Antifoam efficiency estimation

The parameter Cm can provide important data to be used in estimating the antifoam efficiency, in determining the minimum (threshold) surfactant concentration in the purification of solutions by foam flotation [53], in analysing the causes of foam formation in extraction systems and in establishing the optimum conditions of effective extraction [68]. 

Three characteristics are used in the estimation of antifoam efficiency i) ability to inhibit foam formation (the time needed to produce the foam and the decrease in its stability) ii) duration of foam inhibition action iii) defoaming efficiency at introducing antifoaming agent in the foam. 

Another way to estimate the efficiency of an antifoaming agent is by the mass, necessary to reduce the foam volume to a half [22]. In yeast production defoaming ability is determined by comparing the consumption of the antifoaming agent with respect to a standard substance (oleic acid) [23]. 

Table 9.1 presents a comparative estimation of the efficiency of some industrial antifoams, including their foam inhibition and defoamng activity [18]. 

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