-

.[
]

0/m/s

oC

Investigation of Crude Oil Fouling on Performance of Preheat Exchangers of

ABSTRACT
In this article the effect of fouling on tube side and the overall performance of preheat
exchangers of crude distillation unit of petroleum refinery have been investigated. For this
purpose the experimental data of Australian light crude oil in surface temperature of 200-260oC
and the velocity between 0.25 to 0.4 m/s have been used. First, an overall dirty heat transfer
coefficient was calculated and then the thickness of scales was determined. By solving heat
transfer equations numerically for both cases of dirty and clean conditions, the temperature
distribution for the crude oil running inside the heat exchanger's tubes was obtained. Finally, the
effects of fouling on the exit temperature of process fluid and the pressure drop have been
investigated.

(
)

(
)

(
)

.[
]

1
1
U f UC

(
)

(
)

1
1
1 d
=
] + RW + [ o
U C ho
hC d i

(
)

xf
do
1
1
1
= + RW +
[ +
]
U f ho
k f h f di - 2x f

do
1
1 d
[
] ]- [ o
)
h f di - 2x f
hC d i (

hf

di
=
hC (d i - 2 x f )1.8

.[
]

= Rf

hC = k .NuC / d i
1.8

xf
kf

= Rf

Rf

UC

(
)

(
)

Uf

[
]

hf

(
)

hC

(
)

kf

(
)

xf

(
)

[
]

:[

(
)

dh=do-di

Nu = 0.023 Re0.8 Pr 0.4 (do / di )0.45 =UCdh/k

)Fouling Resistances (m2-k/kW

Overall Heat Transfer coefficient

[
]

Overall Heat Transfer coefficient

Overall Heat Transfer coefficient

][

oC
220

Tube Outlet

Tube Inlet

)Viscosity(kg/m.s

)Density(Kg/m3

Tube

Thermal

Heat

)Diameter(m

)Diameter(m

at 20oC

at 20oC

)Length(m

Conductivity

)Capacity(J/kg

0.025

0.0107

1.96910-3

792

)(W/moC

30

Ts=200C

F o u lin g T h ic k n e s s ( m ) 1 0 6

Ts=220C

25

Ts=240C

0.1255

35
Ts=180C

2500

20

Ts=260

15
10
5
0
100

80

40

60

20

-5

-10

)Time(h

(
)

[
]

4 fu lr
2d i g c
2

)(

= Dp

) T2 + 1 T + T2 - r uc T = r c T
2

16
Re
2
Dp f u f d c
=
Dpc uc d f 2

k t

= f

)
(

r r

2T 1 T 2T r uc T
=0
+
+
k x
x 2 r r r 2

d f u f = d c uc
4

k x

dc
dc
=
4
(d c - 2 x f ) 4
df

Dp f

xr

Dpc

r = R

T = TS

CT + D( j)T
+ AT
+ BT
+ E( j)T
=0
i, j
i, j+1
i+1, j
i-1, j
i, j-1

r = 0

T
r = 0
x = 0

T = Tb1

()

CTi, j + ATi+1, j + BTi-1, j + FTi, j-1 = 0

- r uc D x D r

()

B = 2 kD r

+ r uc D x D r

()

C = - 4 kD r
F = 4 kD x

- 4 kD x

()
()

x = l

T = Tb 2

()

()

A = 2 kD r

()

()

D ( j ) = ( 2 kD x 2 +

kD x 2
)
(( a + 1) - j )

()

E ( j ) = ( 2 kD x 2 -

kD x 2
)
(( a + 1) - j )

()

Tb2
:

Lumped

Ti+1, j - 2Ti, j + Ti -1, j

hp d i l (T S -

Dx

Tb 2 + Tb1
) = m . c p (T b 2 - T b 1 )
2

)(

Ti, j +1 - Ti , j -1

((a + 1) - j )Dr

T
- 2T + T ,
i, j +1
i, j
i j -1
Dr

2Dx

1
+(

ruc Ti+1, j - Ti-1, j

)+

2Dr

)=0

()

2kDx 2 Dr 2
(

Fouled to Clean Pressure Drop Ratio

Fouled to Clean Pressure Drop Ratio

1.012
1.02

1.015

1.01

1.005

1
0

10

15

20

25

1.010
1.008
1.006
1.004
1.002

30

1.000

Fouling Thickness(m)106

12

15

Fouling Thickness(m)106

Ts=220oC Tbin=80oC

Ts=180oC Tbin=80oC

qw=370kW

qw=330kW/m2 qw=350kW/m2
1.02

Fouled to Clean Pressure Drop Ratio

Fouled to Clean Pressure Drop Ratio

1.025

1.02

1.015

1.01

1.005

1.015

1.01

1.005

1
0

1
0

10

20

Fouling Thickness(m)106

12

15

18

21

24

Ts=200oC Tbin=80oC

Ts=240oC Tbin=80oC

Fouling Thickness(m)106

30

qw=350kW/m2

qw=390kW/m2

27

1.015

1.01

1.005

Fouled to Clean Pressure Drop Ratio

1.02

1
30

20

25

10

15

[
]

[
]

Fouling Thickness(m)10

Ts=260oC Tbin=80oC

qw=410kW

o
.

Ts=180
qw=330kW/m2
Tb=80 Clean

240

Fouling Thickness= 1.510- 5m

Ts=180
qw=330kW/m2
Tb=80 fo uled

200

)Temperature(oC

Ts=220
qw=370kW/m2
Tb=80 Clean

180
160

Ts=220
qw=370kW/m2
Tb=80 Fo uled

140

Ts=260
qw=410kW/m2
Tb=80 Clean

120
100

Ts=260
qw=410kW/m2
Tb=80 Fo uled

80
4

3.5

2.5

)Tube Length(m

1.5

0.5

oC

Ts Tb

Ts=200
qw=350kW/m2
Tb=80 Clean

220

Fouling Thickness=1.510-5

200

Ts=200
qw=350kW/m2
Tb=80 fouled

180

Temperature C
)

160

Ts=240
qw=390kW/m2
Tb=80 Clean

140

120

100

Ts=240
qw=390kW/m2
Tb=80 fouled

:[
]

80
4

Dundee

)Tube Length(m

Fawley

MJ
.

Tonne.K

oC

Ts Tb

GJ
.

Tonne

250
Outlet Temperature
Ts=180C Tbin=80C
qw=330kW/m2

230

) T u b e O u t le t T e m p e r a t u re (o C

240

Outlet Temperature
Ts=200C Tbin=80C
qw=350kW/m2

20oC

220
210

Outlet Temperature
Ts=220C Tbin=80C
qw=370kW/m2

91 10 6 (3 10 6 ) 20 = 5.46 10 6 GJ

200
190

Outlet Temperature
Ts=240C Tbin=80C
qw=390kW/m2

GJ

180

Outlet Temperature
Ts=260C Tbin=80C
qw=410kW/m2

170
160

Poly. (Outlet

150
15

10

Fouling Thickness(m)106

(oC

Ts Tb

) L=4m

Heat

Surface

)Flux(kW/m2

)Temperature( C

)(J/kg-oC

: C

)(J/kg-oC

: C p

330

180

350

200

)(m

: do

370

220

)(m

: di

390

240

: f

410

260

)(J/m2-oC

: hc
o

: h f
)(J/m-oC

: k

)(J/m-oC

: k f
)(m

: l
)(kg/s

: m

: Nu

: Pr
)(m

: r

(m/s)

: u

(m-oC/J)-

: Rw

(kW/m2-

: U c

(m-oC/J)-

: Rf

(kW/m2-c)

: U f c)

: Re

(m)

: x f

(oC)

: T

(kg/m3)

: r

(oC)

: Ts
(oC)

: Tb

[1]-Z. Saleh, R. Sheikholeslami, A. P. Watkinson, Heat Exchanger Fouling by a Light Australian Crude Oil,
Proceeding Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning Fundamentals and Applications, Santa Fe, July 2003.
[2]-S. Asomaning, C. B. Panchal, C. F. Liao, Correlating Field and Laboratory Data for Crude Oil Fouling, Heat
Transfer Engineering, 21,17-23,2000.
[3]-G. T. Polley, B. L. Yeap, D. I. Wilson, S. J. Pugh, Evaluation of Laboratory Crude Oil Threshold Fouling. Data
for Application to Refinery Pre-heat Trains, Applied Thermal Engineering, 22 ,777788, 2002.
[4]- J. H. Wiegand, Discussions of Annular Heat Transfer Coefficient for Turbulent Flow, Trans., AIChE 41,
p147-152, 1945.
[5]-G. T. Polley, D .I. Wilson, B. L. Yeap, Models for the Prediction of Fouling in Crude Oil Pre-Heat Trains,
WWW.Pinchtechnology.com. September 2002.
[6]-W. L. McCabe, J. C. Smith, P. Harriott, Unit Operation of Chemical Engineering, 4th Edition.
[7]-S. J. Pugh, Identification of R&D Needs Relating to the Mitigation of Fouling in Crude Oil Pre-heat Trains,
ESDU, WWW.Pinchtechnology.com, International plc , June 2002.