Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids:

Formulating for the Sustainable Future

Stanley S. Seelig, President/Owner

Anthony OLenick, Managing Dir/Owner
Waterless Cleaning LLC

The 101st American Oil Chemists Society Annual & Expo

May 18, 2010

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

Waterless Cleaning LLC is
100 % owned by Stan Seelig and Tony OLenick, with combined 60 years of
industrial/consumer experience in cleaning/personal care

Mission Statement
To provide green/sustainable cleaning formulations using green solvents and
ionic liquid co-solvents for the replacement of wasteful, water-based
formulations and practices

Company Vision
1. 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.

May 18, 2010

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

Laundry Cleaning Today
Follows 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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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
Water
Ionic liquid co-solvent(s)
Other additives (brighteners, fragrances, surfactants)

> 90%
< 5%
< 1%
< 4%
May 18, 2010

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

Current Vision for Laundry Cleaning
(Institutional model)

Fresh/
recycled
solvent

2 -add detergent,
then clothes

3
1

5 +
spin
dryer

4
B

Cleaning
Solvent

Rinse
Solvent

Distillate

After x washings

Distillation

Waste

Recycled
solvent

May 18, 2010

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Cost

Water Cost:

$ 0.00075
$/Liter

Energy Cost:

(natural gas)
Chemical Cost:

0.15

Usage
147,000
L/Month

$110.25

3200

$480.00

$/M3

M3/Month

Total Cost
(multiple machines)
10:1 ratio

Cost/Month

$ 500.00
$1,090.25

Water usage Load Processed/month

147,000
L/Month

14,700
Kg

525
L/load

52.5
Kg/load

$ 0.07417
Cost/Kg
Laundry
280.00
Loads/month
May 18, 2010

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

Theoretical Cost Comparisons at Local Marriott
Solvent density assumed 1.0
Solvent System
$ 1.00/lb
Solvent usage

Kg/1st load

Assumptions

525

per load

Usage Solvent

Solvent

Kg/month

Cost/1st Month

147,000

$ 323,564.20

147.00

No solvent recovery
(100% solvent loss)

Solvent usage

525

per load

99% solvent recovery

323.56

or 0.525Kg loss

Solvent recovery is based on drag out by the

for every load of laundry

Solvent usage

525

per 20 loads

Solvent usage

525

per 40 loads

81.8% solvent recovery

plus Energy (E) to run still

laundry load wt which is 99% per load

133.84

294.60

plus E/20 to run still

X

or 9.56Kg loss

Solvent recovery after 20 loads is 99 %

for every 20 loads of laundry

where x= 20 or 81.8% of the laundry load

66.9% solvent recovery

121.66

267.79

plus E/40 to run still

X

or 17.38Kg loss

Solvent recovery after 40 loads is 99 %

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

Theoretical Cost Comparisons at Local Marriott
Proposed Solvent System

Cost

Usage

Solvent Cost:

2.20

133.84

(used)

$/Liter

Energy Cost:

(no drying)
Chemical Cost:

Initial Solvent Cost

Total Monthly Cost

$ 0.15

$/M3
assumed same

1st month

2nd month

Cost/Month
$

294.60

L/Month per 20 loads

800

M3/Month

$120.00

assumed 25%
$

500.00

$1,155.59

$ 914.60

vs
$1,090.25
(for water)

May 18, 2010

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

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

Green Solvents and Ionic Liquids

Acknowledgements
Whirlpool
Rhodia
(Johnson) Diversey

Ecolab
Dow Chemical
Invista

May 18, 2010