Simulation of mass transport in series arrays of membranes with “active” solute flow

Abstract

The behaviour of the volume and solute flows across a series array of several membranes is investigated by simulation, using a model based on the linear thermodynamics of irreversible processes. Locally linear phenomenological equations are integrated along the direction of the flows, giving non-linear flow-force relationships whose shape is in good agreement with the observations. The simulation also shows that an asymmetry of the array is required, in order to obtain both the non-linearity of the flows and the coupling between the water and solute transport, when the former is coupled to a chemical reaction (metabolism coupled ‘active transport).