Synopsis

An initiative and Guideline by the Swiss Cosmetic Industry

The path to decarbonisation and sustainability will be eased with an increase in efficiency and lesser use of energy. The Swiss Society of Cosmetic Chemists in cooperation with 2 research institutions and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy started in 2020 a project to examine 6 innovative Efficiency Concepts (EC) within three companies, one of them a large quantity producer, another known for its high value products and one OEM manufacturer. The results will be summarized later within Guidelines; a document to share.

Before applying the EC within the production, the potential influence on product quality had to be investigated in detail. A proper scale-down/ scale-up process was applied, making sure that any modification in formulation, temperature and dispersing conditions can later be safely transferred into production. Quality control included drop size distribution, Rheology (viscosity, oscillatory tests) and sensory tests.

New formulation development and new homogenizing concepts were investigated and proved in production scale. Potential product specific limits are well understood and new decision guidelines for temperatures (max in production and min for filling) were applied. The cooling and heating cycles as well as the cleaning process were improved leading to energy and cost savings of at least 20 to 30%. Productivity increase was significant.

The project also included guidelines and an assessment to fully decarbonize the energy supply by applying heat and cold recovery, thermal storages and heat pumps to couple heat and cold production.

The authors will present the general approach and set-up of the project, explain some of the EC with focus on implementation more in detail and show some case stories/results. Aspects with respect to formulation will be explained at a later stage.