Inventors:
Susan C. Lappi - Lakeville MN
James E. Maloney - Eagan MN
Assignee:
Economics Laboratory, Inc. - St. Paul MN
International Classification:
D21H 302
Abstract:
Methods of foam inhibition or depression in industrial milieu. The present methods generally involve the use of certain nonionic surfactants having the structure: R. sub. 1 --(OC. sub. 2 H. sub. 4). sub. x --(OC. sub. 3 H. sub. 6). sub. y --OH wherein R. sub. 1 is a monovalent organic hydrophobic moiety or hydrophobe, preferably selected from the group consisting of long chain or higher molecular weight primary or secondary alcohols, alkyphenols, or mixtures thereof; x is the value of the average number of moles or units of ethylene oxide per defoamer molecule and has a value in the range of 3 to 20, preferably 5 to 15; y is the average number of moles or units of propylene oxide per molecule of defoamer and has a value in the range of from 15 to 60, preferably 20 to 50.