In this paper a new graphical tool is proposed for investigation of fouling formation period in heat exchanger networks (HEN). The objective of this paper is increasing the time that HEN can perform its desirable heat transfer operation without required cleaning process. In a typical heat exchanger network, fouling formation rate of some streams is more than other ones. The method obtained in this work is based on given more opportunity for fouling formation for streams with high fouling formation rate. In fact high fouling formation rate streams are replaced with low fouling formation rate streams between different heat exchangers so that more fouling formation opportunity may be given for HEN. Therefore the HEN cleaning time decreases in fixed time period and the high fouling formation streams should pass from the path that the low fouling formation rate stream previously has passed, and inversely. As a result, secondly stream with high fouling formation rate mixes with residues of primary stream (low fouling formation rate stream). Therefore we should consider to adoption and conformability of streams structures (for prevention of streams destruction) and thermal considerations (for desirable heat transfer). Outlet temperatures of hot and cold streams should state in predefined temperatures. For satisfying thermal consideration after streams replacement this approach can be used in plants that cleanliness and its operational costs are most important problem. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.