There are several different types of fouling, depending on the type of liquid used for the energy transfer and the material used in the plate heat exchanger

• Particulate fouling by particles suspended in water or gas

• Biofouling is undesirable accumulation of micro-organisms

• Chemical fouling is the reaction on contacts with process fluids and heat transfer surface

• Solidification fouling is when a component of flowing fluid “freezes” onto the heat transfer surface

• Corrosion fouling is created by corrosion of the substrate like iron oxide from carbon steel

• Precipitation – Scale formation due to dissolved substances like calcium carbonate or salts