Siphon-type Washing Technique with Liquids Containing Microbubbles for Removing Soiled Models from Solid Surfaces

Area of Science:

• Surface science and colloid chemistry
• Food processing and cleaning technologies
• Fluid dynamics and interfacial phenomena

Background:

• Food soil removal from diverse surfaces is crucial in industrial cleaning.
• Microbubble (MB) technology offers potential for enhanced cleaning efficiency.
• Understanding the interplay between MB properties, surfactants, and flow dynamics is key.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the synergistic cleaning effects of microbubbles and siphon-type washing on starch paste removal.
• To evaluate the impact of microbubble characteristics and surfactant types on cleaning performance.
• To elucidate the detergency mechanism and optimize cleaning parameters.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative cleaning evaluation using mass loss and washing rate measurements.
• Systematic investigation of microbubble size, stability, and surfactant effects (anionic, nonionic, cationic).
• Characterization of microbubble dynamics and interfacial properties (static contact angle).

Main Results:

• Microbubble dispersions in tap water enhanced washing rates by up to 1.56.
• Anionic surfactants significantly improved cleaning, nonionic surfactants moderately enhanced it, and cationic surfactants reduced it.
• Microbubble stability and size retention correlated positively with cleaning enhancement, influenced by surfactant type.
• Siphon-type washing synergistically enhanced soil detachment through microbubble buoyancy.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing microbubble generation and surfactant selection is critical for effective cleaning.
• Interfacial wettability modification and electrostatic interactions play key roles in microbubble-assisted detergency.
• The combination of microbubbles and siphon washing offers a promising approach for efficient soil removal applications.