Process for drying synthetic organic detergent compositions and the like

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF DRYING A SOLUTION OF A SUBSTANTIALLY INORGANIC-SALT-FREE SYNTHETIC DETERGENT COMPOSITION HAVING AS AN ACTIVE INGREDIENT A SULPHATED ORGANIC COMPOUND WHICH HAS A TENDENCY TO MELT AT THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH DRYING TAKES PLACE BUT WHICH IS SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, WHICH COMPRISES SPREADING SAID SOLUTION IN THE FORM OF A RELATIVELY THIN LAYER ON THE SURFACE OF A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING BELT, PASSING SAID BELT CONTAINING SAID LAYER THROUGH A HEATING ZONE AND HEATING THE SOLUTION AT LEAST PARTIALLY BY RADIANT HEATING FROM ABOVE WHILE CARRIED ON SAID BELT SUFFICIENTLY TO REDUCE THE SOLVENT CONTENT THERE OF TO NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 3%, PASSING THE RESULTING DETERGENT COMPOSITION OF REDUCE THE SOLVENT CONTENT THROUGH A COOLING ZONE WHILE CARRIED ON THE SURFACE OF A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING BELT TO EFFECT COOLING AND SOLIDIFICATION THEREOF, AND THEREAFTER COLLECTING THE SOLIDIFIED DRIED DETERGENT COMPOSITION FROM THE COOLING ZONE.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF DRYING A SOLUTION OF A SUBSTANTIALLY INORGANIC-SALT-FREE SYNTHETIC DETERGENT COMPOSITION HAVING AS AN ACTIVE INGREDIENT A SULPHATED ORGANIC COMPOUND WHICH HAS A TENDENCY TO MELT AT THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH DRYING TAKES PLACE BUT WHICH IS SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, WHICH COMPRISES SPREADING SAID SOLUTION IN THE FORM OF A RELATIVELY THIN LAYER ON THE SURFACE OF A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING BELT, PASSING SAID BELT CONTAINING SAID LAYER THROUGH A HEATING ZONE AND HEATING THE SOLUTION AT LEAST PARTIALLY BY RADIANT HEATING FROM ABOVE WHILE CARRIED ON SAID BELT SUFFICIENTLY TO REDUCE THE SOLVENT CONTENT THERE OF TO NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 3%, PASSING THE RESULTING DETERGENT COMPOSITION OF REDUCE THE SOLVENT CONTENT THROUGH A COOLING ZONE WHILE CARRIED ON THE SURFACE OF A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING BELT TO EFFECT COOLING AND SOLIDIFICATION THEREOF, AND THEREAFTER COLLECTING THE SOLIDIFIED DRIED DETERGENT COMPOSITION FROM THE COOLING ZONE.