Transport Properties of Asymmetric Hollow Fiber Membrane Permeators for Practical Applications: Mathematical Modelling for Binary Gas Mixtures

Abstract

Hollow fiber membrane permeators have gained widespread acceptance for a variety of applications, including gas separation. This study presents our efforts to develop an appropriate methodology and mathematical modelling for the analysis of the transport properties and separation performance in hollow fiber membrane permeators with asymmetric structure. A relatively simplified model, developed based on ideal conditions, provides the opportunity for having a quick and overall prediction of the separation performance; while a comprehensive model developed by incorporation of non-ideal conditions enables a more accurate prediction of the membrane performance. The real gas behaviour, temperature, pressure, and concentration dependence of gas viscosity, as well as pressure changes on both sides of hollow fibers, concentration polarization, temperature change due to permeation, and temperature dependence of permeance are considered non-ideal parameters in development of the model. The integrated models with associated parameters in the form of differential equations are coded in MATLAB and solved as initial value problems using appropriate numerical methods. The validity of the developed models is examined, indicating close agreement between predictions and the experimental data provided in literature. The proposed methodology and developed models provide valuable opportunities for researchers in designing appropriate hollow fiber membrane permeators and processes for practical gas separation applications.

Process simulation and optimization of oxygen enriched combustion using thin polymeric membranes: effect of thickness and temperature dependent physical aging

“…Input parameters used to verify accuracy of the simulation model has been provided in Table . A small MAPE of mere 0.5430% has been observed throughout a wide range of stage cuts.…”

“…In order to focus on merely quantifying the importance of implementing physical aging to the separation performance of polymeric membranes, the membrane system under study has to be operated under condition whereby the other non‐ideal effects as highlighted in Table can be isolated. The operating condition in which each of the non‐ideal effect is significant has been summarized in Table . To minimize the accumulated impact from other non‐ideal effects that have arisen in majority from high trans‐membrane pressure, a pressure slightly higher than atmospheric condition (0.30 bar‐g) has been adopted for the feed stream in our membrane system under study, while the permeate side has been maintained at vacuum condition to create a pressure driving force for separation .…”

“…20,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] It is found that incorporation of the non-ideal effects in earlier works have been focused on departure of operating parameters from ideal conditions attributed to the fact that membrane gas separation is often operated at a wide range of operating temperature, pressure and feed composition, 26,35 such as (1) real gas behavior due to interaction between gas molecules, 22,24,[28][29][30][31][32][33] (2) Joule Thomson temperature drop due to cooling when gas permeates from high to low pressure end through the confined restriction of membrane pores under adiabatic expansion 22,25,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33] and (3) concentration polarization that refers to the phenomena of built-up of concentration gradient in the stagnant gas zone due to retention of less permeable gas component. 20,24,25,[28][29][30][31][32][33] Over recent years, published mathematical modeling works have been diverted to quantification of membrane gas transport property as a direct consequence of change in surrounding operating ...…”

Phenomenological modeling and analysis of gas transport in polyimide membranes for propylene/propane separation

“…1,2 Nitrogen and helium separation along with oxygen enrichment, 3-6 hydrogen separation and purication, 7-9 CO 2 removal and natural gas processing, [10][11][12] and hydrocarbon recovery and separation [13][14][15] comprise the main industrial applications of membrane-based technologies.…”

Chemical engineering in Canada: A special Can. J. Chem. Eng. virtual issue

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