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Kürzl C, Hartinger M, Ong P, Schopf R, Schiffer S, Kulozik U. Increasing Performance of Spiral-Wound Modules (SWMs) by Improving Stability against Axial Pressure Drop and Utilising Pulsed Flow. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:791. [PMID: 37755213 PMCID: PMC10535890 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13090791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Spacer-induced flow shadows and limited mechanical stability due to module construction and geometry are the main obstacles to improving the filtration performance and cleanability of microfiltration spiral-wound membranes (SWMs), applied to milk protein fractionation in this study. The goal of this study was first to improve filtration performance and cleanability by utilising pulsed flow in a modified pilot-scale filtration plant. The second goal was to enhance membrane stability against module deformation by flow-induced friction in the axial direction ("membrane telescoping"). This was accomplished by stabilising membrane layers, including spacers, at the membrane inlet by glue connections. Pulsed flow characteristics similar to those reported in previous lab-scale studies could be achieved by establishing an on/off bypass around the membrane module, thus enabling a high-frequency flow variation. Pulsed flow significantly increased filtration performance (target protein mass flow into the permeate increased by 26%) and cleaning success (protein removal increased by 28%). Furthermore, adding feed-side glue connections increased the mechanical membrane stability in terms of allowed volume throughput by ≥100% compared to unmodified modules, thus allowing operation with higher axial pressure drops, flow velocities and pulsation amplitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kürzl
- Food and Bioprocess Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Food Process Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Martin Hartinger
- Food and Bioprocess Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Patrick Ong
- Food and Bioprocess Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Roland Schopf
- Food and Bioprocess Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Simon Schiffer
- Food and Bioprocess Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kulozik
- Food and Bioprocess Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
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2
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Al-Amshawee SKA, Yunus MYBM. Electrodialysis membrane desalination with diagonal membrane spacers: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-28727-y. [PMID: 37620701 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28727-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Electrodialysis desalination uses ion exchange membranes, membrane spacers, and conductors to remove salt from water. Membrane spacers, made of polymeric strands, reduce concentration polarization. These spacers have properties such as porosity and filament shape that affect their performance. One important property is the spacer-bulk attack angle. This study systematically reviews the characteristics of a 45° attack angle of spacers and its effects on concentration polarization and fluid dynamics. Membrane spacers in a channel create distinct flow fields and concentration profiles. When set at a 45° attack angle, spacers provide greater turbulence and mass-heat transfer than traditional spacers. This is because both the transverse and longitudinal filaments become diagonal in relation to the bulk flow direction. A lower attack angle (<45°) results in a lower pressure drop coupled with a decline in wakes and stream disruption because when the filaments are more parallel to the primary fluid direction, the poorer their affect. This research concludes that membrane spacers with a 45° spacer-bulk attack angle function optimally compared to other angles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Khudhur Abbas Al-Amshawee
- Centre for Sustainability of Ecosystem and Earth Resources (Earth Centre), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia.
| | - Mohd Yusri Bin Mohd Yunus
- Centre for Sustainability of Ecosystem and Earth Resources (Earth Centre), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia
- Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia
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Al-Amshawee SKA, Yunus MYBM, Dakhil IH. Ion exchange membrane electrodialysis for water and wastewater processing: application of ladder-type membrane spacers to impact solution concentration and flow dynamics. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-27940-z. [PMID: 37308631 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27940-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Concentration polarization, which creates a thin boundary layer along the membranes in electrochemical reactors and electrodialysis-related processes, is one of the main issues. Membrane spacers provide swirling motion in the stream and distribute fluid toward the membrane, which effectively breaks the polarization layer and maximizes flux steadily. Membrane spacers and the spacer-bulk attack angle are reviewed systematically in the current study. The study then in-depth reviews a ladder-type configuration composed of longitudinal (0° attack angle) and transverse (90° attack angle) filaments, and its effects on solution flow direction and hydrodynamics. The review discovered that, at the tradeoff of high-pressure losses, a laddered spacer can provide mass transfer and mixing activity along the channel while preserving comparable patterns of concentration near the membrane wall. Pressure losses are driven by a change in the direction of velocity vectors. Dead spots in the spacer design that are created by the large contribution of the spacer manifolds can be reduced using the high-pressure drop. Laddered spacers also permit long, tortuous flow paths, which help to create turbulent flow and prevent concentration polarization. The absence of spacers produces limited mixing and broad polarization effects. A major portion of streamlines changes direction at ladder spacer strands positioned transverse to the main flow by moving in a zigzag manner up and down the filaments of the spacer. Flow at 90° is perpendicular to the transverse wires in [Formula: see text]-coordinate, no change in [Formula: see text]-coordinate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Khudhur Abbas Al-Amshawee
- Centre for Sustainability of Ecosystem & Earth Resources (Earth Centre), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia.
| | - Mohd Yusri Bin Mohd Yunus
- Centre for Sustainability of Ecosystem & Earth Resources (Earth Centre), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia
- Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26300, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Ihsan Habib Dakhil
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Al-Muthanna University, Engineering College, 66001, Al-Samawa, Al-Muthanna, Iraq
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Kürzl C, Kulozik U. Comparison of the efficiency of pulsed flow membrane cleaning in hollow fibre (HFM) and spiral-wound microfiltration membranes (SWM). FOOD AND BIOPRODUCTS PROCESSING 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbp.2023.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
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5
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Hydrodynamic effects of non-uniform feed spacer structures on energy loss and mass transfer in spiral wound module. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2023.121479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
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6
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Al-Amshawee SKA, Mohd Yunus MYB. Impact of Membrane Spacers on Concentration Polarization, Flow Profile, and Fouling at Ion Exchange Membranes of Electrodialysis Desalination: Diagonal Net Spacer Vs. Ladder-Type Configuration. Chem Eng Res Des 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2023.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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7
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Saliakellis P, Koutsou C, Karabelas A. The Effect of Gap Reduction on Fluid Dynamics and Mass Transfer in Membrane Narrow Channels Filled with Novel Spacers-A Detailed Computational Study. MEMBRANES 2022; 13:20. [PMID: 36676826 PMCID: PMC9863175 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The effect of gap thickness reduction 2h (i.e., the reduction h at each membrane surface) is studied on the flow field and mass transfer, in membrane channels filled with novel spacers, under conditions representative of those prevailing in RO desalination modules. The patented novel net-type spacers are comprised of regularly-spaced spherical nodes (in contact with the membranes) and interconnecting cylindrical filaments at the midplane of the channel. Advanced 3D flow simulations, performed at "unit cell" level, show the strong effect of a modest gap reduction on the flow field. Analysis of the computational results leads to new insights regarding flow development as well as to useful correlations of key process parameters (i.e., for friction losses, mass-transfer rates, wall shear stresses) accounting for the effect of gap reduction. Contrary to conventional spacers, the novel spacer geometry, under conditions of usual/modest channel-gap reduction, exhibits no stagnant flow zones and relatively high shear stresses on both the membranes and the filaments, which leads to desirable mitigation of fouling and a reduction in concentration polarization. The developed correlations can be adapted to existing advanced simulators of RO module performance for improved process design and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Saliakellis
- Laboratory of Natural Resources and Renewable Energies, Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH), Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Chrysafenia Koutsou
- Laboratory of Natural Resources and Renewable Energies, Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH), Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anastasios Karabelas
- Laboratory of Natural Resources and Renewable Energies, Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH), Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
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8
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Lu X, Huang J, Pinelo M, Chen G, Wan Y, Luo J. Modelling and optimization of pervaporation membrane modules: A critical review. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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9
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Al-Amshawee SKA, Husain MSB, Yunus MYBM, Mohamed Azmin NF, Temidayo Lekan O. Extruded and overlapped geometries of feed spacers for solution mixing in electrochemical reactors and electrodialysis-related processes. CHEM ENG COMMUN 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00986445.2022.2042271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Khudhur Abbas Al-Amshawee
- Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia
- Centre for Sustainability of Ecosystem & Earth Resources (Earth Centre), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Mohamed Saad Bala Husain
- Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Yusri Bin Mohd Yunus
- Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia
- Centre for Sustainability of Ecosystem & Earth Resources (Earth Centre), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Nor Fadhillah Mohamed Azmin
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Oladosu Temidayo Lekan
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Perak, Malaysia
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10
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Lee C, Kim IS. Osmotic membrane under spacer-induced mechanical compression: Performance evaluation and 3D mechanical simulation for module optimization. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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11
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Baitalow K, Wypysek D, Leuthold M, Weisshaar S, Lölsberg J, Wessling M. A mini-module with built-in spacers for high-throughput ultrafiltration. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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12
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Undulated insert for boosting desalination efficiency in membrane systems. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s43153-021-00151-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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13
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Numerical Simulations of Calcium Sulphate Scaling in Full-Scale Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis Pressure Vessels Using Computational Fluid Dynamics. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11070521. [PMID: 34357171 PMCID: PMC8306596 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11070521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Coal mine waters often have high salinity, hardness and alkalinity. The treatment of coal mine water requires careful management of multi-stage reverse osmosis (RO) systems to achieve effective recovery of water for domestic reuse, as well as zero liquid discharge to minimise the impact to the local environment. Design of RO systems for coal mine water treatment has been limited to the use of commercial design packages provided by membrane manufacturers, which do not provide insights into the impact of operating parameters such as feedwater salinity, concentrations of sparingly soluble salts, feed pressure and their interactions with different RO modules on the fouling/scaling potential of RO membranes. This also restricts the use of novel RO products and the delivery of an optimum design based on real needs. In this work, a mathematical model was developed to simulate a standard brackish water RO pressure vessel consisting six full-size RO membrane elements, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The model can be used to predict the permeate flowrate, water recovery levels, as well as the spatial information of the accumulation and scaling potential of sparingly soluble salts on the membrane surface. The results obtained from the model showed good agreement with the results obtained from the commercial RO design software WAVE. The CFD model was then used to predict the scaling threshold on various positions of a full-scale RO element, at different operating conditions, using parametric simulations based on Central Composite Designs. Outputs from this work not only provide insights into the microscopic flow characteristics of multiple full-scale elements in the RO pressure vessel, but also predicts the position where scaling would occur, at different feed conditions, for any RO products.
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14
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Lin W, Zhang Y, Li D, Wang XM, Huang X. Roles and performance enhancement of feed spacer in spiral wound membrane modules for water treatment: A 20-year review on research evolvement. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 198:117146. [PMID: 33945947 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Membrane technologies have been widely applied in water treatment, wastewater reclamation and seawater desalination. Feed spacer present in spiral wound membrane (SWM) modules plays a pivotal role in creating flow channels, promoting fluid mixing and enhancing mass transfer. However, it induces the increase of feed channel pressure (FCP) drop and localized stagnant zones that provokes membrane fouling. For the first time, we comprehensively review the research evolvement on feed spacer in SWM modules for water treatment over the last 20 years, to reveal the impacts of feed spacer on the hydrodynamics and biofouling in the spacer-filled channel, and to discuss the potential approaches and current limitations for the modification of feed spacer. The research process can be divided into three phases, with research focus shifting from hydrodynamics in Phase Ⅰ (the year of 2001-2008), to biofouling in Phase Ⅱ (the year of 2009-2015), and then to novel spacer designs in Phase Ⅲ (the year of 2016-2020). The spacer configuration has a momentous impact on the hydraulic performance regarding flow velocity field, shear stress, mass transfer and FCP drop. Biofouling initially occurs on feed spacer, especially around spacer filaments and the contact zones with membrane surface, and ultimately degrades the overall membrane performance indicating the importance of controlling spacer biofouling. The modification of feed spacer is mainly achieved by altering surface chemistry or introducing novel configurations. However, the stability of spacer coating and the economy and practicality of 3D-printed spacer remain a predicament to be tackled. Future studies are suggested to focus on the standardization of testing conditions for spacer evaluation, the effect of hydrodynamics on membrane fouling control, the design and fabrication of novel feed spacer adaptable for SWM modules, the application of feed spacer for drinking water production, organic fouling control in spacer-filled channel and the role of permeate spacer on membrane performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichen Lin
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuting Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Danyang Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiao-Mao Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Research and Application Center for Membrane Technology, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Research and Application Center for Membrane Technology, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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15
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Schopf R, Schmidt F, Linner J, Kulozik U. Comparative Assessment of Tubular Ceramic, Spiral Wound, and Hollow Fiber Membrane Microfiltration Module Systems for Milk Protein Fractionation. Foods 2021; 10:692. [PMID: 33805098 PMCID: PMC8064107 DOI: 10.3390/foods10040692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The fractionation efficiency of hollow fiber membranes (HFM) for milk protein fractionation was compared to ceramic tubular membranes (CTM) and spiral wound membranes (SWM). HFM combine the features of high membrane packing density of SWM and the more defined flow conditions and better control of membrane fouling in the open flow channel cross-sections of CTM. The aim was to comparatively analyze the effect of variations in local pressure and flow conditions while using single industrially sized standard modules with similar dimensions and module footprints (module diameter and length). The comparative assessment with varied transmembrane pressure was first applied for a constant feed volume flow rate of 20 m3 h-1 and, secondly, with the same axial pressure drop along the modules of 1.3 bar m-1, similar to commonly applied crossflow velocity and wall shear stress conditions at the industrial level. Flux, transmission factor of proteins (whey proteins and serum caseins), and specific protein mass flow per area membrane and per volume of module installed were determined as the evaluation criteria. The casein-to-whey protein ratios were calculated as a measure for protein fractionation effect. Results obtained show that HFM, which so far are under-represented as standard module types in industrial dairy applications, appear to be a competitive alternative to SWM and CTM for milk protein fractionation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Schopf
- Chair of Food and Bioprocess Engineering, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354 Freising, Germany; (F.S.); (J.L.); (U.K.)
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Kieferle I, Kulozik U. Importance of process conditions in the displacement of protein concentrates from spiral-wound membrane modules. FOOD AND BIOPRODUCTS PROCESSING 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbp.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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17
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Sun Y, Li J, Li M, Ma Z, Wang X, Wang Q, Wang X, Xu D, Gao J, Gao X. Towards improved hydrodynamics of the electrodialysis (ED) cell via computational fluid dynamics and cost estimation model: Effects of spacer parameters. Sep Purif Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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18
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A Review of CFD Modelling and Performance Metrics for Osmotic Membrane Processes. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10100285. [PMID: 33076290 PMCID: PMC7602433 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10100285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Simulation via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offers a convenient way for visualising hydrodynamics and mass transport in spacer-filled membrane channels, facilitating further developments in spiral wound membrane (SWM) modules for desalination processes. This paper provides a review on the use of CFD modelling for the development of novel spacers used in the SWM modules for three types of osmotic membrane processes: reverse osmosis (RO), forward osmosis (FO) and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO). Currently, the modelling of mass transfer and fouling for complex spacer geometries is still limited. Compared with RO, CFD modelling for PRO is very rare owing to the relative infancy of this osmotically driven membrane process. Despite the rising popularity of multi-scale modelling of osmotic membrane processes, CFD can only be used for predicting process performance in the absence of fouling. This paper also reviews the most common metrics used for evaluating membrane module performance at the small and large scales.
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19
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An Improved Configuration of Vertical-Flow Mesh Tube Filters for Seawater Pretreatment: Performance, Cleaning, and Energy Consumption. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12102804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Roughing filters are types of porous media filter used in pretreatment systems where the raw water contains a large amount of suspended particles (SPs) and organic matter. Mesh tube filtration (MTF) media are roughing-filter media composed of low-density polyethylene used for SP removal during wastewater treatment. In this study, we present an improved MTF design—a porous filter bed (PFB), which exhibits superior SP removal performance compared to conventional MTF media. We then compare the applicability of MTF and PFB to both the primary pretreatment process for seawater desalination and the water reuse process. In bench-scale SP removal experiments, PFB shows removal rates of 46.7%, 68.0%, 67.6%, and 68.4% at hydraulic retention times of 15, 20, 30, and 60 min, respectively, which are better than those of MTF. The specific energy consumption (SEC) of batch dissolved air flotation (DAF) was known to range from 0.035 to 0.047 kWh/m3, whereas the SEC calculated for pilot-scale MTF and PFB is 0.027 kWh/m3 and minimum energy for influent supply, respectively. This suggests that PFB can compete with DAF as a primary pretreatment process. MTF predominantly removes SPs by sedimentation, whereas SP removal in PFB typically occurs via deposition of SPs on the mesh tube media.
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Toh K, Liang Y, Lau W, Fletcher D. CFD study of the effect of perforated spacer on pressure loss and mass transfer in spacer-filled membrane channels. Chem Eng Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2020.115704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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21
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Toh K, Liang Y, Lau W, Fimbres Weihs G. 3D CFD study on hydrodynamics and mass transfer phenomena for SWM feed spacer with different floating characteristics. Chem Eng Res Des 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2020.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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22
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Milk protein fractionation by custom-made prototypes of spiral-wound microfiltration membranes operated at extreme crossflow velocities. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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23
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Hartinger M, Napiwotzki J, Schmid EM, Hoffmann D, Kurz F, Kulozik U. Influence of Spacer Design and Module Geometry on the Filtration Performance during Skim Milk Microfiltration with Flat Sheet and Spiral-Wound Membranes. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10040057. [PMID: 32225043 PMCID: PMC7231382 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10040057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Spacer design in spiral-wound membranes (SWMs) significantly affects the axial pressuredrop in the flow channel but also the deposit layer removal. However, the effects of the spacerdesign and feed flow distribution in the module on the filtration performance have not yet beeninvestigated during the highly fouling-susceptible fractionation of proteins from skim milk bySWMs. Therefore, a parallel spacer with no turbulence promotion and a less homogeneous feedflow distribution in the SWM was compared to a diamond spacer with regard to its impact ondeposit formation and filtration performance. The experiments were conducted in a flat sheet testcell and in SWMs. The parallel spacer induced a more homogeneous deposit layer formation.However, no difference in filtration performance could be observed in the experiments with the testcell. Even though deposit layer formation dominates the microfiltration, its amount and spatialdistribution could not be directly linked to the filtration performance. Furthermore, both spacerswere assessed in SWM. Despite the higher crossflow velocity applicable in the more open channelsof the parallel spacer, the performance of the parallel spacer was inferior to the diamond spacer.This was independent of the viscosity of the feed. Due to the high curvature of the membrane sheetsclose to the permeate collection tube, the cross-section of the flow channels in the SWM equippedwith the parallel spacer was reduced. This resulted in a distinctly lower deposit layer control andperformance, which could not be compensated by the resulting higher crossflow velocity far fromthe permeate collection tube.
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24
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Numerical study of desalination by vacuum membrane distillation – Transient three-dimensional analysis. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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25
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26
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Hydrodynamic modeling of the spiral-wound membrane module including the membrane curvature: reverse osmosis case study. KOREAN J CHEM ENG 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11814-019-0372-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Ali SM, Qamar A, Kerdi S, Phuntsho S, Vrouwenvelder JS, Ghaffour N, Shon HK. Energy efficient 3D printed column type feed spacer for membrane filtration. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 164:114961. [PMID: 31421514 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.114961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Modification of the feed spacer design significantly influences the energy consumption of membrane filtration processes. This study developed a novel column type feed spacer with the aim to reduce the specific energy consumption (SEC) of the membrane based water filtration system. The proposed spacer increases the clearance between the filament and the membrane (reducing the spacer filament diameter) while keeping the same flow channel thickness as compared to a standard non-woven symmetric spacer. Since the higher clearance reduces the flow unsteadiness, column type nodes were added in the spacer structure as additional vortex shading bodies. Fluid flow behaviour in the channel for this spacer was numerically simulated by 3D CFD studies and then compared with the standard spacer. The numerical results showed that the proposed spacer substantially reduced the pressure drop, shear stress at the constriction region and shortened the dead zone. Finally, these findings were confirmed experimentally by investigating the filtration performances using the 3D printed prototypes of these spacers in a lab-scale filtration module. It is observed that the column spacer reduced the pressure drop by three times and doubled the specific water flux. 2D OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) scans of the membrane surface acquired after the filtration revealed much lower biomass accumulation using the proposed spacer. Consequently, the SEC for the column spacer was found about two folds lower than the standard spacer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Muztuza Ali
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, Post Box 129, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Adnan Qamar
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah Kerdi
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sherub Phuntsho
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, Post Box 129, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Johannes S Vrouwenvelder
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Noreddine Ghaffour
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ho Kyong Shon
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, Post Box 129, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Investigation on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a feed channel of a spiral-wound membrane element using response surface methodology. Chem Eng Res Des 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Feed Spacer Geometries and Permeability Coefficients. Effect on the Performance in BWRO Spriral-Wound Membrane Modules. WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w11010152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Reverse osmosis (RO) is the most widely used technology to desalinate brackish water and seawater. Significant efforts have been made in recent decades to improve RO efficiency. Feed spacer geometry design is a very important factor in RO membrane performance. In this work, correlations based on computational fluid dynamics and experimental work were applied in an algorithm to simulate the effect of different feed spacer geometries in full-scale brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) membranes with different permeability coefficients. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of feed spacers in conjunction with the permeability coefficients on membrane performance. The results showed a greater impact of feed spacer geometries in the membrane with the highest water permeability coefficient (A). Studying only one single element in a series, variations due to feed spacer geometries were observed in specific energy consumption ( S E C ) and permeate concentration ( C p ) of about 6.83% and 10.42%, respectively. Allowing the rolling of commercial membranes with different feed spacer geometries depending on the operating conditions could optimize the RO process.
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Kavianipour O, Ingram GD, Vuthaluru HB. Studies into the mass transfer and energy consumption of commercial feed spacers for RO membrane modules using CFD: Effectiveness of performance measures. Chem Eng Res Des 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2018.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Impact of Modified Spacer on Flow Pattern in Narrow Spacer-Filled Channels for Spiral-Wound Membrane Modules. ENVIRONMENTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/environments5110116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A modified spacer, which was constructed with arched filaments and zigzag filaments, was designed to improve vortex shedding and generate a directional change in flow patterns of membrane modules, especially in the vicinity of the feed spacer filament, which is most affected by fouling. A unit cell was investigated by using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for hydrodynamic simulation. The results of CFD simulations were carried out for the fluid flow in order to understand the effect of the modified spacer on vortices to the performance of arched filaments at different distances. From 2D velocity vectors and shear stress contour mixing, the flow pattern and dead zone flushing were depicted. The ratio of low shear stress area to the total area increased with the inlet velocity closed to 20%. The energy consumption with respect to flow direction for the arched filament was 80% lower than that in the zigzag filament. Compared with previous commercial spacers’ simulation, the friction factor was lower when the main flow was normal to the arched filament and the modified friction factor was close to the commercial spacers. The homogenization was realized through the flow pattern created by the modified spacer.
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33
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CT scanning of membrane feed spacers – Impact of spacer model accuracy on hydrodynamic and solute transport modeling in membrane feed channels. J Memb Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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