Process for producing granular detergent composition

Abstract

A process for producing a granular detergent composition containing a surface active agent, a zeolite, an alkali metal silicate, and other detergent builder is described. This granular detergent composition is produced by either (1) (a) preparing an aqueous slurry containing, as a dispersing medium, the surface active agent; (b) bubbling a gas into the aqueous slurry to form a slurry containing bubbles having an average bubble diameter of 40 through 100 microns and having a specific gravity of 0.7 through 0.9; (c) mixing the resultant aqueous slurry with the zeolite, the alkali metal silicate, and the other builders to form a detergent slurry; and (d) spray drying the detergent slurry to form the granular detergent composition or (2) (a) preparing a detergent slurry containing the surface active agent, the zeolite, the alkali metal silicate, and/or other detergent builders; (b) passing the detergent slurry through a centrifugal pump, while a gas is bubbled into the detergent slurry, whereby the detergent slurry containing bubbles having an average diameter of 40 through 100 microns and having a specific gravity of 0.7 through 0.9 is formed; and (c) spray drying the detergent slurry to form the granular detergent composition.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.