Top 5 Applications Of The Global Defoamers Market

A defoamer does the work of reducing foam formation in industrial process liquids. Earlier vegetable oils, kerosene and fuel oils were used as anti-foaming agents. However, with the advancement in technology, superior agents such as silicone-based defoamers started gaining popularity. According to Triton Market Research, today, the Global Defoamers Market accounts for nearly $3000 Million.

Such a high market value is a direct result of the growing applications of the defoamers market in various end-user segments. Mentioned below are the top 5 applications of the Global Defoamers Market:-

1. Pulp and Paper

Perhaps, the widest application of the defoamers market can be found in the pulp and paper industry. Surging production of paper to satisfy the rising demand of the packaging industry has increased the global paper and pulp production.  However, mechanical and chemical factors such as leaky or high-pressure pumps, agitation, coating color circulation, etc. leads to foam formation during the manufacturing process.  To address this issue, the Pulp & paper industry makes use of defoamers to improve the drainage of sulphite and kraft pulp stock. Defoamers provide advantages such as less environmental claims, low safety concerns from slips and falls and no foam related operational or final paper quality issues in the paper and pulp industry.

2. Water Treatment

Water treatment applications like wastewater and effluent treatment, cooling water systems, steam generation, fermentation, distillation etc. are significantly increasing the demand of the global defoamers market. Defoamers controls treatment cost and reduce the overall spending on antifoam foam control during water treatment. They also help in avoiding chemical overfeed and underfeed and reduce airborne bacteria by improving aeration basin foam control. Water-based defoamers and silicone-based defoamers are highly popular in this application.

3. Paints and Coatings

During the manufacturing of paints and coatings, additional products like foam or gas inclusions are majorly formed. Defoamers in paints and coatings limit the formation of bubbles. Thus, not only do they provide an effective prevention of foam control, but also prevent foam formation during the manufacturing. Mineral-oil-based defoamers are the most commonly used defoamers in the paints and coatings application as these defoamers do not affect the uniformity of the color.

4. Agrochemicals

Defoamers are an integral part of the manufacturing process of agrochemicals like herbicides, insecticides, nematicides and fungicides. Silicone-based defoamers are the most popular type of defoamers used to avert the formation of foams in different varieties  of water-based and oil-based formulated pesticides and herbicides.  Other applications of defoamers in the agrochemical industry include their use in the manufacturing of speciality fertilizers and pesticides and in tank mix spray applications.  A major advantage of using defoamers is the fact that they do not have any adverse impact on the environment, are able to decompose quickly and do not affect the quality of crops.

5. Food and Beverages

Food additives make major use of defoamers. They help by reducing the effervescence while serving and preparation. This helps in prolonging the shelf-life of the food product. Silicone-based defoamers are increasingly finding applications in fermentation, vegetable canning, beverages and preserves and sea-food and poultry industry. Another factor which is increasing the demand of the global defoamers market in the food and beverages sector is the flourishing food and beverage industry in emerging markets like India and China.