Dimensionally stable solid rinse aid

• US 7,883,584 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kieffer, Janel M., Brittain, Kent, Zurbey, Matthew F., Bartelme, Michael, Killeen, Yvonne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mruk; Brian P
• Application Number:
  US12/425,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20090203569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 510/197, 510/445, 510/457, 510/475, 510/492, 510/501, 510/524, 134/25.2, 134/25.3, 134/39, 134/42
• US Class Current: 134/25.2
• 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 of Formula (I);

R—

O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_n—

H 

 

(I)

wherein R is comprised of a C₁ to C₁₂ alkyl group and n is comprised of an integer in the range of 1 to 100; 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 and further wherein when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted with an aqueous diluent to provide a use solution the use solution has a pH of less than 7.0 and greater than 4.0.

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 wherein the sheeting agent comprises two or more alcohol ethoxylates.

4. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 3, wherein at least two of the alcohol ethoxylates are different and the R of one alcohol ethoxylate is a C₈-C₁₀ alkyl group and the R of a second alcohol ethoxylate is a C₁₀ to C₁₂ alkyl group.

5. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1, wherein the sheeting agent does not include an alcohol ethoxylate with an alkyl group that has more than 12 carbon atoms.

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

3-34 wt % sodium sulfate;

15-50 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 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.

10. The solid rinse aid composition of claim 1 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 7.0 and greater 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.

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

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

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 including

(i) sodium sulfate;

(ii) urea;

(iii) water;

(iv) sheeting agent comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates of Formula (I);

R—

O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_n—

H 

 

(I)

wherein R is comprised of a C₁ to C₁₂ alkyl group and n is comprised of an integer in the range of 1 to 100; and

(v) 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; and

further wherein when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted with an aqueous diluent to provide a use solution the use solution has a pH of less than 7.0 and greater than 4.0;

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 a solid rinse aid composition per million parts of aqueous diluent, the solid rinse agent comprising

(i) sodium sulfate;

(ii) urea;

(iii) water;

(iv) sheeting agent comprising one or more alcohol ethoxylates of Formula (I);

R—

O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_n—

H 

 

(I)

wherein R is comprised of a C₁ to C₁₂ alkyl group and n is comprised of an integer in the range of 1 to 100; and

(v) 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; and

further wherein when the solid rinse aid composition is diluted with an aqueous diluent to provide a use solution the use solution has a pH of less than 7.0 and greater than 4.0.