Permeate flux enhancement with roughened-surface flow channel in air-gap membrane distillation systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. 39-48
Author(s):  
Chii-Dong Ho
2020 ◽  
Vol 201 ◽  
pp. 150-168
Author(s):  
Chii-Dong Ho ◽  
Luke Chen ◽  
Kun-Yi Wu ◽  
Chi-Hsiang Ni ◽  
Thiam Leng Chew

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Ahmed Shamil Khalaf ◽  
Asrar Abdullah Hassan

Membrane distillation (MD) is a hopeful desalination technique for brine (salty) water. In this research, Direct Contact Membrane Distillation (DCMD) and  Air Gap Membrane Distillation (AGMD) will be used. The sample used is from Shat Al –Arab water (TDS=2430 mg/l). A polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) flat sheet membrane was used as a flat sheet form with a plate and frame cell. Several parameters were studied, such as; operation time, feed temperature, permeate temperature, feed flow rate. The results showed that with time, the flux decreases because of the accumulated fouling and scaling on the membrane surface. Feed temperature and feed flow rate had a positive effect on the permeate flux, while permeate temperature had a reverse effect on permeate flux. It is noticeable that the flux in DCMD is greater than AGMD, at the same conditions. The flux in DCMD is 10.95LMH, and that in AGMD is 7.14 LMH.  In AGMD, the air gap layer made a high resistance. Here the temperature transport reduces in the permeate side of AGMD due to the air gap resistance. The heat needed for AGMD is lower than DCMD, this leads to low permeate flux because the temperature difference between the two sides is very small, so the driving force (vapor pressure) is low.                                                                                               


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Karbasi ◽  
Javad Karimi-Sabet ◽  
J. Mohammadi Roshandeh ◽  
M. A. Moosavian ◽  
H. Ahadi

Abstract Some challenges, including inappropriate distribution of currents on the membrane surface, poor hydrodynamics and existing severe temperature polarization (TP) phenomenon in MD modules, impede industrialization of MD process. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used for numerical simulation of hydrodynamics in air gap membrane distillation modules. One of two simulated modules in this work is a novel developed one in which heat and mass transfer data was compared with available literature data. Moreover, the effect of using baffles in module was investigated. Comparison between the novel module and conventional module indicates higher trans-membrane mass flux and gained output ratio (GOR) coefficient by 7% and 15%, respectively. Moreover, the effects of different operating conditions including feed temperatures and feed flow rates on permeate flux were investigated.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (18) ◽  
pp. 2817-2828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chii-Dong Ho ◽  
Luke Chen ◽  
Mei-Chih Huang ◽  
Jing-Yuan Lai ◽  
Yu-An Chen

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 200-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atia E. Khalifa

Abstract Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising thermally-driven membrane separation technology for water desalination. In MD, water vapor is being separated from the hot feed water solution using a micro-porous hydrophobic membrane, due to the difference in vapor pressures across the membrane. In the present work, experiments are conducted to compare the performance of water gap membrane distillation (WGMD) and air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) modules under the main operating and design conditions including the feed and coolant temperatures, membrane material and pore sizes, and the gap width. Results showed that the WGMD module produced higher fluxes as compared to the AGMD module, for all test conditions. The feed temperature is the dominant factor affecting the system flux. The permeate flux increases with reducing the gap width for both water and air gap modules. However, WGMD module was found to be less sensitive to the change in the gap width compared to the AGMD module. The PTFE membrane produced higher permeate flux as compared to the PVDF membrane. Bigger mean pore diameter enhanced the permeate flux, however, this enhancement is marginal at high feed temperatures. With increasing the feed temperature, the GOR values increase and the specific energy consumption decreases.


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 266
Author(s):  
Hsuan Chang ◽  
Chii-Dong Ho ◽  
Yih-Hang Chen ◽  
Luke Chen ◽  
Tze-Hao Hsu ◽  
...  

Two geometric shape turbulence promoters (circular and square of same areas) of different array patterns using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology were designed for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) modules in the present study. The DCMD device was performed at middle temperature operation (about 45 °C to 60 °C) of hot inlet saline water associated with a constant temperature of inlet cold stream. Attempts to reduce the disadvantageous temperature polarization effect were made inserting the 3D turbulence promoters to promote both the mass and heat transfer characteristics in improving pure water productivity. The additive manufacturing 3D turbulence promoters acting as eddy promoters could not only strengthen the membrane stability by preventing vibration but also enhance the permeate flux with lessening temperature polarization effect. Therefore, the 3D turbulence promoters were individually inserted into the flow channel of the DCMD device to create vortices in the flow stream and increase turbulent intensity. The modeling equations for predicting the permeate flux in DCMD modules by inserting the manufacturing 3D turbulence promoter were investigated theoretically and experimentally. The effects of the operating conditions under various geometric shapes and array patterns of turbulence promoters on the permeate flux with hot inlet saline temperatures and flow rates as parameters were studied. The distributions of the fluid velocities were examined using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Experimental study has demonstrated a great potential to significantly accomplish permeate flux enhancement in such new design of the DCMD system. The permeate flux enhancement for the DCMD module by inserting 3D turbulence promoters in the flow channel could provide a maximum relative increment of up to 61.7% as compared to that in the empty channel device. The temperature polarization coefficient (τtemp) was found in this study for various geometric shapes and flow patterns. A larger τtemp value (the less thermal resistance) was achieved in the countercurrent-flow operation than that in the concurrent-flow operation. An optimal design of the module with inserting turbulence promoters was also delineated when considering both permeate flux enhancement and energy utilization effectiveness.


Author(s):  
S. Rochd ◽  
L. Salama ◽  
K. El Ghazaouy ◽  
S. Mizani ◽  
H. Zerradi ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Reza Baghaei Lakeh ◽  
Keaton Cornell ◽  
Benny Ly ◽  
Aaron Chan ◽  
Sepideh Jankhah

As the population grows, one issue that is continually being addressed is the lack of clean water resources. In order to explore viable solutions, rapid experimentation and research has been underway to alleviate the water crisis. With the addition of new emerging technology, the development, improvement, and understanding of various techniques used to treat non-potable water has expanded. One subcategory of water filtration in particular that has seen rapid growth is Membrane Distillation (MD). MD is a filtration process that utilizes thermal energy to desalinate and decontaminate water. Compared to current industry leading techniques such as reverse osmosis, MD does not require such large operating pressures, leading to less power consumption. MD is accomplished primarily by flowing contaminated feed water at elevated temperatures across semi-permeable membranes. The membranes used are made to allow water vapors to penetrate through and separate from the contaminated liquid portion. By maintaining a temperature difference across the membrane, a pressure gradient is created, which drives the vapor of feed water through the pores in the membrane. Once the vapor passes through the membrane, it condenses through various methods and is collected. Air Gap Membrane Distillation (AGMD) has shown significant ability to desalinate water effectively in small scales. The air gap between the membrane and condensation plate minimizes heat loss through conduction, making AGMD a more attractive option for upscaling. In this project a laboratory-scale test cell was developed to test AGMD using different membranes, and operational parameters. In order to test such parameters, a unique design with baffled channels to induce turbulence was designed and manufactured. Feed water and coolant temperature differences, flow rates, membrane porosity, and air gap thickness are among the parameters that has been studied in this research. Temperatures of the hot feed were varied from 40°C to 80°C while the cold feed temperature was kept at a near constant temperature of 0°C. Flow rates of feed water and coolant water range from 1 to 3 L/Min. It was observed that the permeate flux is an increasing function of feed water temperature and membrane porosity. The air gap thickness plays a major role in permeate flux and energy consumption of the system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 104816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamah Naji ◽  
Raed A. Al-juboori ◽  
Les Bowtell ◽  
Alla Alpatova ◽  
Noreddine Ghaffour

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