Patent ID: 6689305
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: C11D

Abstract:
A process for the formation of a unitary solid cleaning product from a bed of particulate matter, said process comprising the steps of:(A) providing a container with walls penetrable by subinfrared electromagnetic radiation and having within the container a bed of particles of raw material, at least part of said raw materials being a hydrated material; and wherein at least about 50% of the mass of the bed of particles of raw material consists of material selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of sulfates, carbonates, silicates, phosphates, hydroxides, borates, and citrates, (B) irradiating the bed of particles provided in step (A) for a sufficient time with subinfrared electromagnetic radiation of sufficient energy to cause the temperature of at least part of said raw material to rise, and subsequently discontinuing the irradiation of raw material and cooling it, so as to transform the bed of particles into a unitary macrosolid within said container, said macrosolid having a bulk volume that is not greater than 1.20 times the bulk volume of the particle bed from which it was formed.