Shell-side mass-transfer performance in hollow-fiber membrane contactors

Abstract

The accurate prediction of hollow-fiber membrane performance is limited by models of the shell-side mass-transfer coefficient. A review of the literature suggests that there have been in excess of 30 correlations for this coefficient. This article investigates these correlations in parallel-flow randomly-packed modules and cross-flow hollow-fiber membrane contactors. In particular, the variation of the Sherwood number on the shell side against the Reynolds number and packing density is considered. Shell-side mass-transfer performance is also investigated experimentally in a 10% (v/v) tributyl phosphate (TBP) in Shellsol2046/phenol/water system in four membrane modules. Data are compared with..