(93a) Heat Exchanger Fouling Due to Catalysis

Catalysis, particularly polymerization catalysis, can foul heat transfer surfaces. Such fouling reduces the annual capacity of the production facility due to operating at reduced throughputs or due to downtime required for physically removing the fouling deposit. Such fouling is difficult to predict, as is the rate of such fouling. This paper describes a laboratory-scale performance test for determining the propensity of a catalyst to foul heat transfer surfaces and the methods used to quantify such fouling.