IS POWER & SMART FUNCTION A WAY TO EXPLAIN WHY FORMULATED DETERGENTS ARE THE BEST CHOICE?

Typically, our customers use basic chemistry for cleaning. It has been like that for years and why change a winning team? The solution is also relatively cost attractive. As alkaline solution Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is used and for the acid step Nitric acid (HNO3).

We, in Novadan, claim, that formulated chemistry is a better choice. Due to the different components in the blend, the chemistry can be designed to remove specific types of dirt. Some of the functions could be emulsifying, dispersing, foaming, softening etc.

The classic view on dirt, is that it contains organic and inorganic substances where alkaline remove the organic and acid the inorganic components. This is of course a simplified explanation and, in reality, the different components bind together in larger micelles that sticks to the surface and each other.

As mentioned before, the formulated chemistry can be designed in a specific way to have better functionality. Sequestrants can be added. Sequestrants are complex binders that help remove inorganic dirt. Different types of surfactants can be used depending on which functionality that is needed. This could be lowering the surface tension, emulsifying fat, creating foam, or removing foam. All these skills/ qualities make it possible to create formulated products for specific issues. As an example, it is possible to do single stage CIP where traditionally double stage CIPs were used. This resulting in water and energy savings and equally important less time spend on CIP. Smart function.

The next part tries to explain the difference between smart function and power function. Power function to be the classic double stage CIP with raw chemicals and smart function being a single stage CIP with formulated chemicals. It is a simple way to compare the 2 CIPs and to provide an understanding the concept.

by Lars Daugaard Jensen Area Sales Manager

The idea behind the comparison between Smart and Power function is to look at the conductivity in the different solutions. Conductivity tells about a solution’s ability to transfer electrons. When a chemical dilutes in water it dissociates and with higher concentration the higher conductivity. Conductivity is widely used to measure and control the concentration during CIP.

Imagine this transferred to Smart & Power function. Imagine loosening dirt from a surface equals opening a locked door. By Power function you smash the door (high conductivity), by smart function you unluck the door. (lower conductivity) Going back to scheme 1 we can see the difference will be:

• Classic solution: Power Function 20 min at 78ms + 20 min at 35 = 2260 MS/min.

• Formulated solution: Smart function 20 min at 20ms = 400MS/min o This reduced the MS/min by 80 %,

Dirt is now gently removed and gives as long shelf life. On top of this a rinse will be saved together with energy that is costly and today limited !

Digging a bit deeper into this, we can take a look at Sodium hydroxide NaOH (Na+ OH-) and Potassium hydroxide KOH (K+ OH-). Both products are manufactured from hydrolyzing salt NaOH or KOH.

The sole difference is the NA+ Versus K+ Our industry faces prices of NaOH going up while KOH-price is exploding.

But is still using Smart function ?

High conductivity equals to high concentration of chemistry. The higher concentration the better cleaning. Power Function. High concentration can however create several issues as this tend to be rough on the equipment. Corrosion, blue flamed stainless steel, damaged gaskets etc. could be the outcome of too high concentration.

The reason must be that K+ differs by being smarter, it reacts smarter, faster etc, which means we will use far less to open the door, than we will do by smashing it with Na+.

Imagine again: Think of a million Na+ and just 2 K+, they all want a bicycle, when 100 bicycles is available 2 of them has a K+ rider.

Digging deeper. we have to look into the organic chemistry. In short, these are alkalines built by carbon and hydrogen, the more carbon that is linked, the heavier it becomes and works from light one`s gases Methan, Ethan and in the heavier end we see Oil as fx octan etc.

The interesting is that; Through various processes these can be developed to alcohols: Ethanol, acid: Acetic acid, and millions of other products not only for our industry - think about polyethylene = plastic coming from the same Ethan.

Scientists can create compounds of these, also using inorganic chemistry. By design, surfactance and sequestrants that can do special tasks, as they become large molecules. Some can do different jobs depending which part of the molecule is facing the “dirt”. Some of these compounds are non-ionic, they do not contribute with MS the remains are very large molecules with very little dissociation, and theY will be used in modest volume a large Smart impact.