Fouling Science And Technology

The fouling of heat exchangers, reactors and catalysts remains one of the most urgent problems facing the process industries. Over the past ten years there has been limited research and investigation into the underlying mechanisms which give rise to this problem. For convenience, particularly in heat exchanger technology, the mechanisms involved have been subdivided into different subject areas. It is often the situation that individuals or groups of workers have concentra ted efforts in one or two of these specialist areas and there is a need to integrate the ideas across the whole spectrum of the subject. In addition, topics such as adhesion and surface phenomena have not been properly taken into account up till now in the assessment of the fouling processes. For this reason it was considered essential that the recognised experts from around the world, who are actively concerned with research, development and design in the fieId, should meet and exchange ideas and experience. Such a meeting was held at Alvor, Portugal, in May 1987, sponsored by the NATO Advanced St~dy Institutes Programme. In order to obtain a common basis for the work of the Advanced Study Institute, the whole technological field was reviewed right from the basic concepts to the frontiers of present knowledge. Each invited contributor was asked to make an overall presentation covering his or her area of expertise.

This unique and comprehensive text considers all aspects of heat exchanger fouling from the basic science of how surfaces become fouled to very practical ways of mitigating the problem and from mathematical modelling of different fouling mechanisms to practical methods of heat exchanger cleaning. The problems that restrict the efficient operation of equipment are described and the costs, some of them hidden costs, that are associated with the fouling of heat exchangers are discussed. Some simple concepts and models of the fouling processes are presented as part of the introduction to the subject. Advice on the selection, design, installation and commissioning of heat exchangers to minimise fouling is given. A large part of the text is devoted to the use of chemical and other additives to reduce or eliminate the problem of fouling. Another large section is designed to give information on both on-line and off-line cleaning of heat exchangers. One of the difficulties faced by designers and operators of heat exchangers is anticipating the likely extent of fouling problems to be encountered with different flow streams. Another large section addresses the question and describes methods that have been used in attempting to define fouling potential. The book concludes with a chapter on how fouling information can be obtained using plant data, field tests and laboratory studies.

Membrane techniques provide a broad science and technology base. Although there are several books in the traditional membrane field, there is a great need for a highly comprehensive book. This refereed book covers materials from highly respected researchers. This title is highly multidisciplinary in nature and should be extremely valuable to scientists and engineers involved in a variety of activities. Students and faculty members around the world will find this title to be an excellent reference book. Invited contributions from leading researchers in the field Coverage of topic is of value to scientists/engineers working in a variety of related fields [separations/reactions, advanced biofunctional materials, contactor designs] Aims to fill market gap for a highly comprehensive book containing advances in both synthetic and biofunctional/bimimetic membranes

Marine biofouling can be defined as the undesirable accumulation of microorganisms, algae and animals on structures submerged in seawater. From the dawn of navigation, marine biofouling has been a major problem for shipping in such areas as reduced speed, higher fuel consumption and increased corrosion. It also affects industries using off-shore structures such as oil and gas production and aquaculture. Growing concerns about the environmental impact of antifouling coatings has led to major new research to develop more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Advances in marine antifouling coatings and technologies summaries this wealth of research and its practical implications. This book is divided into four sub-sections which discuss: marine fouling organisms and their impact, testing and development of antifouling coatings, developments in chemically-active marine antifouling technologies, and new surface approaches to the control of marine biofouling. It provides an authoritative overview of the recent advances in understanding the biology of fouling organisms, the latest developments on antifouling screening techniques both in the field and in the laboratory, research on safer active compounds and the progress on nontoxic coatings with tailor-made surface properties. With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Advances in marine antifouling coatings and technologies is a standard reference for manufacturers of marine antifouling solutions, the shipping industry, oil and gas producers, aquaculture and other industries using offshore structures, and academics researching this important area. Assesses marine antifouling organisms and their impact, including a historical review and directions for future research Discusses developments in antifouling coatings examining chemically-active and new surface approaches Reviews the environmentally friendly alternative of safer active compounds and the progress of non-toxic compounds

The field of membrane separation technology is presently in a state of rapid growth and innovation. Many different membrane separation processes have been developed during the past half century and new processes are constantly emerging from academic, industrial, and governmental laboratories. While new membrane separation processes are being conceived with remarkable frequency, existing processes are also being constantly improved in order to enhance their economic competitiveness. Significant improvements are currently being made in many aspects of membrane separation technology: in the development of new membrane materials with higher selectivity and/or permeability, in the fabrication methods for high-flux asymmetric or composite membranes, in membrane module construction and in process design. Membrane separation technology is presently being used in an impressive variety of applications and has generated businesses totalling over one billion U.S. dollars annually. The main objective of this book is to present the principles and applications of a variety of membrane separation processes from the unique perspectives of investigators who have made important contributions to their fields. Another objective is to provide the reader with an authoritative resource on various aspects of this rapidly growing technology. The text can be used by someone who wishes to learn about a general area of application as well as by the knowledgeable person seeking more detailed information.

Fouling in Refineries is an important and ongoing problem that directly affects energy efficiency resulting in increased costs, production losses, and even unit shutdown, requiring costly expenditures to clean up equipment and return capacity to positive levels. This text addresses this common challenge for the hydrocarbon processing community within each unit of the refinery. As refineries today face a greater challenge of accepting harder to process heavier crudes and the ongoing flow of the lighter shale oil feedstocks, resulting in bigger challenges to balance product stability within their process equipment, this text seeks to inform all relative refinery personnel on how to monitor fouling, characterize the deposits, and follow all available treatments. With basic modeling and chemistry of fouling and each unit covered, users will learn how to operate at maximum production rates and elongate the efficiency of their refinery’s capacity. Presents an understanding of the breakdown of fouling per refinery unit, including distillation and coking units Provides all the factors, crude types, and refining blends that cause fouling, especially the unconventional feedstocks and high acid crudes used today Helps users develop an analysis-based treatment and control strategy that empowers them to operate refinery equipment at a level that prevents fouling from occurring

Biofouling is usually defined as an especially economically significant process that occurs on ships' hulls, where high levels of fouling can reduce the performance of the vessel and increase its fuel requirements. However, in the aquatic environment, such burden is generally of importance for all types of organisms present. This book concentrates on aquatic mammals from marine and freshwater biotopes, summarising their different strategies to cope with the permanent challenge of being colonised by a multitude of bacteria, fungi or algae, and moreover, larvae of different invertebrates. Furthermore, biofouling of medical devices involves the formation of a biofilm by bacteria. This book covers the recent advances on the main anti-biofouling strategies based on the application of emergent biological products. In addition, the authors of this book focus on the surface modification of membranes for antibiofouling. The effect of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals on the growth and adhesion of marine bacteria found in biofilms is looked at. Finally, in order to produce antifouling paints with reduced amount of toxic molecules, it is necessary to further investigate the phenomena involved in antifouling activity.