Fouling of Heat Transfer Surfaces

An Experimental Investigation to determine

the effect of flow velocity and material on
scale deposition.

Introduction
Fouling is generally defined as the
accumulation and formation of unwanted
material on the processing equipment, which
can seriously deteriorate the capacity of the
surface to transfer heat under the temperature
difference condition for which it was designed.

Fouling not only decreases the heat transfer

but also increases the pressure drop due to
deposition and also reduces the cross-sectional
area.

Common heat exchanger foulant

Inorganic materials
Airborne dusts and grit
Waterborne mud and silts
Calcium and magnesium salts Iron oxide

Organic materials
Biological substances, e.g. bacteria, fungi and
algae Oils, waxes and greases
Heavy organic deposits, e.g. polymers, tars
Carbon

Types of Fouling
Particulate fouling: accumulation of particles from heat

exchanger working fluids (liquids and/or gaseous suspensions)

on the heat transfer surface. The particulate fouling is
influenced by the following factors: concentration of suspended
particles, fluid flow velocity, temperature conditions on the
fouled surface (heated or nonheated), and heat flux at the heat
transfer surface.
Chemical reaction fouling: It is caused due to chemical
reactions between reactants contained in the flowing fluid in
which the surface material itself is not a reactant or participant.
However, the heat transfer surface may act as a catalyst as in
cracking.
Corrosion fouling: This fouling is also caused by some

chemical reaction, but this time the surface is a reactant and

will be consumed. The surface reacts with the fluid or gas to
form corrosion products on itself.

Biological fouling: It is the attachment and growth of

macroorganisms and /or microorganisms and their products

on the heat transfer surface.
Solidification or freezing fouling:When the heat

transfer surface is low enough, a fluid flowing through a

heat exchanger can actually freeze at the surfaces. In case
of a multicomponent fluid, its the high melting point
constituent that will solidify. This is easy to imagine for
fluids, like water cooling, but in practice this phenomenon
can also occur when the medium is a gas.
Crystallization and precipitation fouling :It is the

crystallization of dissolved from saturated solutions, due to

solubility changes with temperature, and subsequent
precipitation on to the surface.

Fouling processes
Sub-processes
Formation of foulant materials in the bulk of

the fluid.
Transport of foulant materials to the depositfluid interface.
Attachment/ formation reaction at the depositfluid interface.
Removal of the fouling deposit ( spalling or
sloughing of the deposit layer).
Transport from the deposit-fluid interface to the
bulk of the fluid

A schematic diagram for the fouling

processes::

In mathematical terms the rate of the deposit

growth (fouling
resistance or fouling factor,
R)
R= d - r

Cost of fouling
The total fouling-related costs can be broken down into four main
areas:

Higher capital expenditures for oversized plants which includes

excess surface area (10-50%), costs for extra space, increased
transport and installation costs.
Energy losses due to the decrease in thermal efficiency and

increase in the pressure drop.

Production losses during planned and unplanned plant

shutdowns for fouling cleaning.

Maintenance including cleaning of heat transfer equipment and

use of antifoulants.

Parameters affecting fouling

Fluid flow velocity

Increasing the flow velocity tends to increase the

thermal performance of the exchanger and decrease the
fouling rate.
Maintain relatively uniform velocities across the heat
exchanger to reduce the incidence of sedimentation and
accumulation of deposits.
Surface temperature
Increase surface temperature may increase, decrease,
or has no effect on the fouling rates.
Lower temperatures produce slower fouling buildup,
and usually deposits
that are easily removable and
at higher temperature more fouling takes place.

 Surface Roughness

The provision of nucleation sites that

encourage the laying down of the initial deposits.
The creation of turbulence effects within the
flowing fluid and,
probably, instabilities in the viscous sub layer.

Surface material

Mainly significant to the corrosion fouling,Carbon

steel is corrosive but least expensive. Copper
exhibits biocidal effects in water.

Experimental methodology
The experimental setup consists of

A Sump tank (45 l capacity); an electric pump(0.5 HP/

30 meters); an electric immersion heater(1500 watt); GI
pipe of 1 inch and inch diameter and ball valves.

Test coupons

Two test coupons, one made up of Aluminium and other

Brass were used.
Both coupons were made of different sizes and surfaces
roughness

Test solution

Calcium carbonate crystals have an inverse solubility

with temperature .
The heated surface temperature is higher than the bulk
temperature, the saturation concentration will decrease
near the heated surface. Thus , calcium carbonate is
easy to deposit on the heated transfer surface .

Experimental procedure
A CaCo3 solution of fixed concentration was supply

through the supply tank. was

The pump was turned on, and the flow rate was
regulated using the ball valves.
The temperature of the heating liquid maintained with in
a fixed temperature range (65oC-75oC ).

Result :
For coupon 1 ( Aluminium )
Length(m Width(m) Thickness
)
(m)
0.017
0.001
0.102
Mass Deposited Vs. Time
Time (Hr)
2
4
6
8
10

.03706

Mass Deposited (gm)

.0298
.0697
.1085
.1451
.1773

Temperature = (55-65 degree)

Flow velocity = 0.119 m/s

Mass Deposited Vs. velocity .

Velocity (m/s)
.119
.2278
.3323
.4329
.5337

Mass Deposited
(gm)
.0298
.0288
.0285
.0271
.0251

Temperature = (55-65 degree) and Time = 2 Hr

Coupon 2 ( Brass )

Length(m Width(m) Thickness

)
(m)
0.104
0.020
0.002

Mass Deposited Vs. Time

Time (Hr)
2
4
6
8
10

Area()
.00465

Mass Deposited
(gm)
.0396
.0788
.1164
.1520
.1843

Flow velocity = 0.128 m/s

Temperature = (55-65 degree)

Mass Deposited Vs. velocity

Velocity (m/s)
.128
.196
.266
.288
.254

Mass Deposited
(gm)
.0396
.0382
.0376
.0354
.0332

Temperature = (55-65 degree) and Time = 2 Hr.


Fouling mitigation and Control

Designing the plant or process in such a way

that the condition leading to the fouling is

limited or reduced.
Instituting an on-line mechanical cleaning
system, or cleaning the equipment when the
effects of the fouling can no longer be tolerated
to restore its effectiveness by various offline
cleaning techniques.
The use of chemical additives or antifoulants in
the fouling stream.

Recently researches in the fouling area

Important cooperative research is being done

by groups such as Heat Transfer Research, Inc.

(USA), and the Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow
Service (UK)
By using the modern technologies and
facilities, the recent researches in the fouling
area are aimed to well understanding this
phenomenon and subsequently, the fouling
problem may be defined as "unsolved problem"
not as "unresolved problem"