Background / Requirement
In the manufacturing process of most cleaning solutions a
polymer or rheology modifier such as Carbopol® or Polygel®
is added to the liquid. These polymers are proven exceptional
thickeners, suspending agents and stabilizers and provide
the following benefits to cleaning solutions:
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Thickening: Upon neutralization, the polymer instantly thickens
to form a high viscosity clear gel.
Shear Thinning: Ensures easy pumping of the finished product
and also enables even thick gel products to be easily dispersed
via a pump or trigger sprayer.
Yield Value: Aids in the suspension of insoluble materials
and enables "vertical-cling" - an enhanced performance benefit
for products that are dispensed via trigger sprayer or nozzle.
Emulsion Stabilization: Stabilize oil-in-water emulsions
for applications that contain ingredients such as silicone
oil or mineral spirits.
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Manufacturers have often raised concerns regarding the long
mixing cycles and difficulty in dispersing hydrophilic polymers
in water without 'fish-eyes' or agglomerates. 'Fish-eyes'
are lumps of product with a hydrated skin but an unhydrated
dry core. They are created when a hydrophilic powder comes
in contact with water. The particles on the surfaces hydrate
and cross-link to form a tough outer layer and the particles
on the interior cannot be hydrated because they are shielded
from the water.
The following problems can be encountered
when using in-tank mixing technology to disperse polymers
or rheology modifiers:
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Do not produce sufficient shear to reduce particle size
and eliminate 'fish-eyes' or agglomerates. |
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Long mixing cycles are required to obtain uniform dispersion
and to complete hydration. |
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As the solution viscosity increases, agitation of the solution
and powder dispersion becomes increasingly difficult. |
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Powders will raft, surface turbulence generated is not normally
sufficient to draw powders off the surface. |
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Most of the polymers have pseudoplastic or thixotropic properties.
Over processing to eliminate lumps reduces the effective viscosity,
forcing the processor to compensate with the addition of additional
ingredients. |
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At the end of the batch a significant amount of dry material
is filtered out and ultimately wasted.
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Quadro's Approach
The ZC Inline Powder Disperser is designed specifically
to disperse extremely difficult-to-wet powders such
as Polymers and Carbomers, into a liquid stream in a
single pass. Powder incorporation is achieved by the
presence of significant vacuum in the reactor housing
generated by the liquid seal created between the rotor
and stator. This vacuum ensures that powders from the
hopper above are drawn into the reactor head, where
the particles are subjected to intense mechanical shearing
PRIOR to hydration into the liquid stream. The result
is a perfectly dispersed and homogeneous dispersion
of hydrophilic powders WITHOUT 'fish-eyes'.
Typical Applications
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Cleaning Gels |
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Cleaning Paste |
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Dishwashing Liquid |
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Window Cleaner |
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General Purpose Cleaner |
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Mold & Mildew Remover |
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Abrasive Cleaner |
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Toilet Bowl Cleaner |
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Oven Cleaner |
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Waterless Hand Cleaner |
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Car/Boat Polish |
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Furniture Polish |
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Silver/Metal Polish |
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