GB2445939A - Detergent granules and process for manufacturing said granules - Google Patents

Detergent granules and process for manufacturing said granules Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2445939A
GB2445939A GB0701561A GB0701561A GB2445939A GB 2445939 A GB2445939 A GB 2445939A GB 0701561 A GB0701561 A GB 0701561A GB 0701561 A GB0701561 A GB 0701561A GB 2445939 A GB2445939 A GB 2445939A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
pas
granules
vrv
drier
less
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0701561A
Other versions
GB0701561D0 (en
Inventor
Paul Chadwick
Jonathon Osler
Stephen Thomas Keningley
William John Wilson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Unilever PLC
Original Assignee
Unilever PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Unilever PLC filed Critical Unilever PLC
Priority to GB0701561A priority Critical patent/GB2445939A/en
Publication of GB0701561D0 publication Critical patent/GB0701561D0/en
Publication of GB2445939A publication Critical patent/GB2445939A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11DDETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D1/00Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
    • C11D1/02Anionic compounds
    • C11D1/12Sulfonic acids or sulfuric acid esters; Salts thereof
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11DDETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D1/00Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent
    • C11D1/02Anionic compounds
    • C11D1/12Sulfonic acids or sulfuric acid esters; Salts thereof
    • C11D1/14Sulfonic acids or sulfuric acid esters; Salts thereof derived from aliphatic hydrocarbons or mono-alcohols
    • C11D1/146Sulfuric acid esters
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11DDETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D11/00Special methods for preparing compositions containing mixtures of detergents
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11DDETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D11/00Special methods for preparing compositions containing mixtures of detergents
    • C11D11/04Special methods for preparing compositions containing mixtures of detergents by chemical means, e.g. by sulfonating in the presence of other compounding ingredients followed by neutralising
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11DDETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D3/00Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
    • C11D3/02Inorganic compounds ; Elemental compounds
    • C11D3/04Water-soluble compounds
    • C11D3/046Salts
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11DDETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D3/00Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
    • C11D3/02Inorganic compounds ; Elemental compounds
    • C11D3/04Water-soluble compounds
    • C11D3/10Carbonates ; Bicarbonates
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C11ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
    • C11DDETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
    • C11D3/00Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
    • C11D3/02Inorganic compounds ; Elemental compounds
    • C11D3/12Water-insoluble compounds
    • C11D3/124Silicon containing, e.g. silica, silex, quartz or glass beads
    • C11D3/1246Silicates, e.g. diatomaceous earth
    • C11D3/128Aluminium silicates, e.g. zeolites

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Silicates, Zeolites, And Molecular Sieves (AREA)

Abstract

Detergent granules, comprising: <SL> <LI>i) 30-60% of PAS: <LI>ii) 10-20% aluminosilicate(s): <LI>iii) 20-60% of one or more inorganic electrolytes, such as sodium carbonate: <LI>iv) <5% MOISTURE </SL> characterised in that they contain less than 1 wt% of PAS degradation components. Also disclosed is a single stage process for making the granules in a horizontal thin-film evaporator/drier provided with agitating means and at least three heat transfer jackets, comprising neutralizing PAS-precursor acid in-situ using a stoichiometric excess of a neutralizing agent, whereby water is removed from the evaporator/drier by co-current air-flow until the water content of the granules is less than 5 wt %.

Description

Granulation of PAS using a VRV
Technical field
This invention relates to a process to make PAS granules using a VRV flash reactor/drier.
Background
The horizontal Flash Drier (VRV) from VRV SpA Impianti Industriali may also be used as a flash reactor. The drying zone of a VRV may have a heat transfer area of at least m2. The cooling zone of the VRV desirably has a heat transfer area of at least 5 m2.
Use of a VRV for the dry neutralisation and granulation of anionic surfactant acid, in particular primary alkyl sulphate acid, (PAS acid) is known from W096/06917 and W097/32002. In each case, at least 20% Zeolite is present in the granules.
In W02005/054422, a VRV equipment is used together with exemplified LAS acid neutralisation in a modification of the process said to address malodour problems. It is stated that the anionic surfactant can be any of the known anionic surfactants. However, there is a preference for the salts of LAS and PAS surfactants. LAS being long chain alkyl benzene sulphonates and PAS being primary alkyl suiphates.
The solution to the malodour problem is taught to be the addition of particular types of antioxidents. Such materials are costly arid may not be compatible with all compositions to which the granule may be added.
W002/24853 discloses LAS acid neutralisation processes using a VRV flash dryer. Aluminosilicate (Zeolite) is added at specific places during the VRV processing in order to affect the quality of the product. It is disclosed that an alternative surfactant system could be alkyl and/or alkenyl sulphuric acid half-esters (i.e. the sulphation products of primary alcohols) which give alkyl and/or alkenyl suiphates upon neutralisation. The invention is said to have especial applicability in the production of detergent particles comprising PAS having a chain length of C10-22, preferably C12-14; Coco PAS is disclosed to be particularly desirable.
PAS pastes are known as materials used in non tower route (NTR) processing: US5712242, EP0929651, and EP1025199.
Conventional (non flash dryer) NTR processing of PAS-acid with Zeolite is known from EP0506184, 5P0707632, and EP0436240.
High active PAS noodles are commercially available; these are manufactured from PAS paste. These noodles require further processing to produce granules suitable for inclusion in a laundry detergent powder.
A disadvantage of the prior art processes when using PAS acid is the known high rate of decomposition of PAS acid.
This can be partially solved by locating the VRV flash reactor / drier / granulator close to the suiphonation plant that produces the PAS acid. By such close proximity, possible decomposition of the PAS before processing may be reduced. The reaction heat may nevertheless lead to decomposition of PAS acid during processing inside the VRV flash reactor I drier. Thus, there remains a need for a single-stage process to granulate PAS, starting from PAS acid which is also capable of forming granules with greater than 20 wt% PAS without undue decomposition of the PAS acid.
Under conventional VRV processing conditions, severe decomposition of PAS occurs. This gives rise to colour and odour formation, as well as making the resulting granules softer and stickier.
Summary of the Invention
This decomposition problem may be solved by sufficient removal of the reaction heat from the VRV. According to the present invention, this is done in several synergistically operating ways.
Firstly, addition of water (up to 3% on PAS acid) into the reaction zone removes heat by evaporation and lowers product temperature. This consequently reduces the amount of decomposition and also gives improved granule properties.
The temperature reduction at the outlet has been found to have particular significance in this regard.
Secondly, increasing the air flow rate through the VRV, particularly when the exhaust air is close to moisture saturation, has been found to give lower decomposition.
Thirdly, for removal of the heat of reaction provision of cooling on all three jackets of the VRV is preferred.
Fourthly, splitting the PAS acid addition along the length of the VRV reactor enables a reduction of up to 10% in soda ash requirement.
Using a suitable combination of these process improvements, a PAS granule may be produced with low degradation during the reaction whilst maintaining an economically feasible granule production rate (based on 100% active PAS) at value.
For best granule properties Zeolite is desirably present at <5 wt% of the total solids present in the final jacket stage of the VRV reactor.
The process according to the invention gives a good colour, odour, and low stickiness, high active content PAS granules from PAS acid in a single process operation, and with a low level of Zeolite, to minimise cost.
Examples
Showing effect of water addition, increase of air flow and heating of jacket 2 of the VRV. Also, the throughput benefit resulting from split PAS addition to different port of the VRV.
Example number 1 2 3 4 5 6 PASA split YIN. N N N N N Y Water, % of PASA flow 0.0 0.0 8.2 7.3 9.9 3.7 Air flow, kg/hr N/A N/A 7.8 15.6 19 20 Jacket 1, C 84 16 16 16 130 15 Jacket 2, C 84 16 130 160 127 16 Jacket 3, C 16 16 16 16 16 17 Total t'put, kg/hr 60 42 40 46 111 126 Nominal %NaPAS 34.1 47.7 44.5 43.5 38.1 40.7 Nom % Soda ash 11 33 42.0 28.1 56.4 54.1 Nom % Zeolite 53 16 12.0 27.1 4.3 4.0 Product temp, C 64 42 45 42 65 48 % SO4 ( decomp) 5.2 3.8 1.9 1.5 0.5 0.3 Product quality Too Fine Poor Good Good V Good V Good Pass/Fail Fail Fail Pass Pass Pass Pass Examples 1-2 fail because of no water addition leading to excessive decomposition, (>3%) . Examples 3-6 pass.
The amount of sulphate in the product was analysed and is considered to be a good indication of the extent of degradation of the PAS. Levels below 2wt%, based on product weight, are considered to be acceptable within the definition of this invention.

Claims (6)

1. Detergent granules, comprising 1. from 30-60% of PAS ii. from 10-20% aluminosilicate(s) iii. from 20-60% of one or more inorganic electrolytes, such as sodium carbonate iv. <5% moisture characterised in that they contain less than 1 wt% of PAS degradation components.
2. A single stage process for manufacturing the granules of claim 1, the process being carried out in a VRV horizontal thin film evaporator I drier, provided with agitating means and with at least three heat transfer jackets and preferably having a ratio between granular product throughput (in kg/hr) and total heat transfer jacket area (in ni2) of at least 75, whereby the PAS-precursor acid feedstock is neutralised in-situ by a stoichiometric excess of a fine powdered neutralising agent, preferably selected from Na2CO3, NaOH, optionally in the presence of 2 to 10 wt% water (on product) and preferably having a mean particle size of 150 to 250j, and whereby water is removed from the horizontal thin film evaporator I drier by co-current airflow until the water content of the particles is less than 5 wt%, preferably less than 2 wt%, characterised in that up to 3 wt%, based on PAS acid, water is added into the reaction zone to remove heat by evaporation and thereby lower product temperature.
3. A process according to claim 2 wherein a layering agent, in particular an aluminosilicate, is added to the horizontal thin film evaporator I drier in an amount of less than 30 wt %, preferably less that 20 wt% of the product.
4. A process according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which at least the final, preferably the first and third and most preferably all of the at least three heat transfer jackets are operated at a temperature of below 20 C.
5. A process according to any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the air flow rate through the VRV is set to be high enough to ensure that the exhaust air is not saturated with moisture.
6. A process according to any one of claims 2 to 5 in which the PAS acid addition is split to be made in at least two places along the length of the VRV reactor.
GB0701561A 2007-01-27 2007-01-27 Detergent granules and process for manufacturing said granules Withdrawn GB2445939A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0701561A GB2445939A (en) 2007-01-27 2007-01-27 Detergent granules and process for manufacturing said granules

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0701561A GB2445939A (en) 2007-01-27 2007-01-27 Detergent granules and process for manufacturing said granules

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0701561D0 GB0701561D0 (en) 2007-03-07
GB2445939A true GB2445939A (en) 2008-07-30

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Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5490954A (en) * 1993-07-05 1996-02-13 Lever Brothers Company, Division Of Conopco, Inc. Detergent composition or component containing anionic surfactant and process for its preparation
US5646107A (en) * 1994-08-26 1997-07-08 Lever Brothers Company, Division Of Conopco, Inc. Production of anionic surfactant granules
US5856294A (en) * 1996-02-26 1999-01-05 Lever Brothers Company, Division Of Conopco, Inc. Production of anionic detergent particles
WO2002024853A1 (en) * 2000-09-25 2002-03-28 Unilever Plc Production of anionic surfactant granules by in situ neutralisation

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5490954A (en) * 1993-07-05 1996-02-13 Lever Brothers Company, Division Of Conopco, Inc. Detergent composition or component containing anionic surfactant and process for its preparation
US5646107A (en) * 1994-08-26 1997-07-08 Lever Brothers Company, Division Of Conopco, Inc. Production of anionic surfactant granules
US5856294A (en) * 1996-02-26 1999-01-05 Lever Brothers Company, Division Of Conopco, Inc. Production of anionic detergent particles
WO2002024853A1 (en) * 2000-09-25 2002-03-28 Unilever Plc Production of anionic surfactant granules by in situ neutralisation

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0701561D0 (en) 2007-03-07

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