An investigation of factors influencing freeze lining behaviour

ABSTRACT

Recent studies have indicated that the steady state thicknesses and interface temperatures of freeze linings can be influenced by factors other than the thermal parameters of the systems. To explore these possibilities further cold modelling of freeze linings was undertaken in the CaCl₂–H₂O system using an experimental apparatus that enabled the variation of both the bath temperature and the fluid flow rate. Through in situ experimental observations, it was shown that the phases formed, the deposit/liquid interface temperature and the freeze lining thicknesses depend strongly on chemical parameters and elementary reaction steps, which are not considered by the conventional thermal treatment of freeze linings. These results indicate the need for further systematic investigation of various process parameters that influence the elementary reaction steps that may be active in these systems under dynamic steady state conditions.

KEYWORDS:

• Freeze lining
• CaCl₂–H₂O
• cold modelling

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the facilities, and the scientific and technical assistance, of the Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility at the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Queensland.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Australian Research Council ARC Discovery program and Umicore for the financial support for this research. The authors also thank UQ International Scholarship (UQI) program for providing a scholarship for T. Crivits.