Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Fluid treatment – Manipulation of liquid
Patent
1993-12-13
1995-04-11
Coe, Philip R.
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Fluid treatment
Manipulation of liquid
68 1202, 68 1218, 68 17R, D06F 3302, D06F 3902
Patent
active
054046068
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a process for washing fibrous materials, skins, textile materials or the like with a water-based surfactant-containing washing liquid which is obtained by addition of detergents to water.
STATEMENT OF RELATED ART
For some time, the washing processes carried out in the institutional sector and in the home have been the target of efforts to achieve ecological and economic improvements in the processes. These efforts have been aimed at reducing the consumption of energy, detergent, water and time. To achieve these objectives, special dispensing systems and dispensing processes are often used. A particular difficulty involved in the use of special dispensing processes is that, on the one hand, as little detergent and water and possible should be used although, on the other hand, the amounts dispensed should not fall below the minimum levels dependent on a number of parameters to ensure that detergency and washing performance do not to fall to unacceptable levels. There is an optimal detergent concentration for every type of material to be washed, soils, water hardnesses and detergents and also temperatures and the type of mechanical agitation. This concentration can be determined purely empirically from the fact that, if the concentration falls below this optimum, the washing result falls to unacceptable levels and, if the optimum is exceeded, no improvement is obtained in the washing result. In order always to achieve the optimal dispensing of detergent in practice under highly variable conditions, the optimal washing point mentioned has to be automatically determined during the washing process itself.
It is known from JAOCS, Vol. 1963, 1986, pages 931 to 943, that the surface tension of the washing water used in a mechanical washing machine can be measured and the result of the measurement subsequently used to control the addition of detergents. However, it is not known whether and in what way the optimal washing point can be determined in a process for washing fibrous materials, skins, textile materials or the like by the measurement of surface tension and then used to control the addition of detergents. In other known washing processes, dispensing of the detergent is controlled by measurement of the conductivity, the pH value and the degree of clouding (Laboratory Practice, 1984, page 69). Unfortunately, these known dispensing processes give unsatisfactory results. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,881,344 and 4,416,148 are cited as further relevant prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Object of the Invention
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was always to achieve the minimum dispensed amounts determinable in subsequent washing tests automatically without a reduction in detergency and washing performance to unacceptable levels. In addition, this problem was to be solved irrespective of the washing conditions, such as the type of materials to be washed, the detergent, the water hardness, the mechanics, the soils, etc., without the process according to the invention having to be specially adapted to these washing conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the solution to this problem is characterized in that the surface tension of the washing liquid is measured, more particularly continuously, with a tensiometer during the washing process; that the actual detergent concentration (Value 1) is ascertained from these measured values; that from the quantity of detergent added, a concentration with respect to detergent (Value 2) is ascertained, more particularly continuously; that the Detergent Effect (Value 1 - Value 2)/Value 2 is calculated; and that the addition of detergent is terminated when there is no further increase in the Detergent Effect. A bubble tensiometer operated with sufficiently constant gas streams, particularly air streams, is advantageously used for this purpose.
It is important in this regard that only the change as a function of time and not the absolute value of the Detergent Effect goes into the c
REFERENCES:
patent: 3645669 (1972-02-01), Rausch
patent: 3881344 (1975-05-01), Jobe
patent: 4416148 (1983-11-01), Klus et al.
JAOCS, vol. 63, No. 7 (Jul. 1986) pp. 932 to 934.
Journal of Applied Polymer Science, vol. 28, 1983, "On-Line Measurement of Surface Tension and Density with Applications to Emulsion Polymerization", F. J. Schork and W. H. Ray, pp. 407 to 430.
Laboratory Practice, Dec. 1984, "A versatile pressure transducer" Rosenthal and Thorne.
Hoefer Wolfgang
Mueller-Kirschbaum Thomas
Smulders Eduard
Coe Philip R.
Henkel Kommanditgesellscaft auf Aktien
Jaeschke Wayne C.
Szoke Ernest G.
Wisdom Norvell E.
LandOfFree
Process and device for washing does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Process and device for washing, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process and device for washing will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1530466