Alkylene oxide capped secondary alcohol ethoxylates as fermentation foam control agents
View Patent ↗Provided are foam control agents and their use for controlling foam in fermentation processes. The foam control agents are of the formula I: wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , n and y are as defined herein.
1. A foam control agent of formula I:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group containing from 1 to about 18 carbon atoms, provided that R 1 and R 2 together contain from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, and further provided that less than about 10 mole percent of R 1 or R 2 is hydrogen; R 3 and R 4 are each independently hydrogen or an alkyl radical containing 2 carbon atoms; n is an average value ranging from about 3 to about 40; and y is an average value ranging from 0.5 to 3.5, and wherein R 3 and R 4 together contain 2 carbon atoms.
2. A foam control agent according to claim 1 wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group containing from 1 to about 15 carbon atoms and R 1 and R 2 together contain from about 8 to about 16 carbon atoms.
3. A foam control agent according to claim 1 wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group containing from 1 to about 14 carbon atoms and R 1 and R 2 together contain from about 9 to about 14 carbon atoms.
4. A foam control agent according to claim 1 having the formula II:
5. A foam control agent according to claim 4 wherein n is an average value ranging from about 3 to about 15.
6. A foam control agent according to claim 4 wherein y is an average value ranging about 1 to about 2.5.
7. A foam control agent according to claim 4 wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently a linear or branched alkyl containing 2-12 carbon atoms and together contain from about 11 to about 13 carbon atoms.
8. A foam control agent according to claim 4 wherein R 1 and R 2 together with the carbon to which they are attached form linear dodecane.
9. A foam control agent according to claim 4 having the formula:
10. A foam control agent according to claim 4 wherein n is 9.
11. A foam control agent according to claim 4 wherein n is 12.
12. A method for controlling foam in a fermentation process, the method comprising using in the fermentation process a foam control agent according to claim 1 .
13. A method according to claims 12 wherein the fermentation process is biofuel production.
14. A method according to claim 12 wherein the fermentation process is ethanol production.
15. A method according to claim 12 wherein the fermentation process is sugar cane based bioethanol production.