1. Fouling on heat exchangers involves the
gradual build-up of undesired materials
of diverse origin – microorganisms such
as bacteria, organic matter and inor-
ganic minerals – on surfaces that are in
contact with liquid.
This layer of dirt on the heat exchang-
er surfaces inhibits the heat transfer
properties and necessitates frequent
cleaning, thus becoming a costly affair
for companies.
Conventional solutions cannot
handle the heat
Conventional antifouling coatings used
in marine installations are unsuitable for
heat exchanger applications because
they are so thick that they reduce the
heat transfer efficiency to an unaccept-
able level.
The aim of the new research project is
to develop a new genre of antifouling
coating technology for heat exchanger
applications without compromising heat
transfer efficiency. Due to the complex
types of fouling matter, the coating
chemistry will be optimised to incor-
porate anti-adhesive, anti-scaling and
anti-microbial properties.
Good for the pocket
and the environment
Developing antifouling solutions for heat
exchangers in water installations will
not only provide a competitive advan-
tage for industrial partners, but will also
lead to significant financial and energy
savings for many industries that use heat
transfer processes. Such savings are
expected to apply to maintenance and
energy costs in particular.
The researchers believe that the
proposed coating technology could
achieve a three- to four-fold decrease
in maintenance time without compro-
mising the heat transfer property. This
means dramatic financial savings for
companies while the reduced energy
consumption benefits the environment
as well.
Knowledge for the future
The project will also include systemat-
ic studies of mineral fouling on metal
surfaces to gain a fundamental new
understanding of the phenomenon. The
new knowledge will be published in sci-
entific papers and will also be included
in future teaching material.
“It’s important to save energy and
money, but it’s just as important for us to
make knowledge available for future
generations,” says Assistant Professor
Joseph Iruthayaraj.
Huge savings on the surface
Researchers in the fields of surface chemistry, surface structuring
and biofouling are teaming up with industrial partners to develop
energy-saving coatings for heat exchanger surfaces that may
last up to four times longer than normal.
project facts
TITLE
Heat transfer effective antifouling
solutions for heat exchange surfaces
SCHEDULE
2014–2017
FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK
15 million DKK, The Danish National
Advanced Technology Foundation
PARTNERS
Grundfos, Accoat and Alfa Laval Corporate AB
CONTACT
Assistant Professor Joseph Iruthayaraj
ji@eng.au.dk
27ADVANCED MATERIALS AND PROCESSES