Abstract: A process for making neutral sugar surfactant granules involving: (a) providing a water-containing alkaline sugar surfactant selected from the group consisting of an alkyl oligoglycoside, an alkenyl oligoglycoside, a fatty acid-N-alkyl polyhydroxyalkylamide, and mixtures thereof; (b) providing a thin-layer evaporator or dryer having rotating internals; (c) neutralizing the water-containing alkaline sugar surfactant to a pH of from 6.8 to 7.5 to form a neutralized water-containing sugar surfactant; (d) introducing the neutralized water-containing alkaline sugar surfactant into the thin-layer evaporator or dryer; and (e) drying the water-containing alkaline sugar surfactant in the thin-layer evaporator or dryer until it has a residual water content below 2% by weight.

Abstract: A process for making substantially water- and dust-free anionic surfactant granules of high bulk density involving: (a) providing a starting material containing a water-containing paste of a monoglyceride (ether) sulfate having a solids content of at least 20% by weight, based on the weight of the paste; (b) providing a horizontally mounted thin-layer evaporator with rotating internals; (c) providing a negative temperature gradient within the evaporator; (d) passing air into the evaporator in countercurrent to the flow of starting material; and (e) simultaneously drying and granulating the starting material by passing it through the evaporator to form anionic surfactant granules having a residual water content of below 2% by weight.

Abstract: A process for producing solid detergent granular materials is presented involving (a) forming an aqueous surfactant paste of an anionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant or mixtures thereof, and (b) drying and granulating the aqueous paste in a horizontal thin-layer evaporator or dryer having rotating fittings, wherein the drying is carried out at a temperature of 120° C. to 130° C. The process produces granules having a bulk density greater than 600 grams/liter and a uniform particle size distribution.

Abstract: A process for the production of anionic surfactant granules comprising the steps of:A) Neutralizing an acidic anionic surfactant with a base in a horizontal thin-layer evaporator or thin-layer dryer; andB) Drying the resulting neutralized anionic surfactant in the evaporator or dryer to form surfactant granules; wherein the acidic anionic surfactant and the base taken together have a solids content such that the total quantity of water in the evaporator or dryer at no time exceeds about 15 % by weight and wherein the neutralization and drying are carried out in countercurrent flow with air or an alkaline gas stream at a temperature in the range of from about 120 to about 130.degree. C.

Abstract: In the production of granules containing anionic surfactants and having a bulk density above 450 g/l by granulation of a surfactant preparation containing a non-surface-active liquid component, the water demand and hence the energy demand for evaporating the water can be reduced if the anionic surfactant in its acid form or a mixture containing one or more anionic surfactants in their acid form and an aqueous alkaline solution are separately treated with a gaseous medium, subsequently sprayed in substantially stoichiometric quantities into the granulation and drying zone either separately or together under a high propellant gas pressure and then granulated and, at the same time, dried, optionally with addition of one or more inorganic or organic solids.