WO1999036495A1

WO1999036495A1 - Homogeneous tenside granulates for producing washing and cleaning products in the form of pieces

Info

Publication number: WO1999036495A1
Application number: PCT/EP1999/000036
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karl-Heinz Schmid; Olaf Blochwitz; Ditmar Kischkel; Andreas Syldath; Anke Becker
Original assignee: Cognis Deutschland Gmbh
Priority date: 1998-01-14
Filing date: 1999-01-07
Publication date: 1999-07-22
Also published as: DE19801085A1

Abstract

The invention relates to homogeneous tenside granulates with a high apparent density, for producing washing and cleaning agents in the form of pieces. The inventive granulates are characterised in that they contain alkali halides with a small grain size. The invention also relates to a method for producing homogeneous tenside granulates of this type and to their use for producing washing and cleaning products in the form of pieces.

Description

"Homogeneous surfactant granules for the production of chunky detergents and cleaning agents"

The invention relates to homogeneous surfactant granules with a high bulk density for the production of chunky detergents and cleaning agents characterized by a content of alkali halides with a small grain size, a process for the production of such homogeneous surfactant granules and their use for the production of chunky detergents and cleaning agents.

Surfactants are commercially available in various forms, mostly as tower powder or as granules. In the manufacture of the tower powders, surfactant slurries are dried in the spray tower, giving homogeneous, free-flowing products. A disadvantage of this known spray drying process, however, is that the surfactant tower powders obtained have a low bulk density, so that unprofitable conditions can occur in the packaging and distribution of these powders. Furthermore, due to safety considerations, the spray drying processes lead to surfactant tower powders, for example based on fatty alcohol sulfates, which have a maximum active substance content of 20% by weight. The spray drying process also leads to undesirable decomposition phenomena which have to be avoided in the case of surfactants which are sensitive to temperature, for example alkyl oligoglycosides, because of the necessary drying temperatures. If lower drying temperatures are selected due to the temperature-sensitive surfactants, the spray drying process is associated with a considerable loss in drying performance. Finally, during the drying of tenside slurries, which contain a high content of alkali halides such as sodium chloride, corrosion occurs easily at the temperatures prevailing there, which must be minimized. Another type of packaging for surfactants, which has recently become increasingly important, is that of granules. Granules are generally made from aqueous surfactant preparations by granulation and simultaneous drying. For example, from German patent application DE-A-41 27 323 a process for the production of surfactant granules with bulk densities of more than 500 g / l is known, which makes it possible to granulate and formulate a surfactant preparation form with admixture of inorganic and organic solids drying at the same time, especially in a fluidized bed. This gentle process can be used to produce temperature-labile surfactants, such as the alkyl polyglycosides, as granules, and the corrosion of the process apparatus can be minimized by the possibility of adding the solid inorganic salts. The granules obtainable by this process can then be classified by sieves into granules with certain grain sizes, so that macroscopically homogeneous surfactant granules are present. However, it has been shown that after the further processing of such surfactant granules by means of extrusion or tableting into lumpy detergents and cleaning agents, problems arise as a result of uncontrolled dissolution in water. For example, in the case of chunky detergents and cleaning agents based on surfactant granules with a proportion of alkali halides which are readily soluble in water, an untargeted breakup of the chunk is observed with frequent contact with water. This is presumably due to the fact that the inorganic salts are more soluble in water than the surfactant components in the underlying granulate, so that the salt is first dissolved out, as a result of which the lumpy detergent composition breaks apart.

The object of the present invention was to provide homogeneous surfactant granules which can be processed further into chunky detergents and cleaning agents without the disadvantages described. The solution to the present problem is based on the knowledge that the surfactant granules must not only be macroscopically homogeneous, but also microscopically homogeneous. In other words, the surfactant granules not only have to be homogeneous in the average chemical composition (macroscopic), but the individual surfactant granules must be homogeneous in their chemical composition (microscopic). It has now been found that surfactant granules can be used for the production of chunky detergents and cleaning agents if they contain alkali halides with a very specific grain size.

One object of the present invention relates to homogeneous. Surfactant granules containing alkali halides for the production of particulate detergents and cleaning agents, characterized in that they contain alkali halides with a grain size in the range from 0.01 to 0.5 mm with a grain size of more than 50%.

Particularly good results are achieved if the surfactant granules contain alkali halides with a grain size in the range from 0.05 to 0.4 mm with a grain size of more than 70%, in particular more than 80%.

Suitable alkali halides are the chlorides of lithium, sodium and / or potassium, in particular sodium chloride. The sodium chloride in the sense of the invention is a particularly finely divided sodium chloride, which differs from the commercially available (coarse) sodium chloride by its smaller grain size. The finely divided sodium chloride can be obtained, for example, from the company Akzo Nobel as evaporating fabric salt extra fine ^R.

The surfactant granules according to the invention can contain nonionic, anionic, cationic and amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants as surfactants.

Typical examples of anionic surfactants are alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkane sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkyl ether sulfonates, glycerol ether sulfonates, ester sulfonates, sulfo fatty acids, alkyl sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, glycerin ether sulfates, hydroxymixed ether sulfates, monoglyceride acid (fatty _{alcohol amide} ), fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, fatty acid sulfate acid, like Mono- and dialkylsulfosuccinates, mono- and dialkylsulfosuccinamates, sulfotriglycerides, amide soaps, ether carboxylic acids and their salts, fatty acid isethionates, fatty acid sarcosinates, fatty acid taurides, acyl lactylates, acyl tartrates, acyl glutamates and alkyl sulfate ethers (acyl aspartate) products, especially acylasoglucate based products, especially phosphates. If the anionic surfactants contain polyglycol ether chains, they can have a conventional, but preferably a narrow, homolog distribution.

Typical examples of nonionic surfactants are fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, fatty acid polyglycol esters, fatty acid amide polyglycol ethers, fatty amine polyglycol ethers, alkoxylated triglycerides, mixed ethers or mixed formals, alk (en) yl oligoglycosides, fatty acid N-alkylglucamides. Protein hydrolysates (especially vegetable products based on wheat), polyol fatty acid esters. Sugar esters, sorbitan esters, polysorbates and amine oxides. If the nonionic surfactants contain polyglycol ether chains, they can have a conventional, but preferably a narrow, homolog distribution.

Typical examples of cationic surfactants are quaternary ammonium compounds such as quaternized alkylammonium compounds and esterquats, in particular quaternized fatty acid trialkanolamine ester salts.

Typical examples of amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants are alkyl betaines. Alkyl amidobetaines, aminopropionates, aminoglycinates, imidazolinium betaines and sulfobetaine.

Preferred surfactant granules for the purposes of the invention contain one or more surfactants from that of fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, alkylbenzenesulfonates, ester sulfonates, fatty acid (poly) glycol ether sulfates. Mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl oligoglycosides, alkyl betaines, alkyl amido betaines and monoethanol amides. Particularly preferred are surfactant granules which contain one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, alkyl oligoglycosides and alkyl benzene sulfonates.

Fatty alcohol sulfates are to be understood as meaning the sulfation products of primary alcohols which follow the formula (I)

R ¹ O-SO ₃ X (I)

in the R for a linear or branched, aliphatic alkyl and / or alkenyl radical having 6 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms and X for an alkali metal and / or Alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium or glucammonium ion.

Typical examples of fatty alcohol sulfates that can be used in the context of the invention are the sulfation products of capron alcohol, caprylic alcohol, capric alcohol, 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, palmoleyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, aryl selyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol Behenyl alcohol and erucyl alcohol and their technical mixtures, which are obtained by high pressure hydrogenation of technical methyl ester fractions or aldehydes from Roelen's oxosynthesis. The sulfation products can preferably be used in the form of their alkali metal salts and in particular their sodium salts. Particularly preferred are alkyl sulfates based on lauryl alcohol, technical C12 / ₁ 4- or Ci 2 / _ι g coconut fatty alcohol fractions and comparable Ci of g / i o tallow or vegetable fatty alcohols -Kettenverteilung C in the form of their sodium salts.

Fatty alcohol ether sulfates ("ether sulfates") are known anionic surfactants which are produced on an industrial scale by SOo or CSA sulfation of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers and subsequent neutralization. For the purposes of the invention, ether sulfates are suitable which follow the formula (II)

R ^z O- (CH ₂ CH ₂ O) _m SO ₃ M (II)

2 in the R for a linear or branched alkyl and / or alkenyl radical with 6 to 22

Carbon atoms, m is a number from 1 to 10 and M is an alkali metal and / or alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium or glucammonium ion.

Typical examples are the sulfates of addition products with an average of 1 to 10 and in particular 2 to 5 mol ethylene oxide onto capron alcohol, caprylic alcohol, 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, capric alcohol, lauryl alcohol, isotridecyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, palmoleyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, isostyl alcohol, isostyl alcohol, isostyl alcohol, isostyl alcohol, Petroselinyl alcohol, arachyl alcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol and erucyl alcohol as well their technical mixtures, in the form of their sodium and / or magnesium salts. The ether sulfates can have both a conventional and a narrow homolog distribution. Particularly preferred to use ether sulfates based on adducts of on average 2 to 3 moles of ethylene oxide with technical CJ2 / ₁ 4- and

C12 ₁ o-coconut fatty alcohol fractions in the form of their sodium and / or magnesium salts.

Alkyl and alkenyl oligoglycosides are known substances which can be obtained by the relevant preparative organic chemistry processes and which follow the formula (III),

R ³ O- [G] _p (III)

in which R represents an alkyl and / or alkenyl radical having 4 to 22 carbon atoms, G represents a sugar radical having 5 or 6 carbon atoms and p represents a number from 1 to 10. The alkyl and / or alkenyl oligoglycosides can be derived from aldoses or ketoses with 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably glucose. The preferred alkyl and / or alkenyl oligoglycosides are thus alkyl and / or alkenyl oligoglucosides.

The index number p in the general formula (III) indicates the degree of oligomerization (DP degree), i.e. H. the distribution of mono- and oligoglycosides is present and stands for a number between 1 and 10. While p must always be an integer in a given compound and here can take on the values p = 1 to 6, the value p is for a certain Al - kyloligoglycoside is an analytically calculated quantity, which usually represents a fractional number. Alkyl and / or alkenyl oligoglycosides with an average degree of oligomerization p of 1.1 to 3.0 are preferably used. From an application point of view, preference is given to those alkyl and / or alkenyl oligoglycosides whose degree of oligomerization is less than 1.7 and in particular between 1.2 and 1.4.

The alkyl or alkenyl radical R can be derived from primary alcohols having 4 to 11, preferably 8 to 10, carbon atoms. Typical examples are butanol, capronic alcohol, caprylic alcohol, capric alcohol and undecyl alcohol and their technical mixtures, such as are obtained, for example, in the hydrogenation of technical fatty acid methyl esters or in the course of the hydrogenation of aldehydes from Roelen's oxosynthesis. Are preferred Alkyl oligoglucosides of the chain length CO-C JQ (DP = 1 to 3), which are obtained as a preliminary step in the separation of technical Co-Ci g coconut fatty alcohol by distillation and can be contaminated with a proportion of less than 6% by weight of C 1 -C -alcohol as well as alkyl oligoglucosides based on technical C ^ _jj oxo alcohols (DP = 1 to 3).

The alkyl or alkenyl radical R can also be derived from primary alcohols having 12 to 22, preferably 12 to 14, carbon atoms. Typical examples are lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, palmoleyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, elaidyl alcohol, petroselinyl alcohol, arachyl alcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, erucyl alcohol, and their technical mixtures, which can be obtained as described above. Alkyl oligoglucosides based on hardened are preferred

Particularly suitable alkylbenzenesulfonates are those with C ₉ -C ₉ ₃ alkyl residues.

Fatty acid polyglycol ether sulfates are commercially available compounds which are produced by sulfating fatty acid polyglycol esters and subsequent neutralization.

Fatty acid glycol ether sulfates are produced by sulfation of low alkoxylated fatty acids and subsequent neutralization, preferably at pH values between 5 and 9 in accordance with the as yet unpublished German patent application P 197 36 906.5. Those of the formula (IV) are preferred

R ⁴ COO (ALKO) _n SO ₃ Z (IV), in which

R ⁴ CO for an acyl radical with 6 to 22 C atoms, ALK for CH ₂ CH ₂ , CHCH ₃ CH ₂ and / or CH ₂ CHCH ₃ , n for numbers from 0.5 to 5 and

Z stands for a cation.

For the purposes of the invention, the surfactant granules preferably contain surfactant mixtures of 20 to 100% by weight of fatty alcohol sulfates and / or alkylbenzenesulfonates, 0 to 30% by weight Fatty alcohol ether sulfates and 0 to 80% by weight alkyl oligoglycosides. The surfactant granules preferably contain surfactant mixtures of 60 to 90% by weight of fatty alcohol sulfates, 5 to 20% by weight of fatty alcohol ether sulfates and 5 to 20% by weight of alkyl oligoglycosides. Particularly suitable representatives of the surfactants mentioned can be found in the previous description.

In addition to the surfactants or surfactant mixtures and the alkali halides, the surfactant granules according to the invention can also contain fillers, water softeners, complexing agents and builders as auxiliaries and swelling agents. Typical fillers are sodium sulfate and sodium carbonate. Suitable complexing agents are phosphonates such as those based on acetophosphonic acid. Suitable water softeners are phosphates, suitable builders zeolite A, nitrilotriacetate, sodium citrate or ethylenediaminetetraacetate. Suitable swelling agents are hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and polyethylene glycols with average molecular weights in the range from 1,000 to 20,000, preferably 2,000 to 8,000.

The surfactant granules necessarily contain the surfactants and the alkali halides and optionally auxiliary substances and swelling agents of the type described, preferably 5 to 60% by weight of surfactants or surfactant mixtures, 5 to 40% by weight alkali halides, 0 to 40% by weight auxiliary substances and 0 to 10% by weight .% Swelling agent.

Another object of the present invention relates to a process for producing homogeneous alkali metal halide-containing surfactant granules by granulation and simultaneous drying of an aqueous surfactant paste, to which alkali metal halides are admixed, characterized in that alkali metal halides with a grain size in the range from 0.01 to 0.5 mm in with a grain size of over 50%.

The surfactant granules according to the invention can be produced in devices in which simultaneous granulation and drying can be carried out. Examples of this are heatable mixers and granulators, in particular granulators of the Turbo dryer® type (device from Vomm, Italy). In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides that the surfactant granules are carried out in a batch or continuous fluidized bed. It is preferred to use the process in a continuous Perform fluidized bed. The surfactants or surfactant mixtures in the form of an aqueous paste are introduced into the fluidized bed simultaneously or in succession via one or more nozzles. The aqueous surfactant pastes can additionally contain the auxiliaries and swelling agents of the type already described. As a rule, the solids content of the aqueous surfactant paste is between 50 to 90% by weight, preferably between 60 and 85% by weight, the remainder being 100% by weight water. For the purposes of the process according to the invention, the alkali halides with the grain size according to the definition are mixed in simultaneously with the aqueous surfactant pastes, but separately from these, preferably by means of an automatically controlled solids metering. The product streams of aqueous surfactant paste and admixed alkali halide are controlled so that granules with the weight compositions already described result. In the fluidized bed, the water evaporates from the surfactant paste, resulting in dried to dried germs, which are coated with further aqueous surfactant pastes or with the admixed alkali metal halides, granulated and again dried at the same time. For the purposes of the present invention, the surfactant granules are regarded as dried if the free water content is below 10% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight, based in each case on the finished granules.

Fluidized bed apparatuses which are preferably used have base plates with a diameter of between 0.4 and 5 m, for example 1.2 m or 2.5 m. Perforated floor slabs, a Conidur slab (commercial product from Hein & Lehmann, Federal Republic of Germany) or perforated floor slabs can be used as the floor slab, the holes (passage openings) of which are covered by a mesh with mesh sizes smaller than 600 μm. The grid can be arranged inside or above the passage openings. However, the grid preferably lies directly below the passage openings of the inflow floor. This is advantageously realized in such a way that a metal gauze with the appropriate mesh size is sintered on. The metal gauze preferably consists of the same material as the inflow floor, in particular of stainless steel. The mesh size of said grid is preferably between 200 and 400 μm.

For the purposes of the invention, the process is preferably carried out at swirl air speeds between 1 and 8 m / s and in particular between 1.5 and 5.5 m / s. The discharge The granules are advantageously sized according to the size of the granules. This classification is preferably carried out by means of an opposed air flow (classifier air) which is regulated in such a way that only particles above a certain particle size are removed from the fluidized bed and smaller particles are retained in the fluidized bed. In a preferred embodiment, the inflowing air is composed of the heated or unheated classifier air and the heated soil air. The soil air temperature is preferably between 80 and 400 ° C. The fluidized air cools down through heat losses and through the heat of vaporization and is approximately 60 to 120 ° C., preferably 65 to 90 ° C., when air escapes. Further advantageous refinements of the method according to the invention can be found in the as yet unpublished German patent application P 197 50 424.8.

In the process which is preferably carried out in the fluidized bed, it is necessary for a starting mass to be present at the beginning of the process and which serves as an initial carrier for the sprayed-in surfactant paste. Suitable starting materials are solids which are to be contained in the surfactant granules according to the invention and in particular the surfactant granules themselves which have already been obtained in a previous process. In particular, surfactant granules with a grain size in the range above 0.2 and below 0.9 mm are used as the starting mass and are preferably fed in via a roller mill.

The surfactant granules obtained from the fluidized bed are then preferably cooled in a separate fluidized bed and classified by means of a sieve into granules with particle sizes between 0.9 and 5 mm as good grain fraction, in granules over 5 mm as oversize fraction and in granules under 0.9 mm as undersize fraction . The granules of the undersize fraction are returned to the fluidized bed, since they initially have a higher content of alkali halides. The oversize fraction is ground, preferably in grain sizes below 0.9 mm, and also returned to the fluidized bed.

Due to the permanent recirculation of the undersize, a continuous grain growth and thus a decrease in the undersize content can be observed in the fluidized bed during a route. If the undersize content, which is returned to the fluidized bed, 15 to 20% by weight - based on the total product output - is below steps, it is advisable to inject the ground oversize particles with grain sizes greater than 0.2 and less than 0.9 mm into the fluidized bed, so that advantageously about 15 to 20% by weight - based on the total product output - under germs are available in the fluidized bed stand to prevent excessive grain growth. If work is carried out according to this procedure, the oversize content over 5 mm can be minimized to less than 5% by weight, based on the total product output.

The surfactant granules obtained by the process according to the invention have high bulk densities, preferably a bulk density between 550 and 1000 g / l, in particular between 800 and 1,000 g / l.

Another object of the present invention relates to the use of the surfactant granules according to the invention as surfactant precursors for the production of particulate detergents and cleaning agents. The surfactant granules according to the invention are preferably suitable for the production of detergent tablets, lumpy wash cubes for the catering trade for washing glasses and for toilet blocks, and in particular for toilet blocks. As a rule, the surfactant granules according to the invention are further processed water-free by means of extrusion or tableting. For easier plasticization, however, water, polyethylene glycols or ether sulfate solutions can be added to them as an auxiliary in an amount of 1 to 10, preferably 2 to 6,% by weight, based on the surfactant granules. If desired, as is particularly the case with toilet blocks, dyes and fragrances, usually in a total amount of 1 to 7% by weight, based on the end product, can be added during further processing.

The lumpy detergents and cleaning agents are characterized by macroscopic and microscopic homogeneity. The solubility of the lumpy products in water can be specifically adjusted so that there is no undesired, uncontrolled breaking apart of the pieces depending on the solubility of the ingredients. Examples

I. Input materials

AI) fatty alcohol sulfate in the form of the sodium salt, made from a

C _{12 /} fatty alcohol mixture (Texapon LS 65 ^R ) A2) fatty alcohol ether sulfate in the form of the sodium salt, made from a C ₁₂ / C ₁₄ -

Fatty alcohol mixture, ethoxylated with 2 mol ethylene oxide (Texapon N 70 ^R ) A3) C ₈ / C ₁₀ alkyl oligoglucoside with a DP of 1.5 (Glucopon 225 ^R ) A4) sodium sulfate with a grain size below 0.8 mm

The surfactant ingredients AI) to A3) are commercial products from Henkel KGaA, Düsseldorf.

As a further component

A5) Sodium chloride used in fine grain size (according to the invention) or in coarse grain size (comparison).

The following amounts were selected (data in% by weight and based on the active substance content):

comparison according to the invention

AI) 25.0 25.0 A2) 2.5 2.5 A3) 3.0 3.0 A4) 36.5 36.5 A5) 33.0 33.0 The various sodium chloride showed the following sieve analysis:

II. Production of the granules in the fluidized bed

Aqueous surfactant pastes from AI) to A4) were produced and injected into the fluidized bed system. Independently of this, fine sodium chloride (according to the invention) or coarse normal sodium chloride (comparison) was fed in as a solid. The solids content of the aqueous surfactant paste was 70% by weight.

Characteristics of the process:

Vortex air velocities in m s: 3.0 (under process conditions) temperatures in ° C

Soil air 170

Classification air 20

Air outlet 85

Throughput of surfactant preparation in t / h 2.5 t

Throughput of solids in t / h 0.8 t

Starting mass in t 2.0 1

Paste temperature in ° C before injection 70 ° C

Mesh size of the grid in μm 300 μm Sieve cut in mm approx. 0.9 to 5 bulk density in g / 1 fluctuates between 800 to 1,000

The granules obtained were classified according to the grain size (information in% by weight how much of the granules is to be assigned to which grain size range) and the sodium chloride content in each classified grain size. The results are summarized in the table below:

The table shows that the granules according to the invention have approximately the same sodium chloride content, so that they are microscopically homogeneous. The sodium chloride content of the granules produced according to the comparison fluctuates between 27.0 and 58.0%, so that no microscopic homogeneity is guaranteed. When such granules are pressed into lumpy products, there would be sub-areas with a much higher sodium chloride content than desired (up to a maximum of 40%), which would cause them to break apart when in contact with water.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Homogeneous, alkali halide-containing surfactant granules for the production of particulate detergents and cleaning agents, characterized in that they contain alkali halides with a grain size in the range from 0.01 to 0.5 mm with a grain size of more than 50%.

2. Homogeneous surfactant granules according to claim 1, characterized in that they contain alkali halides with a grain size in the range from 0.05 to 0.4 mm with a grain size of over 70%.

3. Homogeneous surfactant granules according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that sodium chloride is present as the alkali halide.

4. Homogeneous surfactant granules according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that surfactants selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, alkylbenzenesulfonates, ester sulfonates, fatty acid (poly) glycol ether sulfates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl oligoglycosides, alkyl betaines and alkyl amido benzoamides are.

5. Homogeneous surfactant granules according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the surfactant granules

5 to 60% by weight of surfactants,

5 to 40% by weight of alkali halides,

0 to 40% by weight of auxiliaries and

Contain 0 to 10% by weight of swelling agent.

6. Homogeneous surfactant granules according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the surfactant granules contain a surfactant mixture from

20 to 100% by weight of fatty alcohol sulfates and / or alkylbenzenesulfonates, 0 to 30% by weight of fatty alcohol ether sulfates and 0 to 80% by weight alkyl oligoglycosides.

7. A process for the preparation of homogeneous alkali halide-containing surfactant granules by granulation and simultaneous drying of an aqueous surfactant paste to which alkali halides are admixed, characterized in that alkali halides with a grain size in the range from 0.01 to 0.5 mm with a grain size greater than 50% be added.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the granulation and simultaneous drying is carried out in a continuous fluidized bed.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the granules obtained are classified by means of sieving into an oversize fraction with particle sizes above 5 mm, into a good particle fraction with particle sizes between 0.9 mm and 5 mm and into an undersize fraction with particle sizes below 0.9 mm, the undersize fraction being returned to the fluidized bed and the oversize fraction being ground and also being returned to the fluidized bed.

10. Use of the homogeneous surfactant granules according to claim 1 as surfactant precursors for the production of particulate detergents and cleaning agents, in particular for the production of toilet blocks.