Abstract
In this study, computational fluid dynamics simulation was performed to investigate the effects of fibre internal diameter (ID) and length on the filtration process and flux distribution during a dead-end, hollow fibre filtration. The model was combined with the Navier-Stokes and Darcy Brinkman equations to simulate a complete filtration run. A comprehensive membrane fouling mechanism, including reversible fouling resistance and irreversible fouling resistance, was considered. A moving fluid-solid boundary was adopted to evaluate sludge cake deposit along the fibre. Our results showed that non-uniform flux distribution was intensified with increase of fibre length, while an ID between 0.4 and 0.7 mm was optimal; it also demonstrated that an ID below 0.4 mm lead to drastic non-uniform flux distribution due to unfavourable hydrodynamic conditions in the internal channel. In actual filtration, the initial non-uniform flux distribution rapidly became uniform for a while, but over time the phenomenon of non-uniform flux distribution was re-established.
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