Defoamer

Defoamer is used in a pulp mill and a paper mill to reduce foam problems. It tackles both problems with surface foam and entrained or entrapped air. Defoamer also hinders the formation of foam. Defoamers are surface active agents such as esters or amides of fatty acids and polyethylene glycols. It is also called antifoaming agent.

Properties of defoamer
Defoamer (antifoaming agent) has surfactant properties. Defoamer is highly insoluble in the foaming water medium. The viscosity of defoamer (antifoaming agent) is very low therefore it is spread very rapidly on foamy surfaces as tiny droplets. Defoamer has affinity to spread air-liquid interface and this is the causes for collapse of surface foam. Some other important parameter of defoamer (antifoaming agent) are pH value, solid content, active material content, specific gravity, emulsifier type (ionic/non-ionic), diluent and shelf life.

Why foam is generated
There are many causes to create foam in a paper mill and pulp mill. Many mechanical factors are involved to create foam. Every paper mill must have several pumps. If the pump is leaky seals it may be caused to create foam. A high pressure pump can also be created foam. Moreover agitation also builds up foam. Especially air bubble or foam raise during coating color circulation.
There are many chemical used in paper mill for paper making process. Some of them build up foam. Foam creation also depends on sizing agent. When acid sizing agent or rosin sizing agent is used then foam produce more than the use of alkaline or neutral sizing agent.

Various trouble that caused by foam in paper mill
Various kinds of troubles occur due to build up foam, dissolved and entrained air in a paper mill. Such as-
1. Formation problem in a paper mill.
2. Lessening of pump effectiveness
3. Development of bacteria.
4. Formation of deposit
5. Drainage problems
6. Coating color may be contain by air bubbles until drying
7. Downtime to cleaning system, ultimate increasing cost due to chemical drainage.

Benefits of defoamer or antifoaming agent
Defoamer (antifoaming agent) improves drainage in the paper mill. It is also improves drainage in the Kraft pulp stock, sulfite stock, bleaching plant screen room area in the pulp mill. A defoamer (antifoaming agent) reduces paper breaking and hence improves paper machine runnability. Therefore increases paper mill production. Defoamer (antifoaming agent) also lessen steam consumption in the dryers and resultant energy savings as well as cost savings. Defoamer avoids paper formation of holes by removing fine bubbles in fibers.

Dosage of defoamer or antifoaming agent
For batter effectiveness of defoamer (antifoaming agent) should be used proper dosages. If insufficient defoamer is used, the paper mill does not attain its goal. On the other hand, if too much defoamer is used, it negatively affects the performance of sizing agents and dry strength additives, moreover deposit dilemma. Hence to use of proper dosage of defoamer, it should be test the air content of headbox furnish.

Types of defoamer or deaerator
A wide variety of defoamer are available for paper mill such water based defoamers, oil based defoamers, powder defoamers, silicone based defoamers, polymer defoamers (EO/PO based defoamers) and alkyl polyacrylates defoamers.

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49 Responses to Defoamer

  1. Everyone loves what you guys are usually up too. This type of clever work and reporting! Keep up the amazing works guys I’ve you guys to my blogroll.

  2. Mohit Kapoor says:

    I run a very small unit to manufacture handmade paper made of cotton offcuts.
    My buyer requires some cotton pulp which should not have any foaming .
    Can you please prescribe me some water soluble anti-foaming agent.

    Rgds
    Mohit Kapoor

    • admin says:

      We use Napco and Afranil ST as anti-foaming agent for our paper mill

      • Joe Arnold says:

        Great antifoam article. Very good job encompassing the broad range of product bases and application. If you ever have an interest to consolidate your antifoam/defoamer from one manufacturer, please let me know. SIXIN is Asia’s leading antifoam manufacturer. We have a reputable reputation for supplying product at a low material cost and reducing dosage. I can send you case studies if you would like.

        My email is joearnold@sixinchem.com

        Again, very nice to have an article that helps users distinguish the differences in defoamer chemistry and applications.

    • pawan kumar says:

      Yes I suggest that you have to feed a small quantity of water-solvent base defoamer it is the best defoamer for machine.
      its dose only 60-80gm/ton paper.

      • ajit kishor says:

        Hello sir,
        My name is Ajit Kishor.I’m a businessman of defoamer.
        PLz send me your contact and email.My contAct no is 9997734800

    • Jack says:

      kindly provide your Mr. Mohit
      or mail me on lucky26002@gmail.com for water soluble defoamers

      • Sudhaharan says:

        Mr. Mohit, we offer water soluble antifoam for paper and pulp industries. you can contact me at 91-96000-56740. Sudhaharan. KCC Silicones

        • Joe Arnold says:

          I think you mean water dispersible, not water soluble. If the defoamer was water soluble, it would become inert in the system. The only water soluble defoamers which could be effective are cloud point based antifoams (polyethers).

    • Sandeep Singh says:

      We have very good defoamer of silicon base,water base,and oil base.

  3. jigar charania says:

    stearamide type defoamer is better than silicon defoamer ?

  4. shivam chawla says:

    DEAR ALL,
    Please suggest which emulsifier will work for making this defoamer…

    waiting for your reply…..

  5. Malav Khatri says:

    which type of defoamer is used in which condition ?///

  6. Nankya Christine says:

    Hello,
    Please i would like to know the chemicals used in paper making mill and a detailed procedure of how to use those chemicals in our factory.

    • Helen says:

      Hello,
      Greetings. I am Helen.

      We are a factory specially and only produce Antifoam Defoamers in China since 2013 but with more than 50 models.

      Our defoamers works for a lot of industries and working process, such as Pulp/Paper production, Water treatment, Oil filed, Power plant, Alumina etc.

      Fatty alhocol, Silicone, Non-silicone, mineral oil defaomers are available.

      We cooperate with many paper mills and chemical distrituors.

  7. Nankya Christine says:

    Hello,
    Please we are manufacturers of toilet papers. I want to start using chemical;s
    Kindly i would like to start using chemicals, and detailed procedure of how to use chemicals in our factory to get a good white toilet paper.
    Thanks
    Christine Nankya

  8. knight.Cao says:

    If you want pulp making or paper making machine ,please contact to me, ok?
    I from China, If you want , I will give you the best price, and I will give you recommend Low-cost production line.
    knight.Cao

  9. saleem says:

    I use antifoam but one problem which I have experienced that it increase the dimention or deckle of paper-web. it will observed when changes in SR° occurred during production. Anybody have similar experience……? How it may control?? plz share

    • Joe Arnold says:

      I would like to hear more about your issue and try to resolve it. I work for an antifoam manufacturer and we specialize in implementing all defoamer chemistries into pulp/paper applications. I am sure we can resolve your problem. Please email me at

      joearnold@sixinchem.com

      Thanks.

      • Ajit Kishor says:

        Hey Joe,
        I’m Ajit Kishor from Muzaffarnagr ,U.P. ,India. I got your mail from “www.pulppapermill.com”.
        I am a manufacturer of ANTI FOAM DEFOAMERr used in PAPER INDUSTRIES. I want to know the techniques to make best quality Defoamer for paper machine and pulp.
        Can you please send me the ingredients and techniques to make Best Quality Defoamer.

        Regards,
        AJIT KISHOR
        MUZAFFARNAGAR,(U.P.), “INDIA”
        Contact no. +919997734800
        Skype No. +918755017324
        email – ravichemicals789@gmail.com

  10. Arulkumar says:

    Dear sirs,

    We are leading defoamer & dry strength resins manufacturer in India. We supplying defoamer to TNPL(TamilNadu NewsPrint And Papers Ltd,Tamilnadu) Since 2009. We are supplied 300 MT during the years. Our products are more effective and very cost effective. If interested please contact our mail Id sales@ascentchemicals.com Or +919865841234
    Thanks & Regards,
    ArulKumar.P
    SALES MANAGER
    M/s Ascent Chemicals

  11. Apurv Mehta says:

    Hi,
    I want to know the dosage of defoamer in pulp and paper industry. Can anyone help me with this information?

    • Joe Arnold says:

      Apurv,

      Dosage depends on the type of defoamer used in your mill, the type of paper, machine speed, chemical additives, etc…

      Send me an email at joearnold@sixinchem.com and we can discuss some potential application points, process conditions, correct defoamers for your specific mill, and dosages.

      Thanks!

  12. Yash says:

    Well I want to know which type of defoamers are mostly used in pulp and paper industry.

    • Joe Arnold says:

      Yash,

      The industry standard for most pulp mills is a low to medium concentrated silicone emulsion. Some mills use mineral oil defoamers in pulp mills that require the final product contains NO silicone.

      For paper machine, you have a variety of polyethers (esters, modified alcohols), fatty alcohol emulsions, and mineral oil concentrates. Fatty alcohol emulsions are the most common defoamer used on paper machine applications.

      The proper defoamer is really based on each mills process conditions. There is no ‘one defoamer for all’ circumstance. I would be happy to explain more to you about the technology behind defoamers. Please email me at joearnold@sixinchemna.com

      Regards,

  13. Sharon says:

    Hi, we are a molded fiber packaging manufacturer. We are looking for defoamer supplier in US, Can you give some suggestions?

    • Joe Arnold says:

      Sharon,

      I would be happy to help you. I work for SIXIN and we are located in Portland, OR. Our company specializes in defoamers. Please send me an email at joearnold@sixinchemna.com and I can get you more information about the type of defoamer you should evaluate and how to evaluate the performance.

    • srinivas says:

      Mr. Sharon, a very good evening , we are leading manufacturing for silicon defoamer, china make you can reach by 09440378266

  14. Alberto Correa says:

    Hi,

    I would like to know which tissue paper machine chemicals additives can cause foaming in the paper machine and then an increase in the use of defoamer.

    I know that stickies anionic dispersants (very popular now) added in the wet end are great contributors to foam in the paper machine. Wet strength PAE resins added in the wet end can also stabilize foam and increase defoamer use. Do you know if enzymes like cellulases added to increase dry strength also can cause foaming?

    • Joe Arnold says:

      Alberto,

      Check the charge of your system. The wet strength agent should stay in the fibers, for the most part and not cause too much foam. In the event the charge of your system is off, the wet strength agent may not hold in the fibers and wash through which causes foam. You would therefore increase your defoamer use…etc…it’s a bad spiral.

      Regards,

  15. Alberto Correa says:

    Hello

  16. Mahmoud Magdy says:

    Dear All,

    I`m looking for replacement product for LITEX P 7100 are there any ,

    Thanks,

    Mahmoud

  17. jamie foy says:

    Hi
    We are supplier of defoamers for all types of applications
    Feel free to contact me

    JAMIE

  18. Namita Talapatra says:

    admin
    pls answer my query, how defoamers lessen steam consumption in the dryers ?

    • admin says:

      Reasons, defoamer improves drainage, it has surfactant properties and highly insoluble in the water medium.

      • Joe Arnold says:

        Namita,

        The admin is correct in that the defoamer improve drainage on the washer. I wanted to explain some more detail. You can imagine an air bubble in the brownstock as a particle which the water has to go around before it can drain. Many bubbles in the system would cause an increase in path length for the water to flow through the fibers and brownstock, meaning to wash you must use more water to adequately wash the fiber. A good defoamer, or antifoam more specifically, will prevent the formation of bubbles in the system, therefore reducing the path length of wash water which will allow for a reduction in wash water for equivalent washing performance . Reducing the wash water means that the amount of water going to the dryers is reduced, and therefore the less steam. You can also measure some great benefits such as reduced energy consumption to evaporate the water at the evaporators, higher chemical recovery, reduced raw material cost due to reconstitution of pulping chemicals, and improved efficiency of the washers. Feel free to contact me with questions or supply about defoamers. joearnold@sixinchemna.com

  19. Patel Mehul says:

    I want chemical for remove foaming in pulp.pls i want this type chamical contact me in.my email adress

  20. Patel Mehul says:

    I want chemical for foam removing in pulp mill.

  21. Juan Carlos Corcuera says:

    I am contacting you as I am leading a Project with an important Customer to us in Paper Pulp mills.
    I would like to get your input to identify the best cost efficiency options. I’m interested in silicone antifoam compound, 100% active and silicone polyethers. Could you share product list and advantage vs knockdown, persistency, drainage, deposition, different black liquor please? I can’t download anything from your website due to security settings of my company.

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