Effect of calcium content and flow regime on whey protein fouling and cleaning in a plate heat exchanger

• Published in: Journal of food engineering Vol. 147; pp. 68 - 78
• Main Authors: Khaldi, M., Blanpain-Avet, P., Guérin, R., Ronse, G., Bouvier, L., André, C., Bornaz, S., Croguennec, T., Jeantet, R., Delaplace, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2015; Elsevier
• Subjects: Beta-lactoglobulin; Calcium; Calcium concentration; Chemical and Process Engineering; Cleaning; Dimensional analysis; Engineering Sciences; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Fluids; Food and Nutrition; Fouling; Hydrodynamics; Life Sciences; Plate heat exchanger; Protein fouling; Proteins; Whey; Calcium concentration; Beta-lactoglobulin; Protein fouling; Plate heat exchanger; Dimensional analysis; Hydrodynamics; Cleaning; encrassement; protéine de lait; calcium; nettoyage; échangeur thermique; industrie laitière
• ISSN: 0260-8774; 1873-5770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2014.09.020

•Fouling potential is altered and favoured by an addition of calcium.•The total amount of deposit is greatly affected by the level of shear rate.•The structure of fouled layers was affected by calcium content and fluid flow regime.•The cleaning behaviour depends on the process parameters imposed during fouling runs.•Correlation involving dimensional numbers is proposed to link deposited mass to fouling parameters. Fouling and cleaning with a whey protein concentrate solution in a plate heat exchanger were investigated with a varying calcium concentration (from 70 to 87.5mgL−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.