Numerical simulation and experimental studies on heat and mass transfer using sweeping gas membrane distillation Original Research Article

A plate-and-frame membrane module has been used in sweeping gas membrane distillation process. Both numerical simulation and experimental studies have been carried out. The numerical simulation focuses on modelling heat, mass and momentum transport through the three parts of the sweeping gas membrane distillation system, namely: feed, membrane and permeate side. The model is based on Navier-Stokes equations coupled with the Darcy-Brinkman-Forcheimer formulation in transient regime in two-dimensions. A strong solver based on a compact Hermitian method has been used for solving partial derivative equations. The whole parts of the system are represented by only one domain of resolution instead of considering multi-domain approach but using non-regular discretization. The numerical simulations were conducted for different operational parameters at the module inlets such as the feed temperature, the permeate temperature, the sodium chloride feed concentration, the feed velocity and the permeate velocity. The results were validated in comparison with experimental results. Good agreements between the numerical simulation and the experimental permeate fluxes have been found.