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Influence of particle size and particle/fluid combination on particulate fouling in heat exchangers
Author(s) -
Blöchl R.,
Möller—Steinhagen H.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450680408
Subject(s) - fouling , particle size , particle (ecology) , particulates , materials science , heat exchanger , range (aeronautics) , chemical engineering , chemistry , thermodynamics , composite material , membrane , organic chemistry , biochemistry , oceanography , physics , engineering , geology
The influence of particle size on particulate fouling rates during convective sensible heat transfer to liquids has been investigated. Experiments have been carried out using aluminum oxide particles with nominal diameters ranging from 0.06 μm to 15 μm, suspended in an organic solvent for a wide range of concentrations. The observed influence of particle size on the asymptotic fouling resistance is compared with the predictions of the Watkinson–Epstein model. The results of this comparison suggest that, in addition to the changes of mass transfer coefficient with increasing particle size, reduced adhesion forces between particles and wall and increasing removal forces have to be considered as well. Additionally, the influence of different particle/fluid combinations was investigated. Experiments were performed with aluminum oxide particles suspended in isopropanol, isobutanol or water, and with kaolin particles suspended in water.