Process for making a low density detergent composition by controlled agglomeration in a fluid bed dryer

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A process for producing a low density detergent composition is provided. The process involves: (a) agglomerating a detergent surfactant paste or precursor thereof and dry starting detergent material in a frist high speed mixer to obtain detergent agglomerates; (b) mixing the detergent agglomerates in a second high speed mixer to obtain builtup agglomerates; and (c) feeding the built-up agglomerates and a binder into a fluid bed dryer to form detergent agglomerates having a density in a range from about 300 g/l to about 550 g/l the fluid, bed dryer being operated at a Stokes Number of less than about 1 wherein Stokes Number ~ 8pvd/9µ, p is the apparent particle density of the built-up …