Dynamic modeling and experimental validation for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process

This work proposes a mathematical dynamic model for the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process. The model is based on a 2D Advection–Diffusion Equation (ADE), which describes the heat and mass transfer mechanisms that take place inside the DCMD module. The model studies the behavior of the process in the time varying and the steady state phases, contributing to understanding the process performance, especially when it is driven by intermittent energy supply, such as the solar energy. The model is experimentally validated in the steady state phase, where the permeate flux is measured for different feed inlet temperatures and the maximum absolute error recorded is 2.78 °C. Moreover, experimental validation includes the time variation phase, where the feed inlet temperature ranges from 30 °C to 75 °C with 0.1 °C increment every 2min. The validation marks relative error to be less than 5%, which leads to a strong correlation between the model predictions and the experiments. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A mathematical dynamic model for DCMD process is reported in this manuscript. The mechanisms of heat and mass transfer that occur in the feed and permeate solutions are modeled with a 2D ADE model. The model is able to describe the behavior of the DCMD process in time variation phase as well as at steady state phase, and therefore paves for powering the DCMD process with intermittent energy supply, such as solar energy source efficiently. The model predictions are strongly correlated with the experiments in both steady state and time varying phases, with model predictions being within ±5% of the experimentally obtained values. MATLAB® software is developed for simulating larger MD modules for scaling-up purposes. Acknowledgment The research reported in this publication was supported by funding from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).