High-temperature organic-fluid fouling unit

Two skid mounted field test units were designed and installed at two refineries for fouling data. Each fouling test unit contains test sections with a heat transfer monitor, an onboard computer for acquiring data, controls and instruments, an piping networks for start-up, sampling, and shut-down procedures. Both units are designed according to ASTM specifications for service in refinery or chemical plants. One fouling test unit is designed for two-phase flow of hydrogen and the product stream, the second for single-phase flow of crude oil, which has two heat transfer monitors operating independently. Calculation procedures for the heat transfer coefficient and fouling resistance are presented along with heat transfer data for air and water obtained at Argonne National Laboratory and crude oil obtained at the Shell Wood River refinery. Comparisons are made with the theoretical heat transfer coefficients.