If you have ever wondered what an industrial defoamer is and what it is used for, we will try to enlighten you. Read on to learn more.
What is an industrial defoamer?
Foam can cause problems throughout the production flow due to the downtime required to resolve foam-related issues. Foam control products help limit and minimize the operational consequences of foam by preventing it before it becomes a major problem. The use of antifoam agents therefore saves time and money. A defoamer is a component used to achieve the destabilization of foam, which is produced during many industrial emulsion processes or even during the application of a finished product. As surfactants, industrial defoamers release the air contained in the foam bubbles by creating intermediate surface tensions. Of course, we find that defoamers of different chemical compositions are developed, uniquely designed to attack all different types of foam. In this way, these products are adapted to all the needs that may arise in the current market.
What are the different defoamers that exist?
Among the antifoam products, we can distinguish between organic and silicone antifoams.
Organic industrial defoamer is the product that is mainly based on mineral oils or water. In oil-based defoamers, the components are based on mixtures of vegetable or mineral oils, and are mainly used to break the foam on various types of surfaces of other products. In water-based compounds, the oils and waxes are distributed throughout the water base, and are most useful for releasing air trapped by other liquids or by industrial paints.
Silicone-based industrial defoamers, on the other hand, are composed of hydrophobic silicone dispersed by a silicone oil. They tend to be most useful for surface foams, air trapped in liquids, and are particularly effective in preventing foaming in paints and plastic coatings.
How are defoamers used?
Some of the most common uses of industrial antifoams in industry include: the manufacture of all types of coatings, especially plastics, application in inks, manufacture of plastics, lubricants or adhesives, creation of resins etc.
Where to get anti-foam products?
At ELKEM, you will find the guarantee of more than 60 years of experience. This company always uses the most modern technologies and the most innovative raw materials offered by the current market. The work carried out day after day by their professionals, experts trained both technically and commercially, continues to lead to new products and advanced techniques applied to the industrial sector. If you want to know all the available products related to industrial antifoam, you can contact ELKEM through their website : Elkem.com. Below is an illustration of the use of a silicone defoamer.
