# US 12,006,487 B2 · Process for making a granule or powder

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- Number: US 12,006,487 B2
- Document ID: US12006487B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/280,066
- Filed: 2019-09-16
- Published: 2021-10-14
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-27
- Assignees: BASF SE
- Applicants: BASF SE
- Inventors: Frank Jaekel; Astrid Schmidt; Michael Klemens Mueller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006487B2

## CPC

- C11D 11/0082: {one or more of the detergent ingredients being in a liquefied state, e.g. slurry, paste or melt, and the process resulting in solid detergent particles such as granules, powders or beads}
- B01J 2/04: in a gaseous medium {(if combined with suspending the material in a gas, e.g. fluidised beds B01J2/16)}
- B01J 2/16: by suspending the powder material in a gas, e.g. in fluidised beds or as a falling curtain
- C11D 1/04: Carboxylic acids or salts thereof (soap C11D9/00)
- C11D 3/33: Amino carboxylic acids
- C11D 3/39: Organic or inorganic per-compounds
- C11D 3/3942: {Inorganic per-compounds (C11D3/3902 takes precedence)}
- C11D 17/06: Powder; Flakes; Free-flowing mixtures; Sheets
- C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

## Abstract

Process for making a powder or granule containing (A) at least one chelating agent selected from alkali metal salts of methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) and of glutamic acid diacetate (GLDA) and of iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), (B) at least one alkali metal salt of a C10-C20 fatty acid, in a weight ratio of (A):(B) of from 40:1 up to 1,000:1, wherein said powder or granule contains at least 75% by weight of chelating agent (A), said process comprising the steps of (c) mixing the at least one chelating agent (A) and the at least one alkali metal salt of fatty acid (B) in the presence of water, (d) removing most of said water by spray-drying or by spray granulation using a gas with an inlet temperature of at least 125° C.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for making a powder or granule comprising:
(A) at least one chelating agent selected from alkali metal salts of methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA), and
(B) at least one alkali metal salt of a C10-C20 fatty acid,
in a weight ratio of (A):(B) of from 40:1 up to 1,000:1,
wherein said powder or granule contains at least 75% by weight of (A),
wherein the process comprises:
(a) mixing (A) and (B) in the presence of water, and
(b) removing at least 55% of said water by spray-granulation in a fluidized bed or by spray drying using a gas with an inlet temperature of at least 125° C.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein (A) is a trisodium salt of MGDA.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein (B) is selected from salts of fatty acids with at least one carbon-carbon double bond per molecule.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein (B) is selected from sodium and potassium salts of oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitoleic acid, or α-linolenic acid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein step (a) is performed in a nozzle, immediately before or simultaneously with step (b).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein step (b) is performed with a two-fluid nozzle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the powder or granule has a bulk density of from about 850 to 950 g/l, as determined according to DIN ISO 697-1984-01.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the powder or granule has a bulk density of from about 850 to 920 g/l, as determined according to DIN ISO 697-1984-01.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the powder or granule has a bulk density of from about 875 to 910 g/l, as determined according to DIN ISO 697-1984-01.