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6 - Fouling in Heat Exchangers
6 - Fouling in Heat Exchangers
P. R. Dhamangaonkar
Effects of Fouling
Fouling Mechanism
Techniques to prevent Fouling
Conclusions
References
Introduction
Fouling is an accumulation of undesirable material (deposits) on heat
exchanger surfaces.
Undesirable material : crystals, sediments, polymers, coking products,
inorganic salts, biological growth, corrosion products etc
Fouling is a synergistic consequence of transient mass, momentum
and heat transfer phenomena involved with exchanger fluids and
surfaces, and depends significantly on heat exchanger operation
conditions.
In general, fouling results in:
* a reduction in thermal performance
* an increase in pressure drop, may promote corrosion
* and may result in eventual failures of some heat exchangers
During operation the heat transfer surface fouls resulting in increased thermal
resistance and often an increase in the pressure drop and pumping power as well.
Fig 1 -Shell-side crude oil fouling Fig 2- Crude oil fouling at tube ends
Thermal fouling (in the presence of a temperature gradient) means
accumulation of any undesirable deposition of a thermally
insulating material on a heat transfer surface occurring over a period
of time.
* Liquid-side fouling
* gas-side fouling
Process of Crystallization:
a) Nucleation
b) Diffusion
c) Removal
(a) Diffusion
(b) Electrophoresis
(c) Thermophoresis
(d) Diffusionphoresis
(e) Sedimentation
(f) Inertial impaction
(g) Turbulent downsweeps
Attachment
Removal
Aging
Surface conditioning
Surface temperature, material, finish, roughness and
coating strongly influence initial delay, induction/
incubation period.
Surface roughness tends to decrease delay period.
Roughness projection leads crystal nucleation and groves
provide regions for particulate deposition.
Time dependence of the fouling resistance.
Initiation of the fouling, the first
event in the fouling process, is
preceded by a delay period or
induction period d.
The basic mechanism involved
during this period is heterogeneous
nucleation, d is shorter with a
higher nucleation rate.
Q=U*A*T
So the heat transfer decreases.
Increase in pressure drop & pumping power.
Heat
Heat
Design Approach
1. Rf & Uoverall calculations.
3. Empirical data
-TEMA Standards
Impact of Fouling on Exchanger Heat Transfer Performance
The influence of fouling on exchanger heat transfer performance can
be evaluated in terms of either
(1) required increased surface area for the same q andTm,
(2) required increased mean temperature difference for the same q
and A, or
(3) reduced heat transfer rate for the same A and Tm.
In the first two cases, the heat transfer rate in a heat exchanger
under clean and fouled conditions are the same.
For a clean heat transfer surface,
. Techniques to control
1. Crystallization fouling
2. Particulate fouling
3. Biological fouling
4. Corrosion fouling
High velocity water jets
Conclusions