Dimensionally Stable Solid Rinse Aid

• US 20080293615A1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Killeen, Yvonne M., Kieffer, Janel M., Brittain, Kent, Zurbey, Matthew F., Bartelme, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,521,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/514
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/008 Polymeric surface-active agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/825 Mixtures of compounds all of which are non-ionic
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0047 Detergents in the form of bars or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0052 Cast detergent compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0026 Low foaming or foam regulating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/046 Salts
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/323 urea or derivatives thereof

Abstract

The present invention is a solid rinse aid composition and methods of making and using the same. The solid rinse aid composition generally includes sodium sulfate and urea as solidification agents and an effective amount of an alcohol ethoxylate compound sheeting agent component and an effective amount of defoamer component. The solid rinse aid composition may also incorporate a preservative system including sodium bisulfate. The solid rinse aid composition may be phosphate-free, aminocarboxylate-free, and GRAS if desired.

Claims

1. A solid rinse aid composition comprising:

sodium sulfate;

urea;

water;

sheeting agent comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates; and

defoamer component comprising a polymer compound including one or more ethylene oxide groups,

wherein a combined amount of sodium sulfate and urea is sufficient for solidification of the rinse aid composition.

2. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, wherein the combined amount of sodium sulfate and urea is in the range of 18 to 70 wt %.

3. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 comprising:

3-24 wt % sodium sulfate;

15-50 wt % urea;

water;

sheeting agent comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates; and

defoamer component comprising a polymer compound including one or more ethylene oxide groups.

4. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, comprising:

5-18 wt % sodium sulfate;

5-45 wt % urea;

1-15 wt % water;

sheeting agent comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates; and

defoamer component comprising a polymer compound including one or more ethylene oxide groups.

5. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, comprising:

10-16 wt % sodium sulfate;

16-27 wt % urea;

3-14 wt % water;

sheeting agent comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates; and

defoamer component comprising a polymer compound including one or more ethylene oxide groups.

6. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 additionally comprising:

sodium bisulfate; and

optionally one or more inorganic or organic acids;

wherein the total amount of sodium bisulfate and optionally one or more inorganic or organic acids is sufficient to provide a use solution having a pH less than 4.0 when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted at 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent.

7. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 6 additionally comprising:

1-10 wt % sodium bisulfate; and

one or more inorganic or organic acids;

wherein the total amount of sodium bisulfate and one or more inorganic or organic acids is sufficient to provide a use solution having a pH less than 4.0 when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted at 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent.

8. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 additionally comprising

sodium bisulfate;

and

one or more organic acids;

wherein the total amount of sodium bisulfate and organic acids is sufficient to provide a use solution having a pH less than 2.0 when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted at 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent.

9. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 8 additionally comprising

1-10 wt % sodium bisulfate;

and

one or more organic acids;

wherein the total amount of sodium bisulfate and organic acids is sufficient to provide a use solution having a pH less than 2.0 when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted at 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent.

10. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is phosphate-free and aminocarboxylate-free.

11. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, wherein all ingredients are GRAS by the U.S.F.D.A.

12. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, wherein the sheeting agent comprises one or more alcohol ethoxylates, each independently having structure represented by formula I:

R—

O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_n—

H 

 

(I)

wherein R is a (C₁-C₁₂) alkyl group, and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 100.

13. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more alcohol ethoxylates has a melting point in the range of 110 to 120°

F.

14. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, wherein the defoamer component comprises a polyether compound prepared from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or a mixture thereof in a homopolymer, block, or hetero-copolymer structure.

15. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, wherein the ratio of sheeting agent to defoamer component within the solid rinse aid composition is in the range of about 1:

5 to about 5;

1 by weight.

16. A method for rinsing a substrate surface, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a solid rinse aid composition of claim 1;

mixing the solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 into an aqueous use solution; and

applying the aqueous use solution to the substrate surface.

17. An aqueous rinse comprising 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 per million parts of aqueous diluent.

18. A solid rinse aid composition, suitable for dilution to form an aqueous rinse, the composition consisting essentially of:

3-24 wt % sodium sulfate

15 to 30 wt % urea;

2-15 wt % water;

1-10 wt % sodium bisulfate;

sheeting agent comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates;

defoamer component comprising one or more polyether compounds prepared from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or a mixture thereof in a homopolymer, block, or hetero-copolymer structure;

one or more organic acids; and

optionally, one or more dyes and/or odorants.

19. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 18, wherein the one or more organic acids are selected from sorbic acid and benzoic acid, wherein the amount of sodium bisulfate and organic acids provides a use solution having a pH less than 2.0 when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted at 10-500 parts of the solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent.

20. A method of making a solid rinse aid composition, the method comprising:

providing sheeting agent including a blend one or more alcohol ethyoxylates;

providing defoamer component including a compound containing ethylene oxide groups; and

mixing the sheeting component and defoamer component while heating said mixture in the temperature range of 100-140°

F.;

adding urea to said mixture;

vigorously mixing said mixture at high sheer;

adding sodium sulfate into said mixture with further mixing; and

cooling said mixture into a solid rinse aid composition.