Abstract: Biofouling is one of the most serious problems to face numerous industrialprocesses. In the case of a tubular heat exchanger, biological deposits adhered tothe inside surface of the tubes reduce heat transfer and therefore the thermal per-formance of the equipment. By virtue of this, control of this phenomenon is fun-damental for both sea and land-based equipment to operate under optimal run-ning conditions. A set of equations have been developed for this purpose whichhave enabled a mathematical model to be drawn up that is capable of predictingsubstrate and cell concentrations in the formation of biofilm over time, at anypoint in the tube. The said mathematical model serves as the basis for the cre-ation of a computer simulation program that enables prediction of biofilm thick-nesses and concentrations inside the tubes. It likewise allows experimentationwith the heat exchanger under different working conditions and enables optimaldown and cleaning times to be established.

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