The invention relates to solidification of liquid anionic surfactants with a binder, carrier, or both binder and carrier to form a solidified surfactant composition. In particular, the invention relates to solidification of liquid surfactants utilizing drying device(s), wherein the feed composition contains at least one liquid surfactant and the binder, carrier, or binder and carrier to form a solidified surfactant composition. The solidified surfactant compositions can be useful in various cleaning compositions.

The invention relates to solidification of liquid anionic surfactants with a binder, carrier, or both binder and carrier to form a solidified surfactant composition. In particular, the invention relates to solidification of liquid surfactants utilizing drying device(s), wherein the feed composition contains at least one liquid surfactant and the binder, carrier, or binder and carrier to form a solidified surfactant composition. The solidified surfactant compositions can be useful in various cleaning compositions.

A process for making a granule containing (A) at least one chelating agent selected from alkali metal salts of methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) and of iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), and, optionally, (B) at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth) acrylic acid, partially or fully neutralized with alkali, the process including the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution or slurry containing chelating agent (A) and, if applicable, (co) polymer (B), (b) removing most of the water by spray granulation in a fluidized bed, (c) treating the resultant granule in a vessel of which at least one part rotates around a horizontal axis and wherein the vessel is selected from paddle mixers, free-fall mixers and plough share mixers.

A process for making a granule containing (A) at least one chelating agent selected from alkali metal salts of methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) and of iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), and, optionally, (B) at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth) acrylic acid, partially or fully neutralized with alkali, the process including the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution or slurry containing chelating agent (A) and, if applicable, (co) polymer (B), (b) removing most of the water by spray granulation in a fluidized bed, (c) treating the resultant granule in a vessel of which at least one part rotates around a horizontal axis and wherein the vessel is selected from paddle mixers, free-fall mixers and plough share mixers.

Process for manufacturing granules or powders comprising the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution or slurry of (A) at least one chelating agent according to general formula (I a) [CH.sub.3CH(COO)N(CH.sub.2COO).sub.2]M.sub.3-XH.sub.X (I a) wherein M is selected from alkali metal cations and ammonium, same or different, and x is in the range of from 0.01 to 1.0 or (I b) [OOCCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH(COO)N(CH.sub.2COO).sub.2]M.sub.4-XH.sub.X (I b) wherein M is as defined above, and x in formula (I b) is in the range of from 0.01 to 2.0, and (B) at least one polymer selected from (B1) polyaspartates with an average molecular weight M.sub.w in the range of from 1,000 to 20,000 g/mole, and (B2) copolymers comprising, in copolymerized form, () at least one ester of an ethylenically unsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acid, and () at least one ethylenically unsaturated N-containing monomer, and (b) spray drying or granulating said solution or slurry.

Process for manufacturing granules or powders comprising the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution or slurry of (A) at least one chelating agent according to general formula (I a) [CH.sub.3CH(COO)N(CH.sub.2COO).sub.2]M.sub.3-XH.sub.X (I a) wherein M is selected from alkali metal cations and ammonium, same or different, and x is in the range of from 0.01 to 1.0 or (I b) [OOCCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH(COO)N(CH.sub.2COO).sub.2]M.sub.4-XH.sub.X (I b) wherein M is as defined above, and x in formula (I b) is in the range of from 0.01 to 2.0, and (B) at least one polymer selected from (B1) polyaspartates with an average molecular weight M.sub.w in the range of from 1,000 to 20,000 g/mole, and (B2) copolymers comprising, in copolymerized form, () at least one ester of an ethylenically unsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acid, and () at least one ethylenically unsaturated N-containing monomer, and (b) spray drying or granulating said solution or slurry.

The present invention is directed towards a process for making a powder or granule containing (A) at least one alkali metal salt of citric acid, and at least one additive selected from (B) at least one (co)polymer containing carboxylic acid groups, partially neutralized with alkali, in a weight ratio of (A):(B) of from 5:1 up to 100:1, wherein said powder or granule contains at least 75% by weight of citrate (A), said process comprising the steps of (a) mixing the at least one alkali metal salt of citric acid (A) and the at least one (co)polymer (B) in the presence of water, (b) removing most of said water by spray-drying or spray granulation using a gas with an inlet temperature of at least 125 C.

The present invention is directed towards a process for making a powder or granule containing (A) at least one alkali metal salt of citric acid, and at least one additive selected from (B) at least one (co)polymer containing carboxylic acid groups, partially neutralized with alkali, in a weight ratio of (A):(B) of from 5:1 up to 100:1, wherein said powder or granule contains at least 75% by weight of citrate (A), said process comprising the steps of (a) mixing the at least one alkali metal salt of citric acid (A) and the at least one (co)polymer (B) in the presence of water, (b) removing most of said water by spray-drying or spray granulation using a gas with an inlet temperature of at least 125 C.

Process for making a granule containing (A) at least one chelating agent selected from alkali metal salts of methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) and of iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), and, optionally, (B) at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid, partially or fully neutralized with alkali,

said process comprising the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution or slurry containing chelating agent (A) and, if applicable, (co)polymer (B), (b) removing most of said water by spray granulation in a fluidized bed, (c) treating the resultant granule in a vessel of which at least one part rotates around a horizontal axis and wherein said vessel is selected from paddle mixers, free-fall mixers and plough share mixers.

Process for making a granule containing (A) at least one chelating agent selected from alkali metal salts of methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) and of iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), and, optionally, (B) at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid, partially or fully neutralized with alkali,

said process comprising the steps of (a) providing an aqueous solution or slurry containing chelating agent (A) and, if applicable, (co)polymer (B), (b) removing most of said water by spray granulation in a fluidized bed, (c) treating the resultant granule in a vessel of which at least one part rotates around a horizontal axis and wherein said vessel is selected from paddle mixers, free-fall mixers and plough share mixers.