Products in the detergent industry
In the detergent industry, powder and granulate products are manufactured that combine several components into highly effective cleaning agents. These include surfactants, water softeners, stabilizers, and additives that together determine the cleaning performance, flowability, and storage stability of the detergent. Powder detergents can also contain metal-based components such as metal soaps, which are used as lubricant or surfactant components in specialized cleaning products.
For these products to perform effectively in use, the powdery raw materials must be homogeneous before formulation and free from agglomerates or local concentration differences. Therefore, one of the most important process steps is the precise mixing and, if necessary, drying of the powder detergent raw materials.
Typical product components and terms in detergent production:
- Surfactants and active powder components
- Water softeners and complexing agents
- Stabilizers and soil carriers
- Powdered fillers and flow salts
- Metal soaps and functional additives
Requirements for Mixing and Processing
The production of detergents and cleaning products containing metal soaps places specific demands on process management. The raw materials vary greatly in particle size, density, and physical behavior, and they must be combined in the mixture to achieve a stable flowability, uniform effect, and reproducible product quality.
An optimized mixing process ensures that small additives such as citrates, polyaspartic acid, or surfactant-compatible alcohols are evenly distributed and exert the desired effect in the final product. At the same time, the mixing processes must be designed to avoid undesirable side effects such as dust development, agglomeration, or local overconcentrations. Especially with large batches and high throughput requirements, efficient mixing technology is crucial for stable production and an economical manufacturing process. Good flowability of the powders also improves subsequent processing and packaging steps and ensures uniform filling of filling machines and packaging systems.
amixon® solutions for detergent processes
amixon® develops and builds mixing, drying, and reactor technology for the detergent industry, where uniform powder distribution, reproducible mixing quality, and gentle process management are the focus. The systems combine intensive mixing with gentle product movement and support stable production even with heterogeneous mixtures.
Typical process engineering tasks in detergent production:
- Homogeneous distribution of surfactant components
- Improvement of the flowability of powder mixtures
- Incorporation of fine additives without agglomerate formation
- Preparation of powder batches for packaging or further processing
- Drying or wetting as part of specific process steps
amixon® process machines at a glance
amixon® Spherhelics® Mixer (SH) - the entry into the world of amixon® precision mixers. The SH mixer ensures simple, uniform product movement. It is particularly suitable when additives or small quantities need to be gently distributed and agglomerates should be avoided.
amixon® Gyraton® Mixer (GM)
The Gyraton® Mixer is a precision silo mixer for large batches from 10 to 100 m³. It is particularly suitable when large quantities of powdered detergent raw materials need to be processed efficiently and homogeneously. The slow, controlled product movement ensures high mixing quality with low energy consumption, high residual discharge rates, and a compact design.
amixon® Vertical Single-Shaft Mixer (VM)
The VM mixer offers intensive yet controlled mixing and is used when a wide variety of powders with varying properties need to be combined uniformly – such as surfactants, fillers, or metal soap components.
amixon® Conical Single-Shaft Mixer (AM)
The mixer type AM is suitable for mixing tasks in detergent processes where product protection, flexible batch sizes, and as residue-free as possible discharge are required. The conical design supports uniform product movement and facilitates complete discharge – an advantage with frequently changing formulations or dyes as well as sensitive detergent components.
amixon® Conical Mixer-Dryer and Reactor (AMT)
The AMT is designed for processes with high demands on heat transfer. Heated walls and mixing tools ensure uniform heat distribution. The conical bottom also supports clean residual emptying, which facilitates product changes and cleaning – an advantage when processing a variety of detergent formulations.
Technical Center and Process Development
In the amixon® technical center, detergent mixing processes can be examined with original raw materials. Mixing quality, flow behavior, wetting, emptying, and cleanability are evaluated and designed for industrial use. This creates early assurance for the subsequent series design.
The production of detergents and metal soap-based cleaning products requires a precise, gentle, and reproducible mixing technique. Only when the powder raw materials are homogeneously present can stable production with high product quality be achieved.
amixon® develops and builds the appropriate process technology for these requirements.
Talk to us about your detergent processes, your powder formulation, and your process engineering goals. amixon® – Process technology for detergents and cleaning agents.
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