Abstract: A process for making substantially odorless granules of alkyl sulfates corresponding to formula (I): R-O-SO3X (I) wherein R is an alkyl group containing from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, and X is selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, an alkyl ammonium, and alkanolammonium, and a glucammonium ion, the process involving: (a) providing a water-containing paste of alkyl sulfates having a content of unsulfonated components of greater than 0.3% by weight; and (b) simultaneously granulating and drying, in a fluidized bed, the water-containing paste of alkyl sulfates to form substantially odorless granules of alkyl sulfates, and wherein the substantially odorles granules thus formed have less than 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of active substance, of unsulfonated components present therein.

Abstract: A process for making detergent granules having a bulk density above 500 g/l involving: (a) providing a fluidized bed; (b) providing an apertured inflow base located below the fluidized bed for introducing fluidization gas into the fluidized bed; (c) providing a grid interposed between the fluidized bed and the apertured inflow base, the grid having a mesh size of less than 600 &mgr;m; (d) providing a surfactant preparation in liquid to paste form; and (e) introducing the surfactant preparation into the fluidized bed to form the detergent granules.