Effect of calcium content and flow regime on whey protein fouling and cleaning in a plate heat exchanger
Résumé
Fouling and cleaning with a whey protein concentrate solution in a plate heat exchanger were investigated
with a varying calcium concentration (from 70 to 87.5 mg L 1) and under a wide range of hydrodynamic
conditions for a bulk fouling fluid temperature, ranging from 60 and 96 C.
This work demonstrates that increasing the calcium concentration in whey protein concentrate contributes
to the amount of fouling and affects the thermal conductivity of the deposit. It was also observed
that the fluid flow regime during fouling, impacts the deposit growth, modifies the structure of fouled
layers and has a significant consequence on cleaning behaviour.
Finally, a dimensional analysis together with experimental measurements, allowed a relationship to be
established enabling prediction of the amount of dry mass deposited locally as a function of the known
calcium content, Reynolds number and bulk fluid temperature