Luterra Advanced Materials recently announced significant operational improvements achieved with its Polyether Defoamer (PR-01A) at a major North American packaging mill. The customer, a producer of corrugating medium and linerboard, had long struggled with severe foam issues in its white water circulation system-characterized by high COD load, high conductivity, and a complex chemical environment-which led to reduced machine efficiency and frequent sheet breaks. By adopting the polyether defoamer solution from Luterra Advanced Materials, the customer successfully reduced white water system foam height by over 85%, decreased sheet break frequency by 40%, and significantly improved wet-end drainage efficiency.
Customer Challenge: Uncontrolled Foam in High-COD White Water System Constraining Production
In packaging paper production, white water systems are highly prone to stable foam formation due to the presence of surfactants, starch, fines, and fillers. This North American customer's white water system was characterized by high COD, high conductivity, and wide pH fluctuations. Traditional silicone-based and high-carbon-alcohol defoamers performed poorly in such complex environments: first, slow defoaming speed led to excessive foam layers that hindered dewatering on the wire, forcing machine speed reduction; second, short foam suppression duration required continuous high-dose replenishment, significantly increasing per-ton chemical costs; and third, certain defoamer components interfered with subsequent sizing and dyeing operations, affecting finished paper quality.
Solution: Polyether Defoamer (PR-01A) Precisely Matched to Complex Operating Conditions
Following on-site assessment and laboratory simulation, Luterra Advanced Materials' technical team recommended a solution centered on Polyether Defoamer (PR-01A) . This product is a colorless to light yellow transparent liquid formulated primarily with fatty alcohol polyether, with an active content of ≥99% and neutral pH (6.0–8.0). It delivers value through three core advantages:
Superior Adaptability to Complex Environments: Polyether Defoamer (PR-01A) maintains both rapid defoaming and long-lasting foam suppression even in high-COD, highly polluted water, as well as strong acid and strong alkali environments. Its unique polyether molecular structure ensures chemical stability across wide pH ranges and high-temperature conditions, without demulsification or precipitation. The product contains no NP (nonylphenol) or APEO (alkylphenol ethoxylates), disperses easily in water, and meets environmental protection requirements.
Extremely Low Dosage and Cost Efficiency: This product is a high-concentration concentrate and should not be diluted with water (dilution may cause layering or emulsion breaking). It is recommended to adjust the dosage in 10 ppm increments to find the most economical usage level while ensuring defoaming effectiveness. Customer feedback data indicates that compared to the original program, PR-01A dosage can be reduced by 40%–60%, significantly lowering overall per-ton chemical costs.
Excellent System Compatibility: The product does not adsorb onto AKD/ASA sizing agents, dyes, or retention aids, does not destabilize emulsions, and does not affect Cobb values or paper strength. Its polyether chemical structure makes it particularly suitable for white water closed-loop systems equipped with membrane filtration.
Customer Value: Comprehensive Benefits
On-site application data confirmed the following key improvements with the Luterra Advanced Materials Polyether Defoamer program:
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| White Water System Foam Height | Reduced by over 85% |
| Sheet Break Frequency | Decreased by 40% |
| Defoamer Dosage | Reduced by 40%–60% |
| Paper Machine Speed | Increased by 5%–8% |
Luterra Advanced Materials not only provides high-quality polyether defoamer products but also offers full-process technical support-from product selection and on-site diagnosis to dosage optimization-tailored to customers' white water system characteristics, paper grades, and machine conditions.
For more product information and technical solutions, please refer to the product parameter details on our homepage.
