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Fluid mechanics and synthetic membrane module design

Background:

For nearly thirty years, three geometric designs have dominated the synthetic membrane market for the design of membrane modules (devices that hold large areas of membranes and allow feed and permeate to flow in and out of the device in separate streams with effective mass transfer through the membrane): flat sheet, spiral wound and hollow fibers. Large membrane surface area often implies low flow rates across the membrane (tangential flow) and therefore poor mass transfer. This balance between effective fluid mechanics and surface area underlies the choice of different membrane modules and depend on the constituents in the feed and its viscosity. All three standard modules listed above are effective for dilute feeds and low viscosity solutions or suspensions. Moving membrane or disc systems have been used for very concentrated (>20 wt.%) and highly viscous (>15 cp) feeds. Most feed found in industry especially the biotechnology and wastewater industry has between 0.5-20 wt % solids and intermediate viscosity (1-15 cp). See Figure 15. The Belfort group have developed a module design based on the use of secondary flow transverse to the flow direction that act as "wind-screen wipers" and clean the membrane surface allowing improved performance. See Figure 16.

Fluid Mechanics Approach to the Membrane Fouling Problem:

Pioneering the direct measurement (by magnetic resonance imaging) and modeling of flow in the shell space and in the lumens of a hollow fiber device and around a curved duct, Belfort and his group were the first to report on the quantitative aspects of Starling flow and the stability of centrifugal vortices (Dean), respectively1-4. They studied, theoretically and experimentally, the fundamental bifurcation and motion of such centrifugal vortices in ducts with porous walls and suction1-11, and patented and licensed the use of these vortices and others for cleaning membrane surfaces in filtration devices for biotechnology applications12-25. The filtration rates of these new devices when tested in the pharmaceutical industry are from 30-500 % higher than those obtained with current commercial filtration units in the market12-22. See Figure 17.

References:

Fluid Mechanics Approach:

Magnetic resonance imaging and modeling of fluid flow in bioreactors and membrane modules

  1. Mallubhotla, H., Edelstein W. A., Early T. A. and Belfort G, (2000) Effect of curvature and flow rate on Dean vortex stability using magnetic resonance flow imaging and numerical analysis, AIChE Journal, in review.
  2. Chung, K.-Y., Bates, R., and Belfort, G. (1993), Dean vortices with wall flux in a curved channel membrane system: 4. Effect of vortices on permeation fluxes of suspensions in microporous membrane, J. Membrane Sci., 81, 139-150.
  3. Chung, K.-Y., Edelstein, W. A., and Belfort, G. (1993), Dean vortices with wall flux in a curved channel membrane system. 6. Two dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of the velocity field in a curved impermeable slit, J. Membrane Sci., 81, 151-162.
  4. Chung, K-Y, Edelstein, W. A., Li, X. and Belfort, G. (1993), Dean vortices in a curved channel membrane system: 5 Three dimensional magnetic resonance imaging and numerical analysis of the velocity field in a curved impermeable tube, AIChE Journal, 39 (10) 1592-1602.

Dean vortex filtration: Fundamentals

  1. Schutyser, M and Belfort G., (2002) Dean Vortex Membrane Microfiltration Non-Newtonian Viscosity Effects, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 41, 494-504.
  2. Kluge, T. Kalra, A. and Belfort. B (1999) Viscosity effects on Dean vortex membrane microfiltration, AIChE Journal,45 (9) 1913-1926.
  3. Chung, K.-Y., Brewser, M. E. and Belfort, G. (1998), Dean vortices with wall flux in a curved channel membrane system: 3. Concentration polarization in a spiral reverse osmosis slit, Chem. Eng. J. Japan, 31 (5) 683-693.
  4. Mallubhotla, H, Hoffmann, S, Schmidt, M, Vente, J. and Belfort, G., (1998) Flux enhancement during Dean vortex membrane nanofiltration: 10. Design, construction and system characterization, J. Membrane Sci., 141, 183-195.
  5. Mallubhotla, H., and Belfort, G. (1997) Flux enhancement during Dean vortex microfiltration: 8. Further Diagnostics, J. Membrane Sci.. 125, 75-91
  6. Brewster, M. E., Chung, K.-Y. and Belfort, G. (1993), Dean vortices with wall flux in a curved channel membrane system: 1. A new aproach to membrane module design, J. Membrane Sci., 81, 127-137.
  7. Winzeler, H. B. and Belfort, G. (1993), Enhanced performance for pressure-driven membrane processes: The argument for fluid instabilities, J. Membrane Sci., in 80, 35-47.

Dean vortex filtration: Biotechnology applications

  1. Schutyser, M, Rupp, R., Wideman, J. and Belfort, G., (2002) Dean vortex membrane microfiltration and diafiltration of rBDNF E. coli inclusion bodies, Biotechnol. Prog. 18, 322-329.
  2. Mallubhotla, H, Edelstein, W. A., Earley, T. A. and Belfort, G., (2001) Magnetic resonance flow imaging and numerical analysis of curved tube flow: 16. Effect of curvature and flow rate on Dean vortex stability and bifurcation, AIChE J., 47 (5) 1126-1140.
  3. Luque, S, Mallubhotla, H, Gelhert, G, Kuriyel, R, Dzengeleski, S, Pearl, S and Belfort G, (1999) A new coiled hollow fiber module design for enhanced microfiltration performance, Biotechnol. Bioengr. 65 (3) 247-257.
  4. Kluge, T., Rezende, C., Wood, D. and Belfort. B (1999) Protein transmission during dean vortex microfiltration of yeast suspensions,Biotechnol. Bioengr. 65 (6) 649-658.
  5. Mallubhotla, H, Hoffmann, S, Schmidt, M, Vente, J., and Belfort, G., (1999) Flux enhancement during Dean vortex membrane nanofiltration: 13. Effects of concentration and solute type, J. Membrane Sci. 153, 259-269.
  6. Gehlert, G., Luque, S. and Belfort, (1999) Flux enhancement due to secondary flow in a helical tubular module: 14 ultra and microfiltration of polysaccharides, proteins and yeast suspensions, Biotechnology Progr.14, 931-942.
  7. Lee, K. H. and Belfort, G (1997) The effet of the making methods of hollow fiber active layer on performance for nanofiltration helical module, Memburein (Korea), 7, 95-109.
  8. Mallubhotla, H., Nunes, E., and Belfort, G. (1995) Microfiltration of yeast suspensions with self-cleaning spiral vortices: possibilities for a new membrane module design, Biotechn & Bioengr., 48, 375-385.
  9. Dolecek, P., Mikulasek, P. and Belfort, G. (1995), The performance of a rotating filter 1: Theoretical analysis of the flow in an annulus with a rotating inner porous wall, J. Membrane Sci., 99, 241-248.
  10. Belfort, G., Pimbley, J. M., Greiner, A., and Chung, K-Y (1993), Diagnosis of membrane fouling using rotating annular filter 1. Cell culture media, J. Membrane Sci., 77, 1-22.
  11. Belfort, G., Mikulasek, P., Pimbley, J. M., and Chung, K-Y (1993), Diagnosis of membrane fouling using a rotating annular filter, 2. Dilute particle suspensions of known particle size, J. Membrane Sci., 77, 23-39.

Patents:

  1. "Coiled Membrane Filtration System", G. Belfort, Issued US Patent #RE 37,759, June 25 th, 2002.
  2. Coiled Membrane Filtration System, Issued US; US Patent #. 5,626,758, May 6, 1997.
  3. Curved Channel Membrane Filtration, Application number H26-030 US; Filed on 9/21/92 (with Mary Brewster and Kun-Yong Chung), Issued: US Patent number: 5,204,002, April 20, 1993.


Copyright © 2003 Georges Belfort, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute