Section
| HS Code | 531029 |
| Identity | XIAMETER AFE-1530 30% Active Economy Food-Grade Silicone Antifoam Emulsion |
| Appearance | Milky white liquid |
| Active Silicone Content | 30% |
| Physical Form | Emulsion |
| Continuous Phase | Water |
| Dilutability | Water-dilutable |
| Ionic Character | Nonionic |
| Specific Gravity 25c | Approximately 1.0 |
| Ph As Supplied | Neutral, approximately 6.0 to 8.0 |
| Viscosity | Low-to-moderate viscosity pumpable liquid emulsion |
| Food Grade Status | Formulated for food-grade foam-control applications |
| Shelf Life | 12 months when stored in original sealed container |
As an accredited XIAMETER AFE-1530 30% Active Economy Food-Grade Silicone Antifoam Emulsion factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | XIAMETER AFE-1530 30% Active Economy Food-Grade Silicone Antifoam Emulsion is supplied in 25 kg pails and 200 kg drums. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | One 20-foot container loaded with XIAMETER AFE-1530 food-grade silicone antifoam emulsion, 30% active, secured and documented. |
| Shipping | XIAMETER AFE-1530 ships in sealed, labeled containers suitable for food-grade materials. Protect from freezing and extreme heat to maintain emulsion stability. Ensure proper ventilation and secure upright positioning. No special hazardous shipping requirements apply, but follow standard safe chemical handling procedures during transport and delivery. |
| Storage | Store XIAMETER AFE-1530 antifoam emulsion in its original, tightly closed container in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Protect from direct sunlight, heat, and freezing; ideal storage temperature is above freezing and below 40°C (104°F). Keep away from incompatible materials and contaminants. If separation occurs, gently roll or stir before use. Follow label shelf-life guidance. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is 12 months from date of manufacture when stored in the original unopened container at 20–40°C, protected from freezing. |
Antifoam demand in submerged aerobic fermentation is driven less by the initial sugar concentration than by the release of extracellular proteins and cell-wall debris during stationary phase. In a 150,000 L working-volume reactor aerated at 0.8–1.2 vvm and agitated by a three-stage Rushton turbine, late-stage foam can reduce the effective liquid height by 10–25% before the exhaust filter blocks with liquid carryover. XIAMETER AFE-1530 30% Active Economy Food-Grade Silicone Antifoam Emulsion is introduced as a 30 wt% active polydimethylsiloxane emulsion, typically pre-diluted with potable water at a 1:5 to 1:20 ratio and metered by a sanitary peristaltic pump into the reactor headspace. Starting dose rates of 100–300 mg/kg of emulsion correspond to 30–90 mg/kg active silicone. The addition point should avoid the high-shear impeller zone; local mechanical shear at the blade tip can strip emulsifier from the silicone droplets and create oil-rich agglomerates that reduce the oxygen transfer coefficient kLa and adhere to stainless-steel baffles. The defoamer spreads across the air–liquid lamella and causes Marangoni-driven film thinning, but it cannot replace aeration cut-back when the producer organism secretes a high titre of glycolipids. In batch records from enzyme fermentation, foam-related productivity loss is most often observed when the culture temperature exceeds 37 °C and the dissolved oxygen setpoint is below 20% saturation; under these conditions, automated foam probe actuation should be linked to a timed dosing pump with a minimum off-cycle to prevent overshoot. Downstream, residual silicone droplets partition preferentially into the sludge phase during disk-stack centrifugation and are largely removed with spent solids. If the broth proceeds directly to ultrafiltration, polyethersulfone membranes with a nominal cut-off of 10 kDa can accumulate hydrophobic antifoam at the feed-channel surface; published flux data for this specific configuration is limited, so membrane flux should be monitored against a control batch without defoamer. Residual dimethylpolysiloxane in the finished food must comply with FDA 21 CFR 173.340, which lists dimethylpolysiloxane as a permitted defoaming agent and sets a residual level in food of 10 mg/kg, and with Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 for E 900.
Flume water used for potato, carrot, and beet transport can retain foam generated by high-pressure spray nozzles even when the only apparent surfactants are leached starch, pectin, and soil humic substances. The foam is mechanically stabilised by particulate fines smaller than 100 µm that collect at the air–water interface and reduce drainage between lamellae. In a recycle loop operating at 20–30 °C, the foam becomes most persistent at the barrel washer discharge and in the intake sump where falling water entrains air. AFE-1530 is diluted to 0.5–2.0 wt% in a stainless-steel day tank and dosed by a positive displacement pump at 20–100 mL/m³ of recirculated water, equivalent to 6–30 mg/L active silicone. Injection should be made into the suction line of the recirculation pump so that the impeller provides dispersion; however, extended high-shear circulation can reduce the droplet size below the optimum for film rupture and may require re-dosing after 30–60 min of residence time. The processing aid must meet FDA 21 CFR 173.340 and, where applicable, EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 for E 900. Operationally, the cleaner discharge line should be sampled at 10-min intervals after dose changes until the foam free-surface height drops below the scraper bar. A residual silicone film on the product surface can be reduced by a final potable rinse; if the wash water is reused for primary crop transport, total suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand should still be monitored because the antifoam is not a flocculant and does not remove suspended starch granules.
| Jurisdiction | Reference | Relevant specification | Application boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | FDA 21 CFR 173.340 | Dimethylpolysiloxane as defoaming agent | Residual level in food 10 mg/kg; use limited to technological necessity |
| European Union | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 | E 900 dimethylpolysiloxane | Food additive provisions; processing aid use must follow Member State guidance and not exceed technological need |
| European Union specifications | Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 | E 900 purity criteria | Identity, kinematic viscosity, loss on drying, and residue limits |
| Codex / JECFA | JECFA Combined Compendium for Food Additive Specifications | Dimethylpolysiloxane monograph | Identity and purity for food-grade silicone |
Evaporated whey and skim milk streams do not show maximum foam volume at the start of concentration; foam stability rises sharply when total solids exceed 30–35 g/100 g and beta-lactoglobulin begins to denature at the falling-film tube walls. In a multi-effect falling-film evaporator with thermal vapour recompression, foam collapses at the vapor separator but can reform immediately in the next effect because the heat-transfer surface changes the viscosity gradient at the wall. AFE-1530 is injected as a 30 wt% active emulsion into the feed line upstream of the first effect at 5–50 mg/kg of liquid feed, equivalent to 1.5–15 mg/kg active polydimethylsiloxane. The pump should be a variable-speed sanitary diaphragm metering pump, and the dose should be trimmed based on entrainment rather than visual foam height alone. A rise in condensate total solids above 50 mg/L or a downstream plate heat exchanger pressure drop increase of 10% indicates carryover and may require a dose adjustment of 25–50% or a reduction in evaporator throughput. Acid whey with a pH below 4.0 and calcium content above 2,000 mg/L may destabilise the emulsion more rapidly, so the day tank hold time should be limited to 6–8 h unless compatibility is validated. The product is not a substitute for mechanical vapour–liquid separation; entrainment separators must still be maintained. Compliance for dairy processing aid use is governed by FDA 21 CFR 173.340 and EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 for E 900. Published data for AFE-1530 in high-calcium acid whey systems is limited, so plant validation should include a small-scale evaporator trial before full-line implementation.
Cane and beet sugar processing generate persistent foam in two distinct unit operations: extraction/juice clarification and low-pressure vacuum evaporation/crystallization. In cane mills, dextran and soil-derived polysaccharides in deteriorated cane raise juice viscosity and produce foam at the clarifier overflow; in beet extraction, saponin-like surface-active constituents and pectin fragments stabilise air bubbles in the raw juice. The vacuum pan itself is foam-sensitive because vapor escaping from the calandria creates a large interfacial area. AFE-1530 is added upstream of the pan feed at a starting rate of 1–5 mg/kg of thick juice, which is 0.3–1.5 mg/kg active silicone. The addition point should be a low-shear loop rather than a vent line, because vapor velocity can separate the emulsion droplets before they reach the boiling surface. The primary control parameter is not foam height alone but entrainment loss, measured by sucrose concentration in the condensate. A rise in condensate purity above 50 mg/kg sucrose usually indicates carryover and requires either dose adjustment or a reduction in evaporation rate of 5–10%. Molasses handling downstream of the crystalliser may still require a separate dose at the separator feed box when the viscosity exceeds 1,000 mPa·s at 50 °C. Compliance follows the same food-grade defoamer provisions as other unit operations, with residual polydimethylsiloxane in the final sugar governed by national food additive provisions and FDA 21 CFR 173.340 for US use.
The first pass of depectinised apple or pear juice through a falling-film evaporator is not necessarily the highest foam event. Foam tends to intensify in the second or third effect when the acidified juice reaches 40–60 °Brix and residual pectin fragments, protein–polyphenol complexes, and hemicellulose fines become concentrated. The entering juice temperature of 45–55 °C in the first effect and the vapor-liquid separation in the flash chamber produce enough mechanical energy to create stable bubbles that carry flavour volatiles and soluble solids into the condenser. AFE-1530 is metered into the feed line after the plate preheater and before the first effect at 5–25 mg/L of single-strength juice, equal to 1.5–7.5 mg/L active silicone. Metering into the second-effect flash chamber is less effective because the residence time is too short for the antifoam droplets to spread before the vapor disengages. The emulsion must not be injected into the product line after the pasteurisation hold tube unless the downstream equipment is designed for a cold addition. In juice plants that use centralised Clean-in-Place with alkaline detergent followed by nitric acid, the first juice run after CIP can contain residual anionic surfactant at 5–20 mg/L; this carryover competes with silicone at the interface and may demand a temporary dose increase of 30–50% or a longer rinse water verification. Finished juice is subject to residual limits for dimethylpolysiloxane under EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and US FDA 21 CFR 173.340; therefore the minimum effective dose should be used.
Defoamer performance in soy protein isolate extraction can fail after CIP media enter the warm-rinse surge tank and act as competing surface-active agents. The extraction step, operated at pH 8.5–9.0 and 50–60 °C, solubilises proteins that form a viscoelastic film around entrained air; the subsequent acid precipitation at pH 4.3–4.6 adds destabilised protein fines that further strengthen foam. AFE-1530 at 50–150 mg/kg of extraction slurry, equivalent to 15–45 mg/kg active polydimethylsiloxane, is added at the top of the extraction tank before pH adjustment. The silicone droplet must maintain an average size that is neither so small that it dissolves into the bulk aqueous phase nor so large that it oils out on pump seals. In plant trials, the most common failure mode is not underdosing but post-CIP residual anionic detergent in the extraction vessel, which reduces the spreading coefficient of polydimethylsiloxane and increases the dose needed to break foam by a factor of 1.5–2.0. A conductivity meter on the rinse discharge should read below 200 µS/cm before production starts; otherwise, the first batch may require an additional preflush of 2–3 bed volumes of warm water. Production-scale evidence for this interaction is operator-observed; published data for this specific configuration is limited, so each line should validate the minimum effective dose with a foam challenge test. The product must meet FDA 21 CFR 173.340, EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, and Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 purity criteria when used in foods.
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XIAMETER AFE-1530 30% Active Economy Food-Grade Silicone Antifoam Emulsion is an aqueous, high-solids dispersion of polydimethylsiloxane fluid designed for foam suppression in food-processing and industrial aqueous systems where a concentrated, food-grade defoamer is required. The supplied product has an active silicone content of 30% by weight; the remaining mass consists of water, food-grade emulsifiers, and stabilizers. The term "Economy" in the product designation is a supplier portfolio and supply-chain classification, not a reduction in food-contact regulatory data. In batch food-processing vessels of 5,000–20,000 L working volume, plant evaluation typically begins with addition of 10–100 ppm as-supplied product by weight of process liquor, but the required dose is process-specific because foam load depends on temperature, surfactant chemistry, solids content, and mechanical air entrainment.
The concentrated form differentiates AFE-1530 from lower-solids ready-to-use silicone emulsions. At an equal active silicone requirement of 1.0 kg/h, AFE-1530 requires 3.33 kg/h of as-supplied feed, compared with 5.0 kg/h for a 20% active emulsion and 10.0 kg/h for a 10% active emulsion. This difference reduces drum inventory, cut dilution water addition to low-moisture process streams, and permits smaller positive-displacement metering pumps. The higher active content does not change the fundamental defoaming mechanism; the silicone droplets enter the foam film, spread at the air-water interface, displace surface-active components, and cause film rupture. Selection between 10%, 20%, and 30% active grades therefore becomes an engineering decision based on feed accuracy, storage footprint, process water tolerance, and pumping viscosity.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Active silicone content | 30% by weight |
| Appearance | White to off-white liquid |
| Specific gravity at 25°C | 1.00–1.02 |
| pH | 4.0–8.0 |
| Viscosity at 25°C | 1500–3000 mPa·s |
| Storage temperature | 5°C–40°C |
| Continuous phase | Water |
| Emulsifier type | Food-grade nonionic or weakly anionic emulsifier package |
The product is pseudoplastic; the viscosity range of 1500–3000 mPa·s at 25°C is routinely obtained using a Brookfield LV viscometer with spindle 2 at 30 rpm. Low-shear viscosity may be higher, while apparent viscosity under pipe-flow shear may be lower. Metering pump sizing should therefore use the apparent viscosity at the pump shear rate, not a kinematic flow-cup value. For continuous dosing, a diaphragm metering pump with discharge pressure rating of 4–10 bar and stroke speed of 30–120 strokes/min is generally used. The suction line should be sized for the product viscosity; undersized suction lines can create cavitation and intermittent defoamer feed. A positive-displacement pump with a ceramic piston and low-pulse head is specified when feed rate will be tied to a raw liquid flowmeter.
The emulsion should not be diluted with hard water containing more than 150 mg/L CaCO3 equivalent unless dispersion stability has been confirmed. Multivalent cations compress the electrical double layer on emulsion droplets and can accelerate creaming or coalescence. Dilution water should be maintained within 10–30°C; water above 30°C may increase droplet coalescence before the defoamer reaches the foam interface. If diluted, the emulsion should be consumed within 24 h because dilution reduces preservative concentration and can permit microbial growth. Jet mixers that entrain air should not be used for dilution; low-shear recirculation loops with centrifugal pumps are preferred.
Freeze-thaw is a critical operational boundary. Storage at or below 0°C causes ice-crystal growth in the aqueous phase, which can rupture the interfacial film around silicone droplets. The visible result is oiling-off and formation of non-dispersible agglomerates after thawing. Outdoor bulk storage tanks require trace heating or insulated enclosures to maintain a minimum storage temperature of 5°C. If a drum has frozen, the material must not be metered until a redispersion test is completed using a rotor-stator mixer at 1,500–3,000 rpm for 15–30 min. If the emulsion remains grainy or shows free oil after this test, the batch should be isolated and evaluated for off-specification use. Prolonged storage above 40°C accelerates creaming and may alter the active content of the surface layer in large storage vessels.
In batch foam control, addition point is frequently more important than total dose. In a clean-in-place foam surge tank of 2,000 L working volume with air sparge rate of 3 L/min through a porous stone of 16–40 μm average pore diameter, the defoamer is introduced into the returning liquid line rather than the tank bottom. This placement draws the emulsion directly into the high-turbulence pump discharge and reduces cream separation in quiescent zones. Under such conditions, a target dose of 20–50 ppm active silicone is often sufficient to reduce foam height by 50–80% within 1–2 min; site-specific testing remains necessary because surfactant type, pH, and solids loading affect defoamer efficiency.
The manufacturer represents AFE-1530 as suitable for food-processing applications under FDA 21 CFR 173.340. The user is responsible for ensuring that residual defoamer levels in the final food do not exceed the limits specified in that section. In United States applications, dimethylpolysiloxane may be used as a defoaming agent provided total silicone residue does not exceed 10 ppm unless a specific food standard permits otherwise. Final residue can be determined by silicon analysis using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry according to ISO 11885 or an equivalent validated method. In the European Union, dimethylpolysiloxane is authorized as food additive E900 under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008; food category-specific maximum levels apply. Users must calculate carry-over from processing water onto the final food and verify the analytical value against national legislation.
| Jurisdiction or standard | Reference | User obligation |
|---|---|---|
| United States food additive status | FDA 21 CFR 173.340 | Confirm residual silicone limit in final food |
| United States GMP | FDA 21 CFR Part 117 | Maintain preventive controls for carry-over |
| European Union food additive | Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, E900 | Apply category-specific maximum level |
| Quality management | ISO 9001:2015 | Review batch certificate and release data |
| Residual silicon analysis | ISO 11885 | Validate final food or process water method |
Because AFE-1530 contains food-grade emulsifiers and preservatives, it is not automatically suitable for organic solvent systems, monomer processing, or high-temperature reactor monomer stripping. The aqueous carrier can introduce hydrolysis or phase separation when added to solvent-borne media. It should not be mixed with cationic flocculants or amine-based biocides in undiluted form; charge reversal between cationic materials and the emulsion stabilizer system can produce immediate coagulation. Similarly, extended exposure to pH below 2 or above 12 can hydrolyze the silicone polymer or destabilize the formulation. These incompatibilities apply to the undiluted product; compatibility must be reassessed after dilution in actual process liquor.
In sugar beet diffusion water, foam arises from saponins and proteinaceous material at temperatures of 70–80°C. AFE-1530 is dosed into the hot raw juice recirculation loop at 20–50 ppm as-supplied product based on feed water flow. The high active content is preferred here because diffusion water already carries a large aqueous load; adding a 10% active emulsion would introduce three times as much water into the heat balance. A portable peristaltic pump with a low-pulse head is used for trial dosing, while permanent lines use a positive-displacement pump with ceramic piston and flow control tied to the raw juice flowmeter. Foam height is monitored across the extraction tower; the target is to keep foam below the juice level probe without exceeding residual silicon limits in pressed pulp or extracted sugar.
In cooked starch processing, AFE-1530 is injected after the starch heat exchanger and before the flash cooling vessel. Gelatinized starch produces persistent foam that can trap air and reduce heat-transfer efficiency in downstream evaporators. Starting addition rates of 10–30 ppm active silicone on starch slurry weight are evaluated. In high-pressure cookers of 5–20 bar operating pressure, the defoamer must be injected through a stainless steel quill reaching the center of the flow stream; wall-surface addition can leave undispersed emulsion in the boundary layer. The product viscosity range of 1500–3000 mPa·s at 25°C requires the injection quill to have a minimum internal diameter of 6 mm and no dead-legs.
Published data for foam-control performance of AFE-1530 in all possible food matrices is limited. Manufacturers and users therefore rely on a two-step evaluation: a laboratory sparge test for initial dose range, followed by a production trial with residual silicon analysis. In the laboratory test, 500 mL of process liquor is placed in a 1,000 mL graduated cylinder fitted with a gas dispersion tube at 25°C; air flow is maintained at 1 L/min; foam volume is recorded at 0 min, 1 min, and 5 min after addition. This method separates defoamer effects on break time from antifoam persistence, which is critical for continuous recirculating processes.
Compared with mineral-oil antifoams or polyalkylene glycol-based defoamers, the silicone active in AFE-1530 spreads rapidly at the air-water interface and retains activity at low dose. However, silicone antifoams are not always compatible with downstream membrane filtration. Hydrophobic silicone droplets can adsorb onto polyethersulfone membranes and reduce permeate flux. In dairy whey ultrafiltration plants operating at 2–4 bar transmembrane pressure, the product is used only after a membrane compatibility test, because silicone carry-over can foul spiral-wound elements. Users must weigh foam-control efficiency against membrane lifetime; published data for this specific configuration is limited and site-specific pilot testing is required.
The high-solids form requires storage tanks to have a gentle recirculation loop or scheduled drum inversion to reduce stratification. Continuous storage at 5–40°C in closed containers preserves the emulsion; after the shelf life stated on the batch certificate has elapsed, the material should be re-verified for active content, pH, and foam performance using the supplier’s release method. Opened drums should be sealed and consumed within 30 days to avoid surface drying and contamination. During transfer from intermediate bulk containers, low-shear air-operated diaphragm pumps with a 2:1 ratio are generally preferred over centrifugal pumps, which can generate local shear and accelerate coalescence of the silicone droplets.
In citrus pulp washing, foam can cause overflow in flotation cells and reduce sugar recovery. AFE-1530 is metered into the wash-water header at 15–40 ppm as-supplied product based on water flow. The emulsion provides rapid foam knockdown but does not remove the foam source; settleable solids and pectin still require upstream screening. In this application, the defoamer is evaluated alongside anionic drain aids and filter aids because competitive adsorption at the air-water interface can interfere with drainage. The defoamer is not a coagulant or flocculant; it does not clarify process water and may increase turbidity if overdosed.
During yeast or biochemical fermentation, oxygen transfer and carbon dioxide evolution create stable protein foams. AFE-1530 is added continuously through a sterile filter into the fermenter headspace or through the liquid feed line at 5–30 ppm as-supplied product based on liquid volume. It is not a biocide and does not sterilize the fermenter. In fermenters with 0.5–2.0 vvm air sparge and 300–500 rpm agitation, the defoamer may reduce foam layer height within 1–2 min. The optimum dose must remain below the level at which oxygen transfer coefficient kLa declines; silicone antifoams can suppress kLa by altering bubble surface mobility. For high oxygen demand fermentations, dosing above 50 ppm active silicone can reduce kLa by more than 15%, requiring increased agitation or oxygen-enriched air.
