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Foam & Biological Slime Control in Paper and Corrugated Board Production

Silicone-free antifoam and biocide program against air entrainment, foam and microbiological slime breakage in the wet part of paper and corrugated cardboard machines.

Foam formed in the pulp preparation and wet-end circuits in paper, cardboard and corrugated cardboard (fluting/testliner) production; It not only creates overflow in white water pools, but also slows down the drainage on the sieve by carrying micro-air bubbles in the fiber suspension, reduces vacuum efficiency and causes pinholes or inhomogeneity defects on the paper surface.

Therefore, the choice of defoamer should be based not only on suppressing the coarse foam on the surface, but also on removing the bound air in the dough (deaeration) and maintaining the machine speed. Elif Çevre Kimya offers non-silicone defoamers among its product groups, which do not leave stains and glue/coating defects in the paper industry.

Closed circuit process water in facilities using recycling (waste paper); It is a very suitable environment for bacterial and fungal growth due to its starch, cellulose fibers and warm water temperature (35–50°C). When the sticky biofilm (slime) masses formed on the pipe walls and pulp casing reach a certain thickness, they break off and mix with the pulp; This causes sudden paper breaks and hole/spot errors in the wet section or drying cylinders.

The site features fast-acting DBNPA biocides and isothiazoline/glutaraldehyde/oxidant programs for paper and packaging applications. Biocide selection; It should be planned according to the pH of the water, redox potential, organic pollution and contact points.

Defoamer and biocide decisions; It must be compatible with other wet part chemicals such as retention polymer, dry/wet strength resin (PAE), AKD/resin size and starch. A fixed dosage or feeding point should not be determined without laboratory testing and field microbiological monitoring.

Why Is Foam Not Just a Surface Appearance?

Foam formed in the pulp preparation and wet-end circuits in paper, cardboard and corrugated cardboard (fluting/testliner) production; It not only creates overflow in white water pools, but also slows down the drainage on the sieve by carrying micro-air bubbles in the fiber suspension, reduces vacuum efficiency and causes pinholes or inhomogeneity defects on the paper surface. Therefore, the choice of defoamer should be based not only on suppressing the coarse foam on the surface, but also on removing the bound air in the dough (deaeration) and maintaining the machine speed. Elif Çevre Kimya offers non-silicone defoamers among its product groups, which do not leave stains and glue/coating defects in the paper industry.

Slime Control and Preventing Paper Breaks

Closed circuit process water in facilities using recycling (waste paper); It is a very suitable environment for bacterial and fungal growth due to its starch, cellulose fibers and warm water temperature (35–50°C). When the sticky biofilm (slime) masses formed on the pipe walls and pulp casing reach a certain thickness, they break off and mix with the pulp; This causes sudden paper breaks and hole/spot errors in the wet section or drying cylinders. The site features fast-acting DBNPA biocides and isothiazoline/glutaraldehyde/oxidant programs for paper and packaging applications. Biocide selection; It should be planned according to the pH of the water, redox potential, organic pollution and contact points.

Compatibility with Wet Part Chemicals

Defoamer and biocide decisions; It must be compatible with other wet part chemicals such as retention polymer, dry/wet strength resin (PAE), AKD/resin size and starch. A fixed dosage or feeding point should not be determined without laboratory testing and field microbiological monitoring.

Field Control and Monitoring List

Chemical dosage and system capacity decisions should be determined by analysis and facility conditions; There is no guarantee of fixed dosage or performance.

  • Monitoring pH, temperature, conductivity, ORP and ATP/bacterial load in the undersieve white water circuit
  • Use of silicone-free (fatty alcohol/polymer emulsion) antifoam on the wet part for coating and bonding compatibility.
  • Separation of biocide dosage points in dough preparation, cleaning showers and breaking towers
  • Chemical compatibility check with retention polymer and strength resins
  • Examination of paper break records and screen/felt contamination along with chemical program trends

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