Investigation on Drag Reduction Characteristics and Shell‐Side Hydrodynamics in Hollow Fiber Membrane Modules

Abstract

A novel hollow fiber membrane module shell-side model is fabricated, simulated, tested, and analyzed. The mathematical model consists of a six spaced bar-shaped fiber and a vortex-control tangential entrance with protuberance radians. The vortex shedding behavior is captured by the digital particle image velocimetry technique. The velocity vectors and vorticity fields are analyzed experimentally. Meanwhile, the k − ε turbulent model is established to identify the flow stagnate point/region transformation. Investigation of wall shear stress and surface pressure distributions around circular cylindrical fibers illustrate the mechanism of drag reduction tentatively. Afterward, the novel optimization module produces higher recovery rates of up to 1.56 times as compared to that of a conventional module in equivalent filtration condition. It indicates that by means of a hydrodynamics flow control strategy, the fabricated membrane module structure could potentially improve energy utilization efficiency in filtration processes.

Shell and lumen side flow and pressure communication during permeation and filtration in a multibore polymer membrane module

“…However, shell sided hydrodynamic effects in hollow fiber membrane modules have an equally pronounced impact on the membrane's performance. The tangential inlet and outlet flow influence the flow field inside membrane modules as validated by CFD simulations and particle image velocimetry (PIV) [32].…”