The process for making low density LAS surfactant detergent agglomerates using microwave heating

Abstract

The internal structure of detergent surfactant agglomerates is modified using electromagnetic heating to produce a lower bulk density final product. The agglomerates are heated in a 1.8 KW microwave waveguide heating applicator operating at license-free ISM frequency band of 2450 MHz. The density of the agglomerates reduces significantly when exposed to high power electromagnetic fields. The effect of number of process variables such as input power initial moisture content over bulk density of detergent particles is studied. Three different input power levels (500 W, 1 KW & 1.6 KW) are applied to the agglomerates and it has been observed that higher input powers raise the temperature of the agglomerates very quickly, hence reducing the required residence time of the sample. Agglomerates exposed to the highest input power (1.6 KW) had the lowest bulk density. The temperature profile and residence time of the agglomerates during heating was continuously recorded. Experimental results obtained in the lab-based process will be used to design a full scale continuous mode applicator.

Global trends and status in Detergents research during the years 2000-2020: a systematic analysis

“…Hinton investigated a new detergent and numerous detergent recipes in 2002 (Ranji et al 2019). In 2018, Sandhu et al revealed that electromagnetic heating altered the internal structure of detergent surfactant agglomerates, resulting in a product with a lower bulk density (Sandhu et al 2018).…”

Detergents and surfactants: a brief review

“…Zamora and Alvarez investigated about these environmental impacts in surface sediments at the south end of the Southern California Bight (Figure 1). 6 Among a variety of these components, they choose LABs to study detergents environmental impacts at the mentioned area because other pollutants whose chemical behavior is similar to that of LABs may also have the same fate. Their main purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of the impact of municipal water discharges on southern SCB sediments.…”