Actual Refinery Amine Samples
(feed, discharge, waste)
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Field Trial Results
A Tough Example of What SigmaPure Can Do
Prequalification Laboratory Testing
Three samples from different operating
units in the same refinery
Photomicrographs reveal the presence or absence of insoluble contaminants that affect foam stability.  The dirtier samples above have the
lowest foaming tendencies.  The contaminants in the samples consist of solids, responsible for the green color, and insoluble hydrocarbon
liquids (probably antifoam).  These insoluble liquids cause haziness because they refractivity is different than the solution .  The insoluble
liquids are also agglomerating the solids, and destabilizing the foam.   This is one way antifoam is exhausted in process.  It can't interact with
the froth cell walls if it's gluing solids together, or being removed by mechanical filters and activated carbon.  

In both cases shown above, there is either enough free insoluble liquid to inhibit foaming, or the concentration of surfactants is low.  The
photomicrographs of the middle sample suggest the former, where the latter is suggested for the sample on the right.  


Sample color and clarity do not
accurately depict foaming
tendency.  Clean solutions are
often more "foamy" than dirty
ones.