Green Solvents And Ionic Liquids

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids:Formulating for the Sustainable Future

Stanley S. Seelig, President/Owner

Anthony O’Lenick, Managing Dir/Owner

Waterless Cleaning LLC

The 101st American Oil Chemist’s Society Annual & Expo May 18, 2010

May 18, 2010

Waterless Cleaning LLC is100 % owned by Stan Seelig and Tony O’Lenick, with combined 60 years of

industrial/consumer experience in cleaning/personal care

Mission StatementTo provide green/sustainable cleaning formulations using “green” solvents and

ionic liquid co-solvents for the replacement of wasteful, water-based

formulations and practices

Company Vision1. To license green and sustainable solvent-based cleaning formulations to

industry.

2. To sell specialty ionic liquids that provide multiple benefits for a lower overall

cost into cleaning/other markets.

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

May 18, 2010

What are “Green” Solvents ? (for our applications)

• Not halogenated, non-flammable (< 100 0C), non-hazardous, non-toxic

• Low /no VOC

• BP < 200 0C

• Biodegradable, stable, recyclable

• Low water solubility (< 5 wt% in solvent)

Best choices are solvents derived from bio-diesel, plant, natural products


May 18, 2010

Choosing the Right Green Solvent(s)

Considerations

• Low pricing (< $ 1.50/lb)

• World-wide availability, high volume potential

• Safe for people /environment

• Low /no VOC

• Compatibilities (w/equipment /materials to be cleaned)

• Equipment design

• Examples – dibasic esters, lactates, soy-based, Si-based, others


May 18, 2010

What are Ionic Liquids (ILS) ?

Our ILs are:

• Combinations of cations(+) and anions(-)

• Liquids (viscous) at room temperature (RTILs)

• Cross between “Green” solvents and surfactants

• Hydrophobic, non-halogenated, no unusual cyclic structures,

conductive, simple

• Less expensive (ours < $1/gm, others > $100/gm)


May 18, 2010

Applications for Ionic Liquids

• Solvents for pharmaceutical manufacturing

• Lubricants

• Extending the life of a lithium battery

• Dispersants in paints

• Solar energy (heat transfer and storage medium)

• Electrochemical applications

• Cleaning and drying


May 18, 2010

Primary Project

To develop a revolutionary change in the cleaning of fabrics by

combining dry cleaning concepts and water-based laundry systems into

a green and sustainable laundry system for institutional, industrial,

commercial, and consumer laundry operations (without using water)

This is a Disruptive Technology !


May 18, 2010

Laundry Cleaning TodayFollows the Energy Star program by minimizing:

• Water usages

• Energy consumption

• Chemical usage

• Overall costs

But, we still dump billions of gallons of water down the drain every

day (containing more detergent than contamination ) !

Is this a Sustainable Process ?


May 18, 2010

Is water, the Next Oil ?

• 3% of the Earth has drinkable water

• 1% of the 3% is accessible (rest is tied up in glaciers)

• 20% of the 1% is found in the Great Lakes Region (USA)

Ethical Challenge: We need to minimize our use of drinking water for

non-essential applications (i.e., laundry, dishwasher, toilets, watering

lawns, washing cars, etc). Our waste water streams are running on

maximum.


May 18, 2010

Laundry Cleaning Tomorrow

Moving towards Waterless (Dry) Cleaning

• Cold water cleaning w/minimal water and energy

• Cleaning w/ozone (O3 injected water reduces heat), 2003

• Self cleaning laundry (coating repels water and dirt), 2004

• Cleaning w/polymer beads (90% water reduction), 2009

• Cleaning w/green solvents and ionic liquids (no free water), 2011

Equipment patents exist already for consumer solvent cleaning!


May 18, 2010

Current Vision for Laundry Cleaning

• Target: Institutional markets now (hotels, hospitals, nursing homes,

schools, military, prisons, etc.)

• Support from Customer Relationships (detergent manu)

• Form Strategic Alliances with “green” solvent manu

• Form Partnerships with equipment manufacturers

• (Anticipated) Cleaning Solvent Composition

– Green Solvent > 90%

– Water < 5%

– Ionic liquid co-solvent(s) < 1%

– Other additives (brighteners, fragrances, surfactants) < 4%


May 18, 2010

Current Vision for Laundry Cleaning

• “Green” solvent + detergent package (ILs) will clean ~20-40 loads of

laundry (based on density limits) with rinsing

• Cleaning solvent would be filtered/recovered; waste residue sent for

disposal (after accumulation)

• Rinse solvent becomes cleaning solvent

• Add fresh (or recycled) solvent to rinse tank


May 18, 2010

Current Vision for Laundry Cleaning(Institutional model)

Cleaning

Solvent

Distillation

Rinse

Solvent

Waste

1

2 -add detergent,

then clothes3

4

5 +

spin

dryer

Fresh/

recycled

solvent

After x washingsDistillate

Recycled

solvent

CA

B


May 18, 2010

Actual Cost Comparisons at Local Marriott Water-based system (special thanks to Diversey, Inc)

Current System Cost Usage Cost/Month

Water Cost: $ 0.00075 147,000 $110.25

$/Liter L/Month

Energy Cost: $ 0.15 3200 $480.00

(natural gas) $/M3 M3/Month

Chemical Cost: - - $ 500.00

Total Cost $1,090.25

(multiple machines) Water usage Load Processed/month

10:1 ratio 147,000 14,700 $ 0.07417

L/Month Kg Cost/Kg

Laundry

525 52.5 280.00

L/load Kg/load Loads/month


May 18, 2010

Theoretical Cost Comparisons at Local Marriott Solvent density assumed 1.0

Solvent System Usage Solvent Solvent

$ 1.00/lb Kg/1st load Assumptions Kg/month Cost/1st Month

Solvent usage 525 147,000 $ 323,564.20

per load No solvent recovery

(100% solvent loss)

Solvent usage 525 99% solvent recovery 147.00 $ 323.56 plus Energy (E) to run still

per load or 0.525Kg loss Solvent recovery is based on drag out by the

for every load of laundry laundry load wt which is 99% per load

Solvent usage 525 81.8% solvent recovery 133.84 $ 294.60 plus E/20 to run still

per 20 loads or 9.56Kg loss Solvent recovery after 20 loads is 99X

%

for every 20 loads of laundry where x= 20 or 81.8% of the laundry load

Solvent usage 525 66.9% solvent recovery 121.66 $ 267.79 plus E/40 to run still

per 40 loads or 17.38Kg loss Solvent recovery after 40 loads is 99X

%

for every 40 loads of laundry where x= 40 or 66.9% of the laundry load

Solvent loss based on 1% of laundry weight

With solvent recovery, you begin next month with a full solvent charge

Initial charge cost: $ 1,155.59


May 18, 2010

Theoretical Cost Comparisons at Local Marriott

Proposed Solvent System Cost Usage Cost/Month

Solvent Cost: 2.20 133.84 $ 294.60

(used) $/Liter L/Month per 20 loads

Energy Cost: $ 0.15 800 $120.00

(no drying) $/M3 M3/Month assumed 25%

Chemical Cost: assumed same $ 500.00

Initial Solvent Cost 1st month $1,155.59

Total Monthly Cost 2nd month $ 914.60


vs

$1,090.25

(for water)

May 18, 2010

Solvent Cleaning Benefits (1)

• Energy Efficient – Energy to heat solvent < water; spin drying of

solvent>water; IL repels the solvent; no dryer expected!

• Water Efficient – no water is used; solvent will clean 20-40 loads

depending on contamination and density

• Cleaning Efficiency – recycling solvent means less added chemicals;

fabrics will look/smell as if cleaned using water

• Environmentally safer – solvents are low/non-VOCs, non-hazardous,

biodegradable, non-toxic


May 18, 2010

Solvent Cleaning Benefits (2)

• Softening and Cleaning – ILs add softening, anti-static, cleaning,

anti-bacterial(?), fragrance retention properties

• Recyclability – solvent used 20-40 times with clean rinses

• Reclaimability – used solvents are recovered for future use

• Equal/Better Overall Cleaning Performance – contaminants are

(1) filtered off and (2) part of distillation residues

• Closed-Loop Process


May 18, 2010

Waterless Cleaning must

• Work with Potential Customers in institutional laundry

• Form a Strategic Alliance with key solvent manufacturers

• Form Partnerships with laundry equipment manufacturers

• Find Investors (angels, venture capitalists, banks, SBIR grants)

• Hire key personnel


May 18, 2010

Acknowledgements

Whirlpool

Rhodia

(Johnson) Diversey

Ecolab

Dow Chemical

Invista


Documents

Green Solvents And Ionic Liquids