ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF SELECTED QUANTITIES ON THE FOULING OF NATURAL GAS COOLER PIPES

In this article, the effects of selected quantities on the thickness of a fouling layer that is formed on the internal surface of the pipes of natural gas (NG) coolers are discussed. Models created by applying an analytical method, a dimensional analysis, and a multiple linear regression were compared. The most complex model was the analytical model with a total of 16 relevant physical quantities. From the practicality point of view, that model was very complicated since it required applying the iterative process. The dimensional model comprised 6 similarity criteria. The difference between the fouling layer thicknesses identified analytically and those identified using a model based on a dimensional analysis did not exceed 3.06 %. Out of the total number of relevant quantities, only those that had the strongest effects on the fouling layer thickness were selected with the use of MinitabX software. Three regression models, containing 6, 5, and 4 variables, were thus created. The difference between the results obtained from the simplest regression model and the values obtained from the dimensional model amounted to a maximum of 3.20 %. The use of the presented regression models in technical practice may be recommended.