A review of recent advancements in the crystallization fouling of heat exchangers
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2023
Abstract
A wide range of industrial processes (i.e., evaporation and condensation in desalination process, steam power plant, solar plant, etc.) involve heat transfer among the fluids. During the process of evaporative and cooling heat transfer, undesirable materials from the fluids accumulate on the surfaces, which critically reduces the performance of heat exchangers and creates one of the biggest challenges in energy transfer. Though the various studies on prediction and removal of fouling was conducted by numerous scientists, this problem is still unresolved in industrial process and is responsible for huge environmental damage and economic losses. This investigation provides a comprehensive overview of crystallization fouling in heat exchangers. Various factors affecting the deposition of crystallization foulaning such as fluid temperature, flow velocity, surface material and roughness, concentration and boiling are systematically reviewed. Accuracy and uncertainty of different equipment and experimental studies are discussed. In addition, fouling modelling is comprehensively discussed from earlier fundamental model to recent computational fluid dynamic and artificial neural networks model. Furthermore, mitigation of fouling with off-line and online approaches are chronologically discussed. Finally, an overview from environmental and economic prospective of fouling in heat exchangers are discussed. The future directions for crystallization fouling in heat exchangers are emphasized, which will support the researchers and industries to retard fouling and achieve economic benefits.
Keywords
Heat exchanger, Fouling, Fouling mitigation, Fouling modelling, Environmental impacts, Economic evaluation
Divisions
mechanical,advanced
Funders
Ministry of Education, Malaysia
Publication Title
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry
Volume
148
Issue
22
Publisher
Springer
Publisher Location
VAN GODEWIJCKSTRAAT 30, 3311 GZ DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS