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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

International Heat Transfer Conference 12
August, 18-23, 2002, Grenoble, France

Particulate Fouling of Water in Internal Helical-rib Roughness Tubes

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC12.1760
6 pages

Abstract

This paper provides accelerated particulate fouling data in five 15.54 mm ID. copper, helically ribbed tubes taken at low water velocity (1.07 m/s, Re = 16,000, ppm = 1300). The ranges of geometric parameters were number of rib starts (18 to 45), helix angle (25 to 45-deg), and height (0.33 to 0.55 mm). Aluminum oxide particles with 3.0 µm average particle diameters were used as foulant. These geometries provide a new class of internal enhancement that is typical of commercially enhanced tubes presently used in water chillers. There are two factors to decide the ratio of the enhanced-to-plain tube fouling factor: a fouling process index and an efficiency index. A semi-theoretical fouling correlation as a function of the efficiency index was developed. The new theory of dividing a fouling factor ratio into only two factors significantly simplifies the fouling analysis.