Patent ID: 6429184
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: C11D

Abstract:
A process for the production of a granular detergent product, the process comprising spraying droplets of a liquid binder to contact a particulate solid starting material in a low-shear granulator, wherein:the liquid binder is substantially non-aqueous, containing not more than 25% water; the liquid binder comprises an acid precursor of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant in a weight ratio of the acid precursor to nonionic surfactant from 20:1 to 10:1; the maximum d3,2 average droplet diameter of the liquid binder is 200 &mgr;m, and the minimum d3,2 average droplet diameter is 20 &mgr;m, the d3,2 average droplet diameter of the liquid binder is not greater than 10 times the d3,2 average particle diameter of that fraction of the total solid starting material which has a d3,2 particle diameter of from 20 &mgr;m to 200 &mgr;m, provided that if more than 90% by weight of the solid starting material has a d3,2 average particle diameter less than 20 &mgr;m then the d3,2 average particle diameter of the total solid starting material shall be taken to be 20 &mgr;m and if more than 90% by weight of the solid starting material has a d3,2 average particle diameter greater than 200 &mgr;m then the d3,2 average particle diameter of the total solid starting material shall be taken to be 200 &mgr;m, the process resulting in the granular detergent having not more than 10% by weight of granules with a diameter above 1.4 mm.