Forecasting and Discussing of the Fouling Characteristic of the Plain Tube

Abstract

A fouling experimental system was built to measure the following parameters: wall temperatures, input and output temperature, etc. The model was set up based on the partial least-squares regression (PLS) to predict the fouling characteristics of the plain tube, in which there were five input vectors, which were the wall temperature, the inlet and outlet temperature and one output vectors, which was the fouling resistance. The prediction model was validated by the second operation cycle. By comparison of the predicted and experimental results, the maximal relative error of the model was in 8.5%, so, the partial least-squares regression algorithm of fouling model is reasonable and feasible. It provides an effective method for the design and operation personnel to anticipate the heat exchanger fouling characteristics under conditions of known water quality environmental parameters. The four-variable optimization model was obtained by analyzing the impact of each single independent variable on the prediction model, to increase the precision of the model. In addition, analysis of the impact of flow rate, etc. on the prediction model was also given.