The effect of foam, especially of entrained air in stock suspensions, has received considerable attention in the paper industry.
Air in stock has undesirable effects on both the operating efficiency of paper machines and the quality of the paper produced. Papermakers try to minimize foam generation by proper operation and mechnical means. However, complete avoidance of air entrainment is almost impossible, and antifoams have become indispensable processing aids for papermaking.
The purpose of this paper is to review the practical effects of foam on papermaking and to discuss the typical antifoams widely used in the paper industry.
