CFD simulation of fouling of plate heat exchanger by phosphate calcium

A computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed for fouling of calcium phosphate in heat exchangers which can take into account the tendency of fluid components to precipitate and the surface properties of the materials. In the CFD model the precipitation of inversely soluble mineral due to the temperature increase in the near-surface region of the heated wall was modelled based on the saturation ratio. The precipitates form small, spherical particles that can adhere on the wall surface. The wall function model developed for adherence was modified to take into account the turbulent viscosity modelled by CFD. The model was tested against experiments made with SMUF, which is an aqueous solution simulating the mineral composition of milk. This preliminary adhesion CFD model pave the route to build a more comprehensive model for predicting the likely profile of milk deposition in heat exchangers.