WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM AND DOWNSTREAM CLEANING METHODS
The present invention provides methods for treating an aqueous system comprising contacting the aqueous system with a composition comprising a conversion agent. The methods of the present invention reduce the solubilized water hardness and/or reduce or inhibit scale formation in an aqueous system. Further, the methods of the present invention impact the chemistries needed in downstream cleaning processes employing water treated in accordance with the methods of the present invention.
1 . A method for reducing solubilized water hardness in a water source, said method comprising:
(a) contacting the water source having a pH of between about 6 and about 9 with a composition comprising a solid conversion agent, wherein the conversion agent causes calcium hardness ions in the water source to substantially precipitate in a non-calcite crystalline form that does not need to be removed from the water source, such that the solubilized water hardness is substantially reduced.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion agent is selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal hydroxides, and combinations thereof.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the conversion agent is selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, and combinations thereof.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the conversion agent is selected from the group consisting of magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, titanium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-calcite crystalline form is aragonite.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises aragonite.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the composition comprises about 1 wt % to about 50 wt % of aragonite.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion agent is insoluble in water.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solubilized water hardness is reduced by about 15% or greater.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of contacting the water with the conversion agent comprises running the water over the solid source of the conversion agent.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid conversion agent is contained in a column.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the column is agitated by a method selected from the group consisting of the flow of water through the column, by fluidization, mechanical agitation, high flow backwash, recirculation, and combinations thereof.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the water source prior to contact with the conversion agent is between about 130° F. and about 185° F.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solubilized calcium ion water hardness is reduced.
15 . A method of using a treated water source to clean an article said method comprising:
(a) treating a water source with a composition comprising a conversion agent, wherein the conversion agent causes calcium hardness ions in the water source to substantially precipitate in a non-calcite crystalline form that does not need to be removed from the water source, such that the solubilized hardness of the water is substantially reduced;
(b) forming a use solution with the treated water and a detergent; and
(c) contacting the article with the use solution such that the article is cleaned.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the conversion agent is selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal hydroxides and combinations thereof.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, and mixtures thereof.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, titanium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the composition further comprises aragonite.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the water source has a neutral pH prior to treatment.
21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the water hardness decreases by about 15% or greater after treatment.
22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises the step of rinsing the article after it has been washed.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the article is rinsed using treated water.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the article is rinsed using untreated water.
25 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the amount of calcium hardness ions in the treated water source is lower than the amount of calcium hardness ions in the water source prior to the treatment step.
26 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises applying a rinse aid to the article after it has been washed.
27 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the detergent is substantially free of a chelant or sequestrant.
28 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the detergent comprises an insoluble magnesium compound, an alkali metal carbonate, and water.
29 . An apparatus for treating a water source for use in an automatic warewashing machine comprising:
(a) an inlet for providing the water source to a treatment reservoir;
(b) a treatment reservoir comprising a conversion agent;
(c) an outlet for providing treated water from the reservoir; and
(d) a treated water delivery line for providing the treated water to the automatic warewashing machine.
30 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the conversion agent in the treatment reservoir is a solid particle.
31 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the solid conversion agent is selected from the group of metal oxides, metal hydroxides, and mixtures thereof.
32 . The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, and mixtures thereof.
33 . The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, titanium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof.
34 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the solid conversion agent is an agitated bed in the treatment reservoir.
35 . The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the bed of conversion agent is agitated by a method selected from the group consisting of the flow of water through the column, fluidization, mechanical agitation, high flow backwash, recirculation, and combinations thereof.
36 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the treatment reservoir comprises a portable, removable cartridge.
37 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein there is no filter between the outlet and the treated water delivery line.
38 . A system for use in a cleaning process, said system comprising:
(a) providing a water source to an apparatus for treating the water source said apparatus comprising:
(i) an inlet for providing the water source to a treatment reservoir;
(ii) a treatment reservoir comprising a conversion agent;
(iii) an outlet for providing treated water from the reservoir; and
(iv) a treated water delivery line for providing the treated water to the automatic washing machine; and
(b) providing treated water to an automatic washing machine from the treated water delivery line of the apparatus; and
(c) combining the treated water with a detersive composition to provide a use composition.
39 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the automatic washing machine is selected from the group consisting of an automatic ware washing machine, vehicle washing system, instrument washer, clean in place system, food processing cleaning system, bottle washer, and an automatic laundry washing machine.
40 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the detersive composition comprises a cleaning composition, a rinse agent composition or a drying agent composition.
41 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the detersive agent is substantially free of a chelant, builder, threshold agent, sequestrant or combination thereof.
42 . The system of claim 38 , wherein there is no filter between the outlet and the treated water delivery line.
43 . A method for reducing scale formation in an aqueous system comprising contacting the aqueous system with a composition consisting essentially of a solid conversion agent, wherein the conversion agent causes calcium hardness ions in the water source to substantially precipitate in a non-calcite crystalline form that does not need to be removed from the water source, such that scale formation in the aqueous system is reduced.
44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the conversion agent is selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal hydroxides and combinations thereof.
45 . The method of claim 44 , wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, and mixtures thereof.
46 . The method of claim 44 , wherein the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, titanium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof.
47 . The method of claim 44 , wherein the composition further comprises aragonite.