(93d) Fouling Factors: What Are They --- How to Cope with Them

Many chemical manufacturing facilities and most chemical reactors are heat transfer rate limited. In other words, the annual capacity of the production facility is limited by the rate at which heat is added or removed from the chemical process. The addition or removal of heat is done via process heat exchangers. Unfortunately, heat exchanger performance deteriorates with time. Deposits on the walls of heat exchangers cause this performance deterioration. The resistance to heat transfer due to fouled heat exchanger surfaces can be monitored and remedial action taken to restore heat exchanger performance if the proper calculations are made. This paper outlines how to monitor heat exchanger performance and what can be done to restore heat exchanger efficiency, particularly when fouled on the process-side of the exchanger.