Charcterization of foams

There are two types of foam-related criteria: people who want foam and those who don't! After years of working with customers on different problems, Teclis has developed a range of instruments to quantify foaming.

These instruments generate foam under controlled conditions and measure in real time how much foam is formed over time and how fast it disappears once foam generation has stopped. The quantity of liquid trapped in the foam is also measured.

A Cell Size Distribution Analysis Option determines foam cell size, size distribution, and size evolution over time. Shear rate is an essential parameter for foam formation. A range of shear rates is needed to generate foam in a manner similar to the process being studied. Teclis provides four different methods of generating foam from liquid:

• Sparging with a gas (FOAMSCAN®)
• Stirring at high speed (FOAMSPIN®)
• Jet shearing (JETSCAN®)
• Agitiation in a washing machine (SIAM®)

The instruments listed use software to gather data and control several parameters which affect foam formation.

Certain options (high pressure, high temperature) can increase the field of application for each of the instruments. Teclis does much of its development to adapt existing instruments to specific customer needs or to develop a new instrument when needed.