Contributing ratio of the mechanical and the physicochemical actions to washing efficiency of mineral oil and protein soils

Abstract

It was attempted to separate the detergency contributions from the mechanical actions and the physicochemical actions for two different types of soils. The mechanical washing efficiency was evaluated through the washing performed under the mechanical agitation, in the absence of detergent. The physicochemical washing efficiency was examined in the washing bath with detergent in the absence of mechanical agitation. Among the washing parameters, extended washing time and higher washing temperature were effective improving the mechanical and physicochemical washing efficiencies for mineral oil and carbon black. For blood soil, lower washing temperature and extended washing time enhanced the mechanical and physicochemical washing efficiencies. For the mineral oil, the presence of both mechanical and physicochemical actions led to the effective washing performance with synergistic effect. For the blood soil, mechanical actions were observed as more contributing than the physicochemical actions. The optimized washing program could be recommended as per the contributing ratios for the specific soil types, minimizing the energy consumption and detergent usage while achieving the washing performance.