Claims
- 1. A recyclable cleaning composition for cleaning soils from hard surface articles, comprising an aqueous alkaline solution containing from 1% to 20% by weight of a synthetic detergent comprising at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of (a) nonionic ethoxylated surfactants, (b) amine oxide surfactants, (c) anionic surfactants, (d) alkyl polyglucoside surfactants, (e) amphoteric surfactants, and (f) mixtures thereof, said detergent, after being soiled by the soils, having a degree of permeability through a membrane having pore size of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns, of at least 30% by weight of the surfactant contained therein under at least one set of soiled conditions and recyclable for re-use.
- 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said detergent comprises at least one surfactant having a Log P of less than about 4.5.
- 3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises adjuvants selected from the group consisting of builders, corrosion inhibitors, anti-scaling materials, alkalinity electrolyes, hydrotropes, antifoam materials, wetting agents, solvents, other adjuvants and mixtures thereof.
- 4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein substantially all of said adjuvants permeate said membrane for recycle and re-use.
- 5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition is effective at temperatures above 60° C.
- 6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition is effective at temperatures below 60° C.
- 7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant or the mixture of surfactants has a cloud point which is greater than the temperature at which the hard surface articles are cleaned.
- 8. A diluted cleaning composition comprising the composition of claim 1 and additional water, wherein said additional water comprises up to about 99.5% by weight of the diluted composition.
- 9. A process for the cleaning of soils from hard surface articles, which comprises:
a. immersing said articles at an operating temperature of from about 25° C. to about 60° C. in a cleaning composition comprising an aqueous alkaline solution containing from 1% to 20% by weight of a synthetic detergent comprising at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of (a) nonionic ethoxylated surfactants, (b) amine oxide surfactants, (c) anionic surfactants, (d) alkyl polyglucoside surfactants, (e) amphoteric surfactants, and (f) mixtures thereof, having a degree of permeability through a membrane having pore size of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns of at least 30% by weight of the surfactant contained therein under at least one set of soiled conditions, and said solution optionally containing adjuvants selected from the group consisting of builders, corrosion inhibitors, anti-scaling materials, alkalinity electrolytes, hydrotropes, antifoam materials, wetting agents, solvents, other adjuvants and mixtures thereof; b. separating the solution from said articles and filtering it through a membrane having a pore size within the range of 0.05 to 5.0 microns, with least 30% by weight of the surfactant permeating through the membrane resulting in a permeate; and c. recycling the permeate for further cleaning of said articles.
- 10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the detergent comprises at least one surfactant having a Log P less than about 4.5.
- 11. The process according to claim 9, wherein substantially all of said adjuvants permeate through the membrane.
- 12. The process according to claim 9, wherein the composition used therein is effective at temperatures below 60° C.
- 13. The process according to claim 9, wherein the composition used therein is effective at temperatures above 60° C.
- 14. The process according to claim 9, wherein the surfactant or the mixture of surfactants used therein has a cloud point which is greater than the operating temperature.
- 15. A process for the cleaning of soils from hard surface articles, which comprises:
a. immersing said articles at an operating temperature of from about 25° C. to about 60° C. in the diluted cleaning composition of claim 8, b. separating the diluted cleaning composition from said articles and filtering it through a membrane having a pore size within the range of 0.05 to 5.0 microns resulting in a permeate; and c. recycling the permeate for further cleaning of said articles.
- 16. A process of recycling a cleaning composition for cleaning soils from hard surface articles, said cleaning composition prior to being soiled comprising an aqueous alkaline solution containing from 1% to 20% by weight of a synthetic detergent comprising at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of (a) nonionic ethoxylated surfactants, (b) amine oxide surfactants, (c) anionic surfactants, (d) alkyl polyglucoside surfactants, (e) amphoteric surfactants, and (f) mixtures thereof, said detergent after being soiled by said hard surface articles, having a degree of permeability through a membrane having pore size of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns of at least 30% by weight of the surfactant contained therein under at least one set of soiled conditions and said composition optionally containing adjuvants selected from the group consisting of builders, corrosion inhibitors, anti-scaling materials, alkalinity electrolytes, hydrotropes, antifoam materials, wetting agents, solvents, other adjuvants and mixtures thereof, and recyclable for re-use, which process comprises:
a. filtering said soiled solution through a membrane having a pore size within the range of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns, with least 30% by weight of the surfactant permeating through the membrane resulting in a permeate; and b. recycling the permeate for further cleaning of articles.
- 17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the detergent comprises at least one surfactant having a Log P of less than about 4.5.
- 18. The process according to claim 16, wherein substantially all of said adjuvants permeate through the membrane.
- 19. The process according to claim 16, wherein the composition used therein is effective at temperatures below 60° C.
- 20. The process according to claim 16, wherein the composition used therein is effective at temperatures above 60° C.
- 21. The process according to claim 16, wherein the surfactant or the mixture of surfactants used therein has a cloud point which is greater than the operating temperature.
- 22. A process of recycling the diluted cleaning composition of claim 8 after said composition has been soiled, which process comprises:
a. filtering said soiled composition through a membrane having a pore size within the range of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns resulting in a permeate; and b. recycling the permeate for further cleaning of articles.
- 23. A method of reducing effluent waste stream from a cleaning process comprising recycling soiled cleaning compositions, said composition prior to soiling comprising an aqueous alkaline solution containing from 1% to 20% by weight of a synthetic detergent comprising at least one surfactant selected form the group consisting of (a) nonionic ethoxylated surfactants, (b) amine oxide surfactants, (c) anionic surfactants, (d) alkyl polyglucoside surfactants, (e) amphoteric surfactants, and (f) mixtures thereof, said detergent after being soiled, having a degree of permeability through a membrane having a pore size of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns of at least 30% by weight of the surfactant contained therein under at least one set of soiled conditions, and said composition optionally containing adjuvants selected from the group consisitng of builders, corrosion inhibitors, anti-scaling materials, alkalinity electrolytes, hydrotropes, antifoam materials, wetting agents, solvents, other adjuvants and mixtures thereof, and recyclable for re-use, which process comprises:
a. filtering said soiled solution through a membrane having pore size within the range of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns, with least 30% by weight of the surfactant permeating through the membrane resulting in a permeate and a retentate, and b. recycling the permeate for further cleaning of articles, whereby the effluent waste stream is substantially reduced in volume through the recycling of the permeate and concentration of the retentate.
- 24. The process according to claim 23, wherein the detergent comprises at least one surfactant having a Log P of less than about 4.5.
- 25. The process according to claim 23, wherein substantially all of said adjuvants permeate through the membrane.
- 26. The process according to claim 23, wherein the composition used therein is effective at temperatures below 60° C.
- 27. The process according to claim 23, wherein the composition used therein is effective at temperatures above 60° C.
- 28. The process according to claim 23, wherein the surfactant or the mixture of surfactants used therein has a cloud point which is greater than the operating temperature.
- 29. A method of reducing effluent waste stream from a cleaning process comprising recycling the diluted cleaning composition of claim 8 after said diluted cleaning composition has been soiled, which process comprises:
a. filtering said soiled composition through a membrane having pore size within the range of about 0.05 to 5.0 microns, resulting in a permeate and a retentate, and b. recycling the permeate for further cleaning of articles, whereby the effluent waste stream is substantially reduced in volume through the recycling of the permeate and concentration of the retentate.
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from provisional application serial No. 60/209,765, filed Jun. 6, 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US01/18546 |
6/6/2001 |
WO |
|