# US 9,752,237 B2 · Control of sugar evaporator scale using sugar or sugar moieties > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,237 B2 - Document ID: US9752237B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/289,933 - Filed: 2014-05-29 - Published: 2015-12-03 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-29 - Assignees: Ecolab USA Inc. - Applicants: Ecolab USA Inc. - Inventors: Kim R. Smith; Peter J. Fernholz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752237B2 ## CPC - C23G 1/00: Cleaning or pickling metallic material with solutions or molten salts (with organic solvents C23G5/02) - C11D 1/662: {Carbohydrates or derivatives} - C11D 3/2086: {Hydroxy carboxylic acids-salts thereof} - C11D 3/2093: {Esters; Carbonates} - C11D 3/221: {Mono, di- or trisaccharides or derivatives thereof} - C11D 3/33: Amino carboxylic acids - C11D 3/3757: {(Co)polymerised carboxylic acids, -anhydrides, -esters in solid and liquid compositions} - C11D 7/26: containing oxygen - C11D 7/268: {Carbohydrates or derivatives thereof} - C11D 7/3245: {Aminoacids} - C11D 2111/20: Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines - C23G: CLEANING OR DE-GREASING OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY CHEMICAL METHODS OTHER THAN ELECTROLYSIS - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL ## Abstract Methods of cleaning sugar evaporators with a cleaning composition comprising a sugar or sugar-moiety containing compound are disclosed. The methods are capable of improved scale and fouling removal from treated surfaces, including scale containing calcium oxalate, calcium dihydrogen phosphate, silica and/or other components from sugar evaporators. The methods reduce time required for scale removal without the need for highly alkaline cleaning compositions, elevated temperatures and/or mechanical force applied to the scale. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of removing scale from a hard surface comprising: applying a cleaning composition to a scale from a hard surface in need of scale removal, wherein the scale contains sugar and at least one soil selected from the group consisting of calcium oxalate, calcium dihydrogen phosphate, silica and combinations thereof; and contacting the scale with the cleaning composition for an amount of time to dissolve the sugar in the scale, wherein the cleaning composition comprises a monosaccharide, disaccharide, or combination thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition is a use solution providing from about 0.5 wt-% to about 5 wt-% of said monosaccharide and/or disaccharide, and wherein said cleaning composition use solution has a pH above about 6. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition comprises a disaccharide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monosaccharide and/or disaccharide are selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, fructose and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition further comprises a calcium chelant. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the chelant is an aminocarboxylic acid, polyacrylate, carboxylate, and/or hydroxyacid salt. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the chelant is EDTA and/or citric acid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition comprises at least one monosaccharide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the monosaccharide is glucose or fructose. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the cleaning composition further comprises a calcium chelant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the chelant is an aminocarboxylic acid, polyacrylate, carboxylate, and/or hydroxyacid salt. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the chelant is EDTA and/or citric acid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hard surface is a surface of a processing equipment in contact or connection with an evaporator. ### Claim 14 A method of removing scale from a sugar evaporator comprising: applying a cleaning composition to a surface of a sugar evaporator in need of scale removal, wherein the scale contains sugar and at least one soil selected from the group consisting of calcium oxalate, calcium dihydrogen phosphate, silica and combinations thereof; and contacting the scale with the cleaning composition for an amount of time to dissolve the sugar in the scale, wherein the cleaning composition comprises a monosaccharide, disaccharide, or combination thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the cleaning composition is a use solution providing from about 0.5 wt-% to about 5 wt-% of said monosacharide and/or disaccharide, and from about 0 wt-% to about 5 wt-% of a calcium chelant, and wherein said cleaning composition use solution has a pH above about 6. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the cleaning composition comprises a monosaccharide, disaccharide selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, fructose, and combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the cleaning composition further comprises a calcium chelant selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid, polyacrylate, carboxylate, hydroxyacid salt and combinations thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the chelant is EDTA and/or citric acid, and wherein the cleaning composition consists essentially of from about 0.5 wt-% to about 2 wt-% of said monosaccharide and/or disaccharide and from about 0.5 wt-% to about 2 wt-% of said chelant. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the amount of time is from about 30 seconds to about 5 minutes. ### Claim 20 A cleaning use solution composition capable of dissolving a solid scale source comprising: from about 0.5 wt-% to about 5 wt-% of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, or combination thereof, wherein said monosaccharide and/or disaccharide is selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, fructose, and combination thereof; from about 0.5 wt-% to about 5 wt-% of a calcium chelant, wherein the chelant is an aminocarboxylic acid, polyacrylate, carboxylate, and/or hydroxyacid salt; and water, wherein said cleaning composition has a pH above about 6; wherein said cleaning composition dissolves sugar from a scale containing sugar and at least one soil selected from the group consisting of calcium oxalate, calcium dihydrogen phosphate, silica and combinations thereof.