Understanding and Quantifying Cleaning Processes Using Fluid Dynamic Gauging

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used to analyse the flow patterns generated by the fluid dynamic gauging (FDG) technique in order to allow that technology to give simultaneous measurements of fouling layer thickness and incipient strength (via breakage). Stress field predictions were generated by solving the governing Navier-Stokes equations for these quasi-laminar flows using the numerical solver FastflowTM and validated by comparison with experimental hydrostatic pressure data. Enhanced FDG was used to study the removal of a tomato paste soil, which had been characterised by Liu et al. (2002) using a micro-manipulation technique. Deposit strength measurements gave clear indication of increases on ageing via baking and are compared with those reported by Liu et al