Abstract

SALAS, Carlos; BRICENO, María Isabel  and  CARDENAS, Antonio. Mechanical breaking of aqueous foams using static separators. Rev. Téc. Ing. Univ. Zulia [online]. 2007, vol.30, n.Especial, pp.419-427. ISSN 0254-0770.

Foam generation represents in some industrial processes a serious drawback in the operation of many types of equipment that limit mass and heat transfer. Difficulties associated with the use of antifoams, have led to investigate alternative methods of foam breaking. This study considers the aqueous foam breaking by mechanical methods using parallel metallic meshes. In this study, the residence time, the gas flow, the mesh holes size were considered. Stable foams were formed using a sodium dodecil sulphate solution and xanthans gums. It was found that, depending on the separator used, the drained liquid volume increases when the flow of gas is increased, until a limiting value where the foam refines and does not collapse. It was also found that there is an optimum foam breakage when there is a minimum separation of the meshes and the relation between the holes size of the meshes and the bubble size is between 1.5 and 2, when gas flow is low.

Keywords : Foams; breakage; quality; liquid drainage; bubbles.