Everything you need to know about foam

It’s likely you’ve never thought much about foam, what it is and how it can help or hinder your cleaning. At Rochem, we’re more interested in foam than the average person. That’s because our cleaning chemicals are relied upon to achieve exceptional cleaning in demanding circumstances, and their foaming properties are key.

Today, we’re sharing our enthusiasm and a little of the science behind foam to give an insight into the processes behind our best-selling FYREWASH® chemicals. After all, without foam, our products would struggle to do their job.

What is foam?

Simply put, foam is bubbles of gas trapped in a liquid. Where Rochem is concerned, foam is air that becomes stabilised due to the surfactants in a water-based product. The type of surfactant determines the foam’s behaviour.

What is foam used for?

Foam is used in many applications in many forms:

• Personal care products e.g. shampoo, shower gel – foam creates a luxurious feel
• Dishwashing liquid – the product appears to spread further
• Fire extinguishers – the foam reduces available oxygen and extinguishes the fire
• Industrial cleaning

Why is foam useful for cleaning?

Foam can be very useful as it improves the contact time between the detergent and the surface it’s cleaning. It is particularly helpful where there are vertical surfaces as the product can cling, dripping is reduced, and the contact time/product efficiency improves.

When is foam a problem?

Foam can be a problem when it comes to drainage. By its nature, foam floats on water and it can be difficult to break it down. Rinsing the product away at the end of a wash becomes a challenge and you may be left with cleaning product residue on your washed surfaces.

A secondary problem of rinsing away excess foam is overwhelming the drainage system with too much foam and extra water from additional rinses.

To combat excess foam, it can be broken down with defoamer products e.g. silicons, polymers or solvents. However, it’s best to avoid adding these if possible and choose a foam that breaks spontaneously.

The foaming properties of FYREWASH®

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, we’ve fine-tuned our FYREWASH® gas turbine compressor cleaning chemicals to wash with optimum foam levels:

• Foam on the compressor blades – good vertical cling for improved contact time.
• Fast foam breakdown in the machine – fast rinsing and no overflowing drains.

Low foaming gas turbine compressor cleaner

If you are in an advanced foam management cleaning chemical, our FYREWASH® F2 is the premium product. FYREWASH® F2 uses a plant based sustainable grease cutter with superior foam characteristics.

FYREWASH® F2 has been a key saving to our customers, the FYREWASH® F2 formulation retains this foaming characteristic with the extra benefits of defoaming faster and rinsing faster enabling the plant to get back to full load operation with greater efficiency.

Get in touch

So, now you know a little more about foam and why it’s so crucial to gas turbine compressor cleaning. Not enough foam and the clean is compromised. Too much and your drains will be overwhelmed!

If you’d like to find out more about our range of FYREWASH® products, their foaming properties and which one would suit your site, please get in touch. Our knowledgeable team will be happy to answer all your questions.