At Concentrol, we are dedicated to advancing research in our laboratory to develop products and applications that precisely cater to our customers’ needs. Recently, we conducted comparative studies aimed at assessing the long-term efficiency of two of our defoamers in the treatment of industrial wastewater: EMULTROL DFM OLM-12 and EMULTROL DFM PGEV-20.
Antifoams play a crucial role in water purification processes by enabling the effective control of excessive foam formation. Unchecked foam can lead to a multitude of issues within treatment systems, including safety and hygiene concerns, overflow incidents, diminished efficiency of biological processes, and more.
This study scrutinizes the performance of the antifoams OLM-12 and PGEV-20 in two distinct mediums: a 2% casein aqueous solution and a 1% lauryl ether sulfate aqueous solution. Casein is a protein commonly found in wastewater from the food industry, while lauryl ether sulfate is a surfactant frequently used in detergents and cleaning products.
The methodology involved mixing 200 mL of each medium with a 0.1% antifoam dosage, followed by gas injection through a gas diffuser. Foam volume was measured every 30 seconds for a 15-minute period, yielding the following results:
Casein medium
Graph 1. Comparison of the foam volume formed over time with different antifoams in a 2% casein medium.
Both defoamers effectively controlled foam formation during the initial 5 minutes. However, beyond this point, PGEV-20 exhibited superior performance, consistently maintaining significantly lower foam volumes compared to OLM-12.
Lauryl ether sulfate medium
Graph 2. Comparison of the foam volume formed over time with different antifoams in a 1% lauryl ether sulfate medium.
In this case, OLM-12 demonstrated greater efficacy in destabilizing the foam for over 5 minutes. In contrast, PGEV-20 exhibited limited performance, similar to what was observed in the control test without antifoam.
Our researchers conclude that, in general terms, OLM-12 has better antifoam performance. Nevertheless, PGEV-20 emerges as an exceptional alternative for mediums with high protein concentrations, displaying remarkable efficacy in wastewater of this type.
This study underscores the significance of selecting the appropriate antifoam, which largely hinges on the specific characteristics of the water undergoing treatment. Concentrol’s profound expertise across various industrial sectors enables us to know in depth the uniqueness of each process and wastewater.
The precise selection and dosage of specialized defoamers like those in the EMULTROL DFM range are critical for the optimal operation of water treatment facilities. Our recent comparative studies affirm that each of these chemicals is meticulously crafted for specific uses and applications, making the versatility of this line an added value to address any foam control need.
At Concentrol, we innovate with chemistry to create positive impacts on society and the environment.
