Years ago we used inline ultrasonic tester for steel bars.
They used a water flow as an interface to bridge the gap between the transducer and the bar. We needed to add a wetting agent and used Teepol (a detergent) in a concentration of about 9ppm. It did the job really well and no foaming as it was in such low concentration. What it does is breaks down the intermolecular bonding in the surface layer that leads to surface tension - the force that causes water to form droplets. No need to go into more technical stuff - angle of contact etc! But it comes into the beading of water on a waxed car.
S,
I'm getting that Llanelli Radiators/ Calsonic feeling here?
regards
G