Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

CFD investigation of fouling mechanisms in the crude oil preheat network

  • Original
  • Published:
Heat and Mass Transfer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fouling phenomena, generally related to heavy crude oils and bituminous petroleum fractions, nevertheless affects significantly the preheat train (PHT) of the light Algerian crude oil. In this study, a two dimensional model was developed using the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) method in order to investigate fouling behavior in the PHT of Algiers refinery. A fouling model was proposed specifically for the studied crude oil. The model includes a pseudo detailed chemical kinetic mechanism and it considers the deposition of inorganic matters. The proposed model was validated using the experimental results from literature. The simulation results show good agreements with the experimental data. The deposition mechanism of the two fouling routes was studied by analyzing the effect of flow velocity on the thermo-hydraulic conditions of near wall regions. The results indicate that the chemical reaction fouling is controlled by kinetic reaction process and the deposition of inorganic species is dominated by mass diffusion. The distribution of the initial fouling rate was evaluated along the entire heat exchangers network. The simulation results show that the inorganic process was predominant at the first heat exchanger and the chemical reaction fouling reaches its maximum at the PHT outlet.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and material

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

C p :

specific heat capacity, J kg−1 K−1

C b :

Bulk iron oxides concentration, kg m−3

D j :

mass diffusion coefficient of species j, m2 s −1

e d :

deposit thickness, m

E a :

activation energy, J kg−1 mol−1

G k :

production rate of k, J kg−1 S −1

G ω :

production rate of ω, J kg−1 S −1

J i :

diffusion flux of species i, kg m −2s −1

K:

clean overall heat transfer coefficient, W m −2 K−1

k :

production rate of turbulent kinetic energy, J kg−1 S −1

K a :

attachment coefficient, m s−1

K a 0 :

Arrhenius factor, m s−1

K d :

deposition coefficient, m s−1

K t :

transportation coefficient, m s−1

m d :

deposit mass per unit area, kg m−2

M w,j :

molecular weight of species j, g mol−1

P:

pressure, Pa

Q d :

mass deposition rate, kg m −2 s−1

r j :

intrinsic reaction rate of species j

R:

universal gas constant, J kmol−1 K−1

R f :

fouling resistance, m2 K W−1

\( {\boldsymbol{R}}_{\boldsymbol{i}}^{"} \) :

production rate of species i due to surface reaction, kg m −2 s−1

S :

heat exchange area at the axial distance x, m 2

T S :

surface temperature, K

\( \overline{\boldsymbol{u}} \) :

velocity vector, m s−1

Y j :

mass fraction of species j

Y i,wall :

mass fraction of species i at the wall

Y k :

destruction rate of k

Y ω :

destruction rate of ω

ASTM:

American Society for Testing and Materials

PHT:

Preheat Train

QUICK:

Quadratic Upstream Interpolation for Convective Kinematics

SIMPLE:

Semi Implicit Method for Pressure Link. Equations

SSB:

Syncrude Sweet Blend

SST:

Shear Stress Transport

γ :

kinematic viscosity, Pa.s

Ε:

dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy in k- ε eq. J kg−1 S −1

λ d :

thermal conductivity of deposit species, W m −1 K −1

μ :

dynamic molecular viscosity, kg m−1 s−1

μ t :

turbulent dynamic viscosity, kg m−1 s−1

ρ :

density, kg m −3

ρ d :

density of deposit species, kg m −3

σ :

turbulent Prandtl number

ω :

dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy in k-ω eq. J kg−1 S −1

E :

Reaction number

I :

Referring to deposit species

J :

Referring to bulk species

S :

Surface

W :

Wall

References

  1. Coletti F, Hewitt GF (2015) crude oil fouling: deposit characterization, measurements, and modeling. Gulf Professional Publishing (Elsevier), Boston

    Google Scholar 

  2. Watkinson AP (2007) Deposition from crude oils in heat exchanger. Heat Transfer Eng 28:177–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Rammerstorfer E, Karner T, Siebenhofer M (2019) The kinetics and mechanisms of fouling in crude oil heat transfer. Heat Transfer Eng. https://doi.org/10.1080/01457632.2018.1564202

  4. Bayat M, Aminian J, Bazmi M, Shahhosseini S, Sharifi K (2012) CFD modelling of fouling in crude oil pre-heaters. Energy Convers Manag 64:344–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fontoura DVR, Matos EM, Nunhez JR (2013) A three-dimensional two-phase flow model with phase change inside a tube of petrochemical pre-heaters. Fuel 110:196–203

  6. Yang J, Maria G, Serratos J, Parole DSF, Muller EA, Matar OK (2015) Crude oil fouling: fluid dynamics, Reactions and Phase Change. Procedia IUTAM 15:2210–838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.piutam.2015.04.026

  7. Emani S, Yusoh NA, Ramasamy M, Shaari KZK (2017) Effect of operating conditions on crude oil fouling through CFD simulations. Int J Heat Technol 35:1034–1044. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijht.350440

  8. Emani S, Ramasamy MK, Shaari KZK (2018) Discrete phase-CFD simulations of Asphaltenes particles deposition from crude oil in Shell and tube heat exchangers. Appl Therm Eng. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2018.12.008

  9. Cucumo MA, Galloro A, Greco N, Mele M, Nicoletti F, Perrone D (2019) Thermal Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Crude Oil Fouling in a Heat Exchanger with Internal Mechanical Inserts Tecnica Italiana-Italian J Eng Sci 63: 151–157

  10. Peyghambarzadeh SM, Vatani A, Jamialahmadi M (2012) Experimental Study of Micro–Particle Fouling Under Forced Convective Heat Transfer Brazilian. J Chem Eng 29:713–724

    Google Scholar 

  11. Wang Y, Yuan Z, Liang Y, Xie Y, Chen X, Li X (2015) A review of experimental measurement and prediction models of crude oil fouling rate in crude refinery preheat trains Asia-Pac. J Chem Eng 10:607–625. https://doi.org/10.1002/apj.1895

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Harche R, Mouheb A, Absi R (2016) The fouling in the tubular heat exchanger of Algiers refinery. Heat Mass Transf 947:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-015-1609-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Harche R, Absi R, Mouheb A (2014) Study of the fouling deposit in the heat exchangers of Algiers refinery. Int J Ind Chem 5:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40090-014-0016-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kuprowicz N.J, Zabarnick S, West Z.J, Jamie S.E (2007) Use of measured species class concentrations with chemical kinetic modeling for the prediction of autoxidation and deposition of jet fuels. Energy Fuel 21: 530–544

  15. West ZJ, Adams RK, Zabarnick S (2011) Homogeneous catalysis of liquid-phase hydroperoxide decomposition in hydrocarbons. Energy Fuel 25:897–904

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Li Y, Watkinson P, Fahiminia F, James M (2007) Formation of gum and deposits in an oxygenated naphtha stream volume RP5: proceedings of 7th international conference on heat exchanger fouling and cleaning - challenges and opportunities. Tomar, Portugal

    Google Scholar 

  17. Turner CW (2013) Fouling of nuclear steam generators: fundamental studies, operating experience and remedial measures using chemical additives. AECL Nuclear Rev 2:61–88. https://doi.org/10.12943/ANR.2013.00007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Turner, C. W., & Godin, M. (1994). Mechanisms of magnetite deposition in pressurized boiling and non-boiling water (No. AECL--11046). Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, Ontario

  19. ANSYS Fluent Theory Guide (2013), ANSYS, Inc., 275 Technology Drive Canonsburg,. PA 15317, November 2013

  20. Wilcox DC (2006) Turbulence modeling for CFD, 3rd edn. D.C.W. Industries, Inc., LA

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kakaç S, Hongtan Liu H, Pramuanjaroenkij A (2012) Heat exchangers: selection, rating, and thermal design, 3rd edition. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton

  22. Riazi MR (2005) Characterization and properties of petroleum fractions. Journal of ASTM International: Manual Series vol. 50

  23. Sawhney GS (2010) Heat and mass transfer. I. K. International Pvt Ltd., New Delhi

  24. Deshannavar UB, Rafeen MS, Ramasamy M, Subbarao D (2010) Crude oil fouling: a review. J Appl Sci 10(24):3167–3174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Watkinson AP, Navaneetha-Sundaram B, Posarac D (2000) Fouling of a sweet crude under inert and oxygenated conditions. Energy Fuel 14:64–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to the LBMPT laboratory (Laboratoire Mécanique Physique et Modélisation Mathématique Université de Médéa, Faculté de Technologie) for use Ansys program.

Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Heat Transfer Phenomenon, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), BP 32 EL-ALIA, 16111, Bab Ezzouar, Algiers, Algeria

    Imen Kerraoui, Youcef Mahdi & Abdelkader Mouheb

  2. Institute of Science, University of Medea, University pole, 2600, Medea, Algeria

    Youcef Mahdi

Authors
  1. Imen Kerraoui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Youcef Mahdi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Abdelkader Mouheb
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Imen Kerraoui.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kerraoui, I., Mahdi, Y. & Mouheb, A. CFD investigation of fouling mechanisms in the crude oil preheat network. Heat Mass Transfer 57, 1411–1424 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-021-03040-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-021-03040-x

Search

Navigation