perfume are also known as “low notes.” High note perfumes are typically more perceptible by humans than low note perfumes, which is believed to be due to their high volatility. Known high notes also have a wider range of odors and, therefore, allow for greater flexibility when selecting perfume agents. Unfortunately, when manufacturing powdered detergents, it is the desired high notes that are typically lost during processing. This has resulted in a decreased amount of high note perfumes being used and, if used, less make it into the packaged product.
Therefore, there is also a need for a powdered detergent manufacturing process that would allow for increased usage of high note perfumes, wherein the highly volatile perfumes are retained in the powder so as to reach the consumer.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure relates to a process which minimizes the loss of perfume and other volatile agents during the fabrication of powdered detergents. It has been found that it is possible to rearrange the order of addition or inclusion of volatile agents from one or more of the manufacturing process steps. More specifically, by adding the perfume and/or other volatile agents closer to the step of packaging, there is less loss of the perfume to the atmosphere during the process. In the case of perfumes, the perfume profile remains relatively unaltered and a wider variety of perfumes can be used.


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