In the ball milling process, the excessive generation of foam is a common and troublesome problem. Large amounts of foam not only occupy the effective grinding space and reduce the collision efficiency between the grinding media and the material, forcing the grinding time to be extended and increasing energy consumption; it also affects the fluidity of the slurry, causing poor discharge and uneven product particle size distribution, and even affecting the progress of subsequent processes. Traditional defoaming methods often suffer from drawbacks such as slow defoaming speed, short foam-suppression time, or poor compatibility with the system that affects product performance.
In response to these market pain points, the Chemi Tech R&D team conducted an in-depth analysis of the unique conditions of the ball milling process, such as high shear, continuous circulation, temperature changes, and complex chemical systems, and successfully developed a series of dedicated ball milling defoamers. Our solution is not simply an addition, but is based on precise control over the root causes of foam generation.
The specific solution is divided into three steps: The first step is precise diagnosis. Our technical engineers will assist the customer in analyzing the specific causes of foam generation, whether it is surface-active substances in the raw materials or gas entrainment caused by process parameters. The second step is product selection and testing. We provide defoamer samples of multiple models and carry out small-scale and pilot tests under the customer's actual working conditions to evaluate their immediate defoaming capability, long-lasting foam-suppression performance, and potential impact on the various indicators of the final product. The third step is optimizing the addition plan, determining the optimal addition point, dosage, and addition method; it is usually recommended to add at multiple points during the feeding stage or in the circulation pipeline to achieve foam control throughout the entire process.
We once served an electronic ceramic material production enterprise located in East China. In its wet ball milling process for zirconia powder, foam overflow was severe, the grinding efficiency per batch dropped by about 15%, and the slurry stability was poor. After adopting the CT-788 ball milling defoamer recommended by Chemi Tech, the foam was rapidly eliminated within two minutes after addition and maintained an extremely low foam level throughout the grinding cycle of up to 12 hours. The grinding efficiency recovered and rose to the expected level, the unit energy consumption decreased, the resulting powder particle size distribution was more concentrated, and the slurry sedimentation stability was significantly improved. The customer spoke highly of the performance consistency of the final sintered ceramic components.
Choosing Chemi Tech means choosing a professional solution that deeply understands the process. Our ball milling defoamer has excellent high-shear resistance stability and can adapt to the intense mechanical action inside the ball mill; at the same time, it has good chemical inertness and does not react adversely with the system, ensuring product purity. We are committed to helping customers overcome foam challenges and achieve the core goals of cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and quality enhancement.