Application of response surface and Taguchi optimization techniques to air gap membrane distillation for water desalination—A comparative study

Abstract

A B S T R A C TThe performance of an air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) system for water desalination was optimized and compared using Taguchi orthogonal design arrays and the response surface methodology (RSM) Face-Centered Central Composite Design. The variables considered in the optimization are feed flow rate, feed temperature, coolant temperature, coolant flow rate, and air gap width. Additionally, a quadratic RS-model between response and the operating parameters was developed. Analysis of variance was then use to analyze the model and the significant effect of each operating parameters on flux. Results showed that the feed temperature and the air gap width are the most influential factors controlling the permeate production. The sensitivity of the permeate flux to coolant flow rate is marginal compared to other factors. From Taguchi technique, a maximum flux of 76.046 kg/m 2 h was obtained at optimum conditions. The RSM approach produced a maximum flux of 76.998 kg/m 2 h at optimum conditions. Although both techniques predicted very similar results, the RSM gives better predictions of the influence of operating parameters on response, and it is a better tool for the optimization of AGMD system compared to Taguchi methodology.

Hierarchical Control and Optimization Strategies Applied to Solar Membrane Distillation Facilities

“…Note that in this modelling methodology the nonlinearity is given by the quadratic terms. Some examples of RSM models in MD technology can be found in [33,[93][94][95][96][97][98][99].…”

“…Regarding the MD module modelling, most of the proposals are centered on modelling lab-scale MD modules. In addition, they only take into account as model output the distillate production [94,97], and only a few works consider also metrics related to the thermal efficiency of the module [62,64], which is essential to predict its behavior. Besides, very few studies consider the salinity of the feed water as an input of the model [102] which is also fundamental to explore some of the applications of MD technology, as the treatment of brines.…”

Theoretical analysis and parametric investigation of an innovative helical air gap membrane desalination system

“…Usually, AGMD has been used with conventional plate and frame (Khalifa and Lawal 2016;Charfi et al 2010;Khayet and Matsuura 2011b) and hollow fiber (Cabassud and Wirth 2003;Cheng et al 2009;Guijt et al 2005a, b) designs, but nowadays number of different configurations are appearing in the literature that explore new design possibilities to study AGMD systems (Shahu and Thombre 2019a). Aryapratama et al (2016) designed a hollow fiber module with multiple cooling channel network made up of stainless steel.…”

Membrane Distillation Technology Using for Desalination of Associated Oil Water Production and Study Efficiency of Feed Water Operation Parameter on Air Gap Membrane Distillation Process Production

“…By applying the design of experimental (DoE) as a statistical optimization approaches a widely used to optimize operation variables, instead of the previous method that depends on effected of single variable dependent, with other variables, kept fixed [19]. Response surface methodology (RSM) is competent to evaluate the interaction between the selected variable to estimate the optimum value on process operation.…”