scholarly journals Short and Spaced Twisted Tapes to Mitigate Fouling in Tubular Membranes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Wessling

Static mixers are an efficient means to mitigate membrane fouling as they deflect the fluid, thus increasing the shear rate at the membrane surface and enhancing back-transport of rejected matter. However, inserting static mixers in the flow channel of a membrane imposes an additional pressure drop. To decrease this detrimental effect of static mixers, we shorten twisted tape mixers and investigate how this shortening translates into a reduction of fouling mitigation. We follow two approaches known from heat transfer enhancement: i) shorten the total length of the twisted tape and ii) use regularly spaced short twisted tape elements which are kept at their position by smooth rods placed in between the twisted elements. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is applied to analyze the flow pattern, the shear rate at the membrane and the resulting pressure drop. The results allow for the selection of modified twisted tape mixers with lower pressure loss, but sufficient flow properties for fouling mitigation. The most promising mixer designs were selected according to the CFD study, 3D-printed, and their fouling mitigation effect experimentally investigated using silica suspensions. Additionally, the effect of foulant concentration in this system is analyzed. For low silica concentrations (0.03 g/L) the short and spaced twisted tapes mitigate fouling as efficiently as the full-length twisted tape. At high silica concentrations and fluxes, the full-length mixer mitigates fouling more strongly than the short and spaced twisted tapes. However, the modified twisted tapes prove to be more energy-efficient up to a certain fouling exposure.

2006 ◽  
Vol 128 (10) ◽  
pp. 1070-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debashis Pramanik ◽  
Sujoy K. Saha

The heat transfer and the pressure drop characteristics of laminar flow of viscous oil through rectangular and square ducts with internal transverse rib turbulators on two opposite surfaces of the ducts and fitted with twisted tapes have been studied experimentally. The tapes have been full length, short length, and regularly spaced types. The transverse ribs in combination with full-length twisted tapes have been found to perform better than either ribs or twisted tapes acting alone. The heat transfer and the pressure drop measurements have been taken in separate test sections. Heat transfer tests were carried out in electrically heated stainless steel ducts incorporating uniform wall heat flux boundary conditions. Pressure drop tests were carried out in acrylic ducts. The flow was periodically fully developed in the regularly spaced twisted-tape elements case and decaying swirl flow in the short-length twisted tapes case. The flow characteristics are governed by twist ratio, space ratio, and length of twisted tape, Reynolds number, Prandtl number, rod-to-tube diameter ratio, duct aspect ratio, rib height, and rib spacing. Correlations developed for friction factor and Nusselt number have predicted the experimental data satisfactorily. The performance of the geometry under investigation has been evaluated. It has been found that on the basis of both constant pumping power and constant heat duty, the regularly spaced twisted-tape elements in specific cases perform marginally better than their full-length counterparts. However, the short-length twisted-tape performance is worse than the full-length twisted tapes. Therefore, full-length twisted tapes and regularly spaced twisted-tape elements in combination with transverse ribs are recommended for laminar flows. However, the short-length twisted tapes are not recommended.


2004 ◽  
Vol 127 (9) ◽  
pp. 966-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Saha ◽  
D. N. Mallick

Abstract The present paper reports the results of an experimental investigation of the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of laminar flow of viscous oil through horizontal rectangular and square plain ducts and ducts inserted with full-length twisted tapes, short-length twisted tapes, and regularly spaced twisted-tape elements. Isothermal pressure drop measurements were taken in acrylic ducts. Heat transfer measurements were taken in electrically heated stainless-steel ducts imposing uniform wall heat flux boundary conditions. The duct aspect ratios AR were 1, 0.5, and 0.333. The twist ratios of the twisted tapes were y=2.692, 5.385, 2.597, 5.193, 2.308, and 4.615. Short-length tapes were 0.9, 0.7, and 0.5 times the duct length. The space ratios were s=2.692, 5.385, 2.597, 5.193, 2.308, and 4.615. Both friction factor and Nusselt number increase with decreasing y and AR for AR⩽1 and increasing Re, Sw, and Pr. As the tape-length decreases, both friction factor and Nusselt number decrease. Friction factor increases as s decreases, and Nusselt number increases as s increases. Isothermal friction factor correlation and comprehensive Nusselt number correlation have been developed to predict data reasonably well in the entire range of parameters. Performance evaluation says that short-length twisted tapes are worse and regularly spaced twisted-tape elements are better than the full-length twisted tapes.


Fluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
M. Ziad Saghir ◽  
Ayman Bayomy ◽  
Md Abdur Rahman

Heat enhancement and heat removal have been the subject of considerable research in the energy system field. Flow-through channels and pipes have received much attention from engineers involved in heat exchanger design and construction. The use of insert tape is one of many ways to mix fluids, even in a laminar flow regime. The present study focused on the use of different twisted tapes with different pitch-to-pitch distances and lengths to determine the optimum design for the best possible performance energy coefficient. The results revealed that twisted tape of one revolution represented the optimal design configuration and provided the largest Nusselt number. The length of the tape played a major role in the pressure drop. The results revealed that the insertion of a shorter twisted tape can create mixing while minimizing the changes in the pressure drop. In particular, the best performance evaluation criterion is found for a short tape located towards the exit of the channel. The highest performance energy coefficient was obtained for the half-twisted tape for a Reynolds number varying between 200 and 600.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-376
Author(s):  
Igor Gáspár ◽  
Réka Neczpál

Membrane filtration process can be intensified by using static mixers inside tubular membranes. Most of commercial static mixers are optimized for mixing fluids, not for membrane filtration. We have developed new turbulence promoter geometries designed for intensification of permeate flux and retention without significant pressure drop along the membrane. In previous experiments, we used metallic turbulence promoters, but in this work, FDM 3D printing technology was used to create these improved geometries, which are new in membrane filtration and they have the same geometry as existing metallic versions. New 3D printed objects were tested with filtration of stable oil-in-water emulsion. Our experiments proved that 3D printed static mixers might be as effective as metallic versions. The effect on initial flux and retention of oil was very similar. Pressure drop along membrane was slightly higher (but significantly lower from pressure drop along the membrane resulted by commercial static mixers, designed only for mixing fluids). Higher pressure drop may be the result of rougher surface due the layer-technology of 3D printing. This negative effect can be reduced by using a smaller nozzle (which will produce smaller layers) or smoothing the surface. PLA is material easier for printing, but from these two materials, PETG is a better choice due its higher operating temperature and better water-resist properties too.


1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 890-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Manglik ◽  
A. E. Bergles

Thermal-hydraulic design correlations are developed to predict isothermal f and Nu for in-tube, turbulent flows with twisted-tape inserts. Experimental data taken for water and ethylene glycol, with y = 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0, are analyzed, and various mechanisms attributed to twisted tapes are identified. Tube blockage and tape-induced vortex mixing are the dominant phenomena that result in increased heat transfer and pressure drop; for loose- to snug-fitting tapes, the fin effects are insignificant. The limiting case of a straight tape insert correlates with the hydraulic-diameter-based smooth tube equation. Tape twist effects are thus isolated by normalizing the data with the asymptotic predictions for y = ∞, and the swirl effects are found to correlate with Re and l/y. The validity of the final correlations is verified by comparing the predictions with previously published data, which include both gases and liquids, under heating and cooling conditions and a wide range of tape geometries, thereby establishing a very generalized applicability. Finally, correlations for laminar (presented in the companion Part I paper) and turbulent flows are combined into single, continuous equations. For isothermal f, the correlation describes most of the available data for laminar-transition-turbulent flows within ±10 percent. For Nu, however, a family of curves is needed due to the nonunique nature of laminar-turbulent transition.


2001 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Saha ◽  
A. Dutta

Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics in a circular tube fitted with twisted tapes have been investigated experimentally. Laminar swirl flow of a large Prandtl number 205<Pr<518 viscous fluid was considered. The swirl was generated by short-length twisted-tape inserts; regularly spaced twisted-tape elements with multiple twists in the tape module and connected by thin circular rods; and smoothly varying (gradually decreasing) pitch twisted-tapes. The heat transfer test section was heated electrically imposing axially and circumferentially constant wall heat flux (UHF) boundary condition. Reynolds number, Prandtl number, twist ratio, space ratio, number of tuns in the tape module, length of the twisted-tape and smoothness of the swirling pitch govern the characteristics. Friction factor and Nusselt number are lower for short-length twisted-tape than those for full-length twisted-tape. On the basis of constant pumping power and constant heat duty, however, short-length twisted-tapes are found to perform better than full-length twisted-tapes for tighter twists. Thermohydraulic performance shows that twisted-tapes with multiple twists in the tape module is not much different from that with single twist in the tape module. Friction factor and Nusselt number are approximately 15 percent lower for twisted-tapes with smooth swirl having the average pitch same as that of the uniform pitch (throughout) twisted-tape and the twisted-tapes with gradually decreasing pitch perform worse than their uniform-pitch counterparts.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Wessling

Despite intensive research, fouling remains a severe problem in membrane filtration. It is often controlled by applying turbulent flow which requires a higher energy consumption. So-called turbulence promoters or static mixers can be inserted into the flow channel of tubular membranes. They deflect the fluid, induce vortices, enhance particle back-transport and increase the shear rate at the membrane surface, thus mitigating fouling. However, little is known how the geometry of such turbulence promotors affects the reduction of fouling. We investigate how different 3D-printed mixer geometries affect fouling and improve the flux during filtration with humic acid. Most mixer geometries used in the present study are based on a twisted tape; a Kenics static mixer is investigated as well. Static mixers with changing diameter prove to be less effective than twisted tape mixers with constant diameter which lead to an increase in permeate flux of around 130%. The highest flux improvement of 140% can be reached by applying a Kenics mixer. Regardless of their geometry, all investigated static mixer cause higher permeate fluxes at same specific energy consumption. Again, the Kenics mixer proves to be the most efficient static mixer. The presented mixer geometries can be fabricated with undercut injection molding techniques and represent a simple and viable option to make tubular membrane based filtration processes more efficient.


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Xiawen Yi ◽  
Meng Zhang ◽  
Weilong Song ◽  
Xinhua Wang

Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) have aroused growing interest in wastewater treatment and energy recovery. However, serious membrane fouling remains a critical hindrance to AnMBRs. Here, a novel membrane fouling mitigation via optimizing initial water flux is proposed, and its feasibility was evaluated by comparing the membrane performance in AnMBRs between constant flux and varying flux modes. Results indicated that, compared with the constant flux mode, varying flux mode significantly prolonged the membrane operating time by mitigating membrane fouling. Through the analyses of fouled membranes under two operating modes, the mechanism of membrane fouling mitigation was revealed as follows: A low water flux was applied in stage 1 which slowed down the interaction between foulants and membrane surface, especially reduced the deposition of proteins on the membrane surface and formed a thin and loose fouling layer. Correspondingly, the interaction between foulants was weakened in the following stage 2 with a high water flux and, subsequently, the foulants absorbed on the membrane surface was further reduced. In addition, flux operating mode had no impact on the contaminant removal in an AnMBR. This study provides a new way of improving membrane performance in AnMBRs via a varying flux operating mode.


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 724
Author(s):  
Kyung Tae Kim ◽  
Jo Eun Park ◽  
Seon Yeop Jung ◽  
Tae Gon Kang

Fouling mitigation using chaotic advection caused by herringbone-shaped grooves in a flat membrane module is numerically investigated. The feed flow is laminar with the Reynolds number (Re) ranging from 50 to 500. In addition, we assume a constant permeate flux on the membrane surface. Typical flow characteristics include two counter-rotating flows and downwelling flows, which are highly influenced by the groove depth at each Re. Poincaré sections are plotted to represent the dynamical systems of the flows and to analyze mixing. The flow systems become globally chaotic as the groove depth increases above a threshold value. Fouling mitigation via chaotic advection is demonstrated using the dimensionless average concentration (c¯w*) on the membrane and its growth rate. When the flow system is chaotic, the growth rate of c¯w* drops significantly compared to that predicted from the film theory, demonstrating that chaotic advection is an attractive hydrodynamic technique that mitigates membrane fouling. At each Re, there exists an optimal groove depth minimizing c¯w* and the growth rate of c¯w*. Under the optimum groove geometry, foulants near the membrane are transported back to the bulk flow via the downwelling flows, distributed uniformly in the entire channel via chaotic advection.


2010 ◽  
Vol 132 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sujoy Kumar Saha

The heat transfer and the pressure drop characteristics of laminar flow of viscous oil (175<Pr<538) through rectangular and square ducts with combined internal axial corrugations on all the surfaces of the ducts and with twisted-tape inserts with and without oblique teeth have been studied experimentally. The axial corrugations in combination with both twisted tapes with and without oblique teeth have been found to perform better than either axial corrugations or twisted-tape inserts acting alone. The heat transfer and the pressure drop measurements have been taken in separate test sections. Heat transfer tests were carried out in electrically heated stainless steel ducts incorporating uniform wall heat flux boundary conditions. Pressure drop tests were carried out in acrylic ducts. The flow friction and thermal characteristics are governed by duct aspect ratio, corrugation angle, corrugation pitch, twist ratio, space ratio, length, tooth horizontal length and tooth angle of the twisted tapes, Reynolds number, and Prandtl number. Correlations developed for friction factor and Nusselt number have predicted the experimental data satisfactorily. The performance of the geometry under investigation has been evaluated. It has been found that based on constant pumping power, up to 45% heat duty increase occurs for the combined axial corrugation and twisted-tape insert case compared with the individual axial corrugation and twisted-tape insert cases in the measured experimental parameters space. On the constant heat duty basis, the pumping power has been reduced up to 30% for the combined enhancement geometry than the individual enhancement geometries.


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