Search results for "concentration polarization"
showing 10 items of 18 documents
Space charge effect on competitive ion transport through ion-exchange membranes
2002
A mathematical model of the competitive electro-transport of two counter-ions through an ion exchange membrane based on the Nernst-Planck and Poisson equations is developed. A three-layer system is considered: the membrane and two adjacent diffusion layers. Concentration profiles in the three layers, effective transport numbers as functions of the current and current-voltage characteristics are calculated. Deviation from the local electroneutrality in space charge region near the depleted solution/membrane interface is taken into account. It is shown that the space charge region grows with the voltage applied. However the fluxes of the competitive counter-ions at over-limiting currents are …
A Dialysis Photocatalytic Reactor for the Green Production of Vanillin
2020
In the present work, dialysis was used to recover vanillin while being produced by partial photocatalytic oxidation of ferulic acid in an aqueous solution at ambient temperature. The relatively high value of the permeate flux through a dense polyether-block amide membrane allowed continuously extracting vanillin from the reacting solution, thus avoiding its successive oxidation. The rate of vanillin formation was improved, compared to other reactor configurations, because intermediate compounds permeated from the reacting solution and did not hinder the reaction, while ferulic acid permeated in the opposite direction to partially replenish the reactor with the substrate. The photocatalytic …
CFD prediction of concentration polarization phenomena in spacer-filled channels for Reverse Electrodialysis
2014
Abstract Salinity Gradient Power generation through Reverse Electrodialysis (SGP-RE) is a promising technology to convert the chemical potential difference of a salinity gradient into electric energy. In SGP-RE systems, as in most membrane processes, concentration polarization phenomena may affect the theoretical driving force and thus the performance of the process. Operating conditions, including the feed solution flow rate and concentration and the channels׳ geometrical configuration, may greatly influence both the polarization effect and the pumping energy consumption. The present work uses CFD to investigate the dependence of concentration polarization and pressure drop on flow rate, f…
CFD analysis of mass transfer in spacer-filled channels for reverse electrodialysis
2014
Reverse electrodialysis (RE) is a promising technology for electric power generation by converting the chemical potential difference of a salinity gradient, within a stack equipped by selective ion-exchange membranes. Concentration polarization phenomena and pressure drop affect strongly the power output obtainable; therefore the channel geometry is a fundamental operating parameter for the optimization of the system. In this work, Computational Fluid Dynamic simulations were performed to predict fluid flow and mass transfer in spacer-filled channels for RE applications. A parametric analysis for different spacer geometries was carried out; in particular, woven and non woven spacers were si…
Experiments and modelling for determining the Limiting Current Density in Electrodialysis units
2018
In the present work, in order to explore such issues on the LCD identification, we performed in-situ measurements with ED units, assessing the influence of operating conditions and validating a purposely implemented process simulator, which was then used for further investigation
CFD analysis of concentration polarization phenomena in spacer-filled channels for Reverse Electro-Dialysis
2012
In this work, carried out within the EU-FP7 funded REAPower project, CFD simulations were carried out in order to study the fluid flow behaviour and mass transport phenomena within spacer-filled channels.
CFD prediction of flow, heat and mass transfer in woven spacer-filled channels for membrane processes
2021
Abstract Flow and heat or mass transfer in channels provided with woven spacers made up of mutually orthogonal filaments were studied by Computational Fluid Dynamics. The problem addressed was the combined effect of the parameters that characterize the process: pitch to height ratio P/H (2, 3 and 4), flow attack angle θ (0, 7, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 45°) and Reynolds number Re (from ~1 to ~4000). The Prandtl number was 4.33, representative of water at ~40°C, while the Schmidt number was 600, representative of NaCl solutions. Simulations were performed by the finite volume code Ansys CFX™ 18.1 using very fine grids of ~6 to ~14 million volumes. For Re > ~400, the SST turbulence model was used to…
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…
Maximum Net Power Density Conditions in Reverse Electrodialysis Stacks
2018
Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) harvests electrical energy from a salinity gradient. The maximum obtainable net power density (NPD) depends on many physical and geometric variables. Some have a monotonic (beneficial or detrimental) influence on NPD, and can be regarded as “scenario” variables chosen by criteria other than NPD maximization. Others, namely the thicknesses HCONC, HDIL and the velocities UCONC, UDIL in the concentrate and diluate channels, have contrasting effects, so that the NPD maximum is obtained for some intermediate values of these parameters. A 1-D model of a RED stack was coupled here with an optimization algorithm to determine the conditions of maximum NPD in the space o…