Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

Kouji Kishinami

Tomohiro Arase

Hiroto Nishida

A specific nonionic surfactant is added to a component mainly comprising hydrocarbons before passing through a heat exchanger in a petrochemical plant or a polyolefin production plant, whereby fouling of the heat exchanger can be efficiently prevented, that is, the performance of the heat exchanger can be prevented from being deteriorated, and long-term operation is feasible without sacrificing the speed of production. The nonionic surfactant is preferably a polyoxyalkylene compound represented by the general formula [I] below, more preferably a compound represented by the general formula [II] below.R&#x2014;O&#x2014;[CH&#x2014;CH(R)&#x2014;O]&#x2014;R[I]wherein R, Rand Rare selected from a hydrogen atom, a C1 to C20 alkyl group, a C6 to C20 aryl group and a C1 to C20 acyl group, and may be the same or different from each other.HO&#x2014;(CHCHO)&#x2014;[CHCH(CH)O]&#x2014;(CHCHO)H[II]wherein m, n and p each represent the average number of repeating units, and m is in the range of 1 to 20, n is 2 to 50 and p is 1 to 20.

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Ichihara, Japan

Kouji Kishinami