Fouling of heat exchanger surface: measurement and diagnosis

Abstract

Fouling in heat exchange equipment results in a significant energy toss by increasing heat transfer resistance and fluid frictional resistance. This paper deals with an effective way to monitor fouling and describes a potentially useful diagnostic approach for discriminating different types of deposit in situ. Information regarding deposit type would be useful in selecting an appropriate treatment procedure. Some cautions regarding the indiscriminate use of fouling factor or fouling resistance are also discussed.