Numerical investigation of particulate fouling in corrugated tubes considering fouling layer growth effects

To capture the feedback of fouling layer growth on the near-wall flow field, a liquid-phase particulate fouling model based on an Eulerian framework was coupled with a 3D dynamic mesh. After validation against experimental data, the effects of corrugation geometry and operating conditions on particulate fouling were systematically investigated. The model accurately predicted the evolution of fouling resistance, with relative errors below 5% in the asymptotic regime, and captured the local and spatially non-uniform growth of the fouling layer. Owing to the periodic tube geometry, fouling-layer thickness, velocity, and wall shear stress exhibited periodic variations along the flow direction. Severe fouling occurred mainly in the crests and along the transition flanks between the troughs and crests, whereas deposits near the troughs remained relatively thin. Increasing the corrugation height promoted deposition, whereas increasing the pitch or width suppressed it. Among the geometric parameters, corrugation height had the strongest influence, while width had the weakest. Increasing the inlet velocity reduced fouling resistance by enhancing wall shear stress and particle removal. In contrast, higher particle concentration and larger particle diameter had little effect on wall shear stress but promoted deposition through increased particle collision frequency and inertia, respectively.