# US 5,707,959 A · Processes for making a granular detergent composition containing a crystalline builder > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,959 A - Document ID: US5707959A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/596,883 - Filed: 1996-03-13 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1995-05-31 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Inventors: Eugene Joseph Pancheri; Scott William Capeci; Richard Thomas Owen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707959A ## CPC - C11D 3/128: {Aluminium silicates, e.g. zeolites (C11D3/1253 takes precedence)} - C11D 3/1233: {Carbonates, e.g. calcite or dolomite} - 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} - C11D 17/065: {High-density particulate detergent compositions} - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL ## Abstract A process for preparing high density detergent compositions is provided. The process comprises the steps of: (a) continuously mixing a detergent surfactant paste and dry starting detergent material into a high speed mixer/densifier to obtain detergent agglomerates, wherein the ratio of the surfactant paste to the dry detergent material is from about 1:10 to about 10:1; (b) mixing the detergent agglomerates in a moderate speed mixer/densifier to further densify and agglomerate the detergent agglomerates; and (c) drying said detergent agglomerates so as to form the high density detergent composition. The dry detergent material may contain a builder material including a crystalline microstructure in which a carbonate anion, a calcium cation and at least one water-soluble cation are contained. The process may include one or more additional processing steps such as adding a coating agent such as the builder material described herein after the moderate speed mixer/densifier to facilitate and control agglomeration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for continuously preparing a high density detergent composition comprising the steps of: (a) continuously mixing a detergent surfactant paste and dry starting detergent material into a high speed mixer/densifier operated at a speed of from about 300 rpm to about 2500 rpm to obtain detergent agglomerates, wherein the ratio of said surfactant paste to said dry detergent material is from about 1:10 to about 10:1, said dry detergent material containing a crystalline builder having the formula Na.sub.2 Ca(CO.sub.3).sub.2 as the sole builder; (b) mixing said detergent agglomerates in a moderate speed mixer/densifier operated at a speed of from about 30 rpm to about 160 rpm to further densify and agglomerate said detergent agglomerates; and (c) drying said detergent agglomerates so as to form said high density detergent composition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein the density of said detergent composition is at least 650 g/l. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of adding a coating agent after said moderate speed mixer/densifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein the mean residence time of said detergent agglomerates in said high speed mixer/densifier is in a range from about 2 seconds to about 45 seconds. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein the mean residence time of said detergent agglomerates in said moderate speed mixer/densifier is in a range from about 0.5 minutes to about 15 minutes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein said builder has a median particle size diameter of from about 0.1 microns to about 50 microns. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein said ratio of said surfactant paste to said dry detergent material is from about 1:4 to about 4:1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein said surfactant paste has a viscosity of from about 5,000 cps to about 100,000 cps and comprises water and a surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, ampholytic and cationic surfactants and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein said moderate speed mixer/densifier imparts from about 5.times.10.sup.10 erg/kg to about 2.times.10.sup.12 erg/kg of energy at a rate of from about 3.times.10.sup.8 erg/kg-sec to about 3.times.10.sup.9 erg/kg-sec. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A process according to claim 1 wherein said builder is coated with a nonionic surfactant prior to being mixed with said surfactant paste. ### Claim 11 A process for continuously preparing a high density detergent composition comprising the steps of: (a) continuously mixing a detergent surfactant paste and a dry starting detergent material selected from the group consisting of sodium aluminosilicate, sodium carbonate and mixtures thereof into a high speed mixer/densifier operated at a speed of from about 300 rpm to about 2500 rpm to obtain detergent agglomerates, wherein the ratio of said surfactant paste to said dry detergent material is from about 1:10 to about 10:1; (b) mixing said detergent agglomerates in a moderate speed mixer/densifier operated at a speed of from about 30 rpm to about 160 rpm to further densify and agglomerate said detergent agglomerates; (c) drying said detergent agglomerates; and (d) adding a coating agent to said detergent agglomerates so as to obtain said high density detergent composition having a density of at least 650 g/l; wherein said coating agent is a crystalline Na.sub.2 Ca(CO.sub.3).sub.2. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A process according to claim 11 wherein said adding step is completed in said moderate speed mixer/densifier. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A process according to claim 11 wherein said adding step is completed between said mixing step and said drying step. ### Claim 14 A process for continuously preparing a high density detergent composition comprising the steps of: (a) spray drying an aqueous slurry containing a crystalline builder having the formula Na.sub.2 Ca(CO.sub.3).sub.2 and a detergent surfactant to form spray dried granules; (b) continuously mixing a detergent surfactant paste and dry starting detergent material selected from the group consisting of sodium aluminosilicate, sodium carbonate and mixtures thereof into a high speed mixer/densifier operated at a speed of from about 300 rpm to about 2500 rpm to obtain detergent agglomerates, wherein the ratio of said surfactant paste to said dry detergent material is from about 1:10 to about 10:1; (c) mixing said detergent agglomerates in a moderate speed mixer/densifier operated at a speed of from about 30 rpm to about 160 rpm to further densify and agglomerate said detergent agglomerates; and (d) blending said granules and said detergent agglomerates together so as to form said high density detergent composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A process according to claim 14 wherein said builder is coated with a nonionic surfactant prior to said spray drying step.