Search results for "Note"
showing 10 items of 10709 documents
A 2-D model of electrodialysis stacks including the effects of membrane deformation
2021
Abstract Membrane-based processes have gained a relevant role in many engineering applications. Much effort has been devoted to thoroughly understand the fundamental phenomena behind them. However, membrane deformation has been taken into consideration only recently, although much evidence has shown its impacts in many applications. This work presents a novel 2-D, multi-scale, semi-empirical process model able to predict the behavior and the performance of Electrodialysis (ED) systems in cross-flow configurations in the presence and absence of local membrane deformations. The model exploits the results and the simulation approaches of previous fluid-structure investigations performed by the…
Vibration-based identification of mechanical properties of orthotropic arbitrarily shaped plates: Numerical and experimental assessment
2018
Abstract An innovative procedure is introduced for the identification of the mechanical parameters of orthotropic plates of arbitrary shape, under various boundary conditions, based on vibration data. The method employs a combination of a convenient Rayleigh-Ritz approach and Particle-Swarm Optimization to estimate elastic constants of the orthotropic material in a straightforward manner, without requiring computationally demanding iterative Finite Element analyses. Specifically, the pb-2 Rayleigh-Ritz procedure is extended and applied to deal with orthotropic plates, simplifying the approach to more easily treat generic plate shapes, taking advantage of the Green's theorem. The method is t…
CFD Investigation of Spacer-Filled Channels for Membrane Distillation
2019
The membrane distillation (MD) process for water desalination is affected by temperature polarization, which reduces the driving force and the efficiency of the process. To counteract this phenomenon, spacer-filled channels are used, which enhance mixing and heat transfer but also cause higher pressure drops. Therefore, in the design of MD modules, the choice of the spacer is crucial for process efficiency. In the present work, different overlapped spacers are investigated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and results are compared with experiments carried out with thermochromic liquid crystals (TLC). Results are reported for different flow attack angles and for Reynolds numbers (Re) ran…
Pressure drop at low reynolds numbers in woven-spacer-filled channels for membrane processes: CFD prediction and experimental validation
2017
The energy consumption due to pumping power is a crucial issue in membrane processes. Spacers provide mechanical stability and promote mixing, yet increasing pressure drop. Woven spacers and their behaviour at low Reynolds numbers are less studied in the literature. Nevertheless, they are typical of some membrane technologies, as reverse electrodialysis (RED). RED is a promising technology for electric power generation by the chemical potential difference of two salt solutions within a stack equipped by selective ion-exchange membranes. The mechanical energy required for pumping the feed solutions, can dramatically reduce the net power output. In this work computational fluid dynamics (CFD)…
Experimental and computational investigation of heat transfer in channels filled by woven spacers
2017
Abstract Models of woven-type spacer-filled channels were investigated by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and parallel experiments in order to characterize the performance of Membrane Distillation (MD) modules. The case of overlapped spacers was analysed in a companion paper. Experiments were based on a non-intrusive technique using Thermochromic Liquid Crystals (TLC) and digital image processing, and provided the distribution of the local convective heat transfer coefficient on a thermally active wall. CFD simulations ranged from steady-state conditions to unsteady and early turbulent flow, covering a Reynolds number interval of great practical interest in real MD applications. A specif…
Investigation of heat transfer in spacer-filled channels by experiments and direct numerical simulations
2016
Abstract The analysis of flow fields and heat or mass transfer phenomena is of great importance in the optimum design of spacer-filled channel geometries for a variety of membrane-based processes. In the present work, models of spacer-filled channels often adopted in Membrane Distillation are simultaneously investigated by experiments and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Experiments rely on a non-intrusive technique, based on the use of Thermochromic Liquid Crystals (TLC) and digital image processing, and provide the local distribution of the convective heat transfer coefficient on a thermally active wall. CFD relies on steady-state (laminar flow) simulations in the lower end of the Reyn…
Electrodialysis for water desalination: A critical assessment of recent developments on process fundamentals, models and applications
2018
Abstract The need for unconventional sources of fresh water is pushing a fast development of desalination technologies, which proved to be able to face and solve the problem of water scarcity in many dry areas of the planet. Membrane desalination technologies are nowadays leading the market and, among these, electrodialysis (ED) plays an important role, especially for brackish water desalination, thanks to its robustness, extreme flexibility and broad range of applications. In fact, many ED-related processes have been presented, based on the use of Ion Exchange Membranes (IEMs), which are significantly boosting the development of ED-related technologies. This paper presents the fundamentals…
CFD modelling of profiled-membrane channels for reverse electrodialysis
2014
Abstract: Reverse electrodialysis (RE) is a promising technology for electric power generation from controlled mixing of two differently concentrated salt solutions, where ion-exchange membranes are adopted for the generation of ionic currents within the system. Channel geometry strongly influences fluid flow and thus crucial phenomena such as pressure drop and concentration polarization. Profiled membranes are an alternative to the more commonly adopted net spacers and offer a number of advantages: avoiding the use of non-conductive and relatively expensive materials, reducing hydraulic losses and increasing the active membrane area. In this work, Computational Fluid Dynamic simulations we…
Performance of a RED system with ammonium hydrogen carbonate solutions
2016
The use of closed-loop salinity gradient power (SGP) technologies has been recently presented as a viable option to generate power using low-grade heat, by coupling a SGP unit with a thermally-driven regeneration process in a closed loop where artificial solutions can be adopted for the conversion of heat into power. Among these, the closed-loop reverse electrodialysis (RED) process presents a number of advantages such as the direct production of electricity, the extreme flexibility in operating conditions and the recently demonstrated large potentials for industrial scale-up. Ammonium hydrogen carbonate (NH4HCO3) is a salt suitable for such closed-loop RED process thanks to its particular …
REAPOWER – USE OF DESALINATION BRINE FOR POWER PRODUCTION THROUGH REVERSE ELECTRODIALYSIS
2015
Salinity gradient power (SGP) represents a viable renewable energy source associated with the mixing of two solutions of different salinities. Reverse electrodialysis (SGP-RE or RED) is a promising technology to exploit this energy source and directly generate electricity. However, although the principle of this technology is well known since several years, further R&D efforts are still necessary in order to explore the real potential of the SGP-RE process. With this regard, the aim of the REAPower project ( [GRAPHICS] ) is the development of an innovative system for power production by SGP-RE process, using sea (or brackish) water as a diluted solution and brine as a concentrate. The use o…