Measuring and testing – Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a... – Cleaning or foaming ability
Patent
1993-12-07
1995-11-14
Williams, Hezron E.
Measuring and testing
Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a...
Cleaning or foaming ability
73291, 73304R, 356440, G01N 1300
Patent
active
054656109
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
STATE OF THE ART
This invention relates to a device able to characterize the foaming properties (foaming capacity and stability of the foam) of products in solution or in suspension.
In the fields of cosmetology or of the farm-produce industry especially, the purpose is to determine as accurately as possible the foaming properties of certain products designed to be introduced into various preparations, related to foodstuffs or not, characterized by an air-containing texture or a mellow texture, such as soaps, shampoos, liver foams . . . . Starting from a suspension or a solution of the product to be tested, a foam is characterized by its formation and degradation conditions; the foaming properties are thus determined by three factors, i.e.: foam available after introduction of a preset quantity of gas into the solution and volume of the foam.
The visual methods to determine and to measure these factors, by assessing the foam volume, are not entirely satisfactory because, on the one hand, these measures are relatively inaccurate and, on the other, because this type of measure does not reflect the qualitative factors of the foams such as the thickness of the walls or the size of the bubbles.
Moreover, various factors such as the concentration, the pH-acidity, the temperature and the production methods of the foam affect the foaming properties of the products in solution or in suspension.
Taking into account the eagerness, as well with the industrialists as with the research laboratories, to have standardized procedures to measure the foaming properties of proteins, especially, one has endeavoured to assess the foaming properties by measuring the physical constants decisive for the characteristics of the foams.
It has been shown that these characteristics could almost be obtained by measuring the conductivity of the foams (Journal of Food Science-Volume 48, 1983 pages 62 to 65). This article describes a device enabling to characterize the foaming properties of products which are at least partially soluble, on the basis of the conductivity measure of the foam formed. The device consists of a glass column, arranged vertically and sealed, at its base, by a glass filter on which the solution to be analysed has been placed. A gas inlet connected to the lower section of the column enables to generates a gas flow through the glass filter in order to cause the solution to foam. A conductivity measuring cell is located on the column in order to determine the conductivity of the foam formed.
The studies carried out on the basis of this device show a strong correlation between the initial conductivity of the foams and the foaming capacity (foaming capacity=f(Ci)), as well as between this conductivity and the stability of the foam (foam stability=f (Co.times..DELTA.t/.DELTA.C)) where: C=f(t) curve.
This type of measure enables to note differences in foaming properties which cannot be detected by the sole change in volume of the foam. However, this type of measure underlines the foaming properties of the product analysed only indirectly, with all the risks of errors associated with the correlation system. Besides, even if it enables to standardize the determination of the foaming properties by stringent constraints, this apparatus is limited as regards the panel of characteristics which can be derived from the foam undergoing formation or degradation. Moreover, the measure relates to a fraction of the foam only.
The purpose of this invention is to remedy these defects while suggesting a characterization device of the foaming properties of products in solution or in suspension, liable to measure automatically a whole range of characteristics of the foams in order to accurate the characterization of the foaming properties of the product analysed.
The absolute measures derived from the foam, already formed or during degradation, enable to characterize partially the foaming properties of the product tested; besides, on the basis of these absolute values, it is possible to extract calculated measures to accurate the character
REFERENCES:
patent: 1866296 (1932-07-01), Christmann
patent: 3151061 (1964-09-01), Orr
patent: 3498131 (1970-03-01), Rickey
patent: 5003488 (1991-03-01), Hardy
Kato et al., "Determination of foaming Properties . . .", Journal of Food Science, vol. 48, pp. 62-65, 1983.
Copy of European Search Report (1 page).
Brock Michael J.
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
Williams Hezron E.
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