0000000000991351
AUTHOR
M. La Cerva
Application of computational fluid dynamics technique in membrane distillation processes
This Chapter illustrates the application of CFD to spacer-filled channels for membrane distillation. The topics discussed cover finite volume grids and grid independence, the unit-cell treatment of spatially periodic net spacers, and the dependence of flow and thermal fields and overall performance parameters (pressure drop and mean heat transfer coefficients) upon geometry and operating conditions (Reynolds number, flow attack angle, pitch-to-height ratio, spacer thermal conductivity, thermal boundary conditions, and one-side vs. two-side heat transfer).
Coupling CFD simulation with a simplified process model for reverse electrodialysis units
Salinity gradient between two solutions is a renewable source of energy. Among the technologies able to exploit the salinity gradient, reverse electrodialysis (RED) is an electrochemical process for electrical power generation through direct conversion. Ion exchange membranes, piled alternately and separated by net spacers or membrane profiles, are the key elements of a RED stack. A multiplex phenomenology occurs in RED units; Ohmic and non-Ohmic (due to concentration changes) voltage losses and pressure drop are the main issues, and the membrane/channel configuration is crucial for the stack performance. In this framework, mathematical modelling can be a powerful tool for predictive purpos…
Mass transfer in channels in the presence of wall transpiration
Mass transfer to or from transpiring walls is studied. Examples from different fields of engineering, notably involving membrane processes, are illustrated, and analogies or differences with respect to heat transfer problems are discussed. With special reference to plane channel flow, suitable dimensionless parameters are introduced, and the dependence of the Sherwood number upon these parameters is computed by a number of approaches of different complexity, from two-dimensional CFD to simple algebraic correlations.