Development of Mathematical Model to Predict Soymilk Fouling Deposit Mass on Heat Transfer Surfaces Using Dimensional Analysis

The formation of fouling deposits on heat exchanger surfaces is one of the major concerns in thermal processes. The fouling behavior of food materials is complex, and its mechanism remains, in general, unclear. This study was aimed at developing a predictive model for soymilk fouling deposit formed on heated surfaces using dimensional analysis. Relevant variables affecting fouling deposit mass could be grouped into six dimensionless terms using Buckingham’s pi-theorem. Experimental data were obtained from a lab-scale plate heat exchanger. A simple model developed using the experimental data under the process conditions with the product inlet temperature, the product outlet temperature, and plate surface temperature in the ranges of 50–55 °C, 65–70 °C, and 70–85 °C, respectively, exhibited a good performance in the prediction of soymilk fouled mass. The correlation coefficient between the predicted and experimental values of fouled mass was 0.97 with an average relative error of 9.03%. Within the ranges of product inlet temperature and plate surfaces temperature studied, this model offers an opportunity to estimate soymilk fouling mass with acceptable accuracy.