Flow Configuration Research Articles

The Application of a Non-Intrusive Methodology to Estimate Particle Egress Rate and Advective Heat Losses of a Falling Particle Receiver During On-Sun Tests

Abstract The direct measurement of particle temperatures and advective losses from solid particle receiver has been a topic of necessary interest to de-risk the technology and improve its performance. Due to the flow's transient and stochastic nature, it has presented a challenge to traditional thermometry and metrology methods. In this work, a simplified quantitative non-intrusive imaging methodology previously developed is applied to Sandia's falling particle receiver during on-sun tests to collect image sets, which could help estimate the average particle temperature and particle egress rate from the system. Further additions to the technique are presented to permit the estimation of the plume (air and particles) egress rate and total advective heat losses during on-sun operation. The falling particle receiver testing campaign in 2020 and 2021 allowed the team to capture multiple flow configurations and environmental conditions used to build a large database of data captures with different characteristics. Finally, the results captured were used to complete a regression study to gain further insight into the factors which impact the particle egress and the receiver's efficiency. Particle temperature, receiver flow configuration, and wind speed were found to be the most impactful factors in the study.

Numerical approach for investigating the influence of various flow and fluid parameters on the performance of a cryogenic two-phase flow meter

Despite the intricacy, inline metering of two-phase flow has a significant impact in multitudinous applications, including nuclear fusion reactors, particle accelerators, and other systems that use cryogenic fluids. In this regard, a new concept for two-phase flow metering has been developed using model fluids. However, the geometric configurations of the channels and fluid properties are pivotal in ensuring accurate flow rate measurement. In this study, numerical analysis are performed to investigate the influence of channel width, number of channels, and gravitational field on the performance of the flow meter. The liquid height extracted from the volume fraction contour using an image processing tool has been used for calculating the mass flow rate of the liquid. The measured flow rate has been compared with the theoretical data, and it shows acceptable correspondence within ±6 %. The investigations suggest that the increase in channel width governs the slope development. The appropriate width of the channel has been found to be ranging between 1 mm and 3 mm for the selected flow conditions and configurations. It is found that as the number of channels is increased from 10 to 20, the flow rate range that the system can measure within ±5 % error has increased from 250 g/s to 450 g/s. The analysis broadened the reliability of the supposition and, therefore, provided a sturdy base for developing a cryogenic two-phase flow meter.

Two-phase flow-induced vibration of tilted curved bi-directional functionally graded nanopipe in supersonic airflow

Flow-induced vibration is known as a prevalent phenomenon in various industries. As a result of the flow, dynamic fluid forces are generated, which lead to the excitation of the system. Multiphase flow, found commonly in both natural and industrial settings, including industrial plants, is a significant source of noise and vibration. In the two-phase flow, as a particular case of multiphase flow, flow configuration plays a major role in the system’s traits. Despite recent advancements in flow-induced vibration, it is still considered an unresolved topic. This research develops a new multi-physics simulation for the stability study of a two-directional functionally graded tilted curved cylindrical nanopipe conveying a liquid-gas two-phase flow. Nonlocal stress–strain gradient theory (NSGT) with two size-dependent parameters (nonlocal and length scale) is presented to simulate the current nanostructure. Newton’s second law has been employed to govern the resultant forces that act on a control volume at a differential fluid element of fluid. Hiring the finite element (FE) approach alongside the generalized differential quadrature role (GDQR), both the eigenvector and eigenvalue problems are presented for analyzing the characteristics of the nanosystem under various situations. An exhaustive parametric analysis is also provided to make clear the role of varied parameters such as velocity of fluid flow, aerodynamic pressure, air yaw angle, and gas volume fraction coefficient on the system’s fundamental frequency.

Spatially evolving cascades in wall turbulence with and without interface

Direct numerical simulations of channel flow and temporal boundary layer at a Reynolds number $Re_{\tau } = 1500$ are used to assess the scale-by-scale mechanisms of wall turbulence. From the peak of turbulence production embedded at the small scales of the near-wall region, spatially ascending reverse cascades are generated that move through self-similar eddies growing in size with the wall distance. These fluxes are followed by spatially ascending forward cascades through detached eddies thus reaching sufficiently small scales where eventually scale energy is dissipated. This phenomenology is shared by both boundary layer and channel flow and is recognized as a robust physical feature characterizing wall turbulence in general. Specific features related to the flow configuration are indeed identified in the outer region. In particular, the central region of channels is characterized by a generalized Richardson energy cascade where large scales are in equilibrium with small scales at different wall distances through a combined forward cascade and spatial flux. On the contrary, the interface region of boundary layers is characterized by an almost two-dimensional physics where spatially ascending reverse cascades sustain long and wide interface structures with a forward cascade that survives only in the wall-normal scales. The overall scenario consists in a variety of scale motions that while protruding from the turbulent core towards the external region, squeeze at the interface thus sustaining vertical shear in a thin layer. The observed multidimensional physics sheds light on the complex interactions between outer entrainment and near-wall self-sustaining mechanisms with possible repercussions for theories.

Effects of Channel Flow Blockage on Metal Foam Heat Transfer

Abstract High porosity aluminum foams have the potential to dissipate large heat flux in a channel flow configuration due to their large surface area-to-volume ratio and the ability to enhance mixing due to flow tortuosity. It is well documented that the interstitial heat transfer coefficient has a power law dependence on the flow velocity at the pore-scale. For asymmetrical heating (single wall), a flow blockage concept is proposed with an aim to locally enhance flow speed near the heated wall. To this end, experimental and numerical investigation is carried out on a high porosity (95%) aluminum foam (10 pores per inch) with flow blockages, both upstream and downstream of the metal foam placed in a square channel. The opening was provided closer to the heated wall, where flow blockage was varied from 0% to 87%. With air as working fluid, experiments were conducted for channel Reynolds number varying from 3000 to 13,000. It was found that all flow blockages resulted in enhanced heat transfer over no-blockage case, however, at a high pressure drop penalty. An upstream flow blockage of 70% was found to have the highest thermal-hydraulic performance among other flow blockages (including 0% blockage).

Entropy analysis of Hall effect with variable viscosity and slip conditions on rotating hybrid nanofluid flow over nonlinear radiative surface

PurposeWith possible uses in engineering and industrial processes, this work aims to further our knowledge of fluid dynamics and heat transfer in complicated flow configurations. This study looks at how Al2O3−Cu/H2O hybrid nanofluids move across a nonlinear radiative 3D unsteady surface. It tries to figure out what happens when the Hall current, variable viscosity, viscous dissipation, velocity and thermal slip conditions work together. The goal of this analysis is to provide insight into the system's thermodynamic behavior and the ways in which these elements affect the flow's entropy generation. MethodologyThe controlling system is converted into nonlinear nondimensional partial differential equations (PDEs) by applying suitable non-similar transformations. In this work, the governing equations are simulated using the local non-similarity (LNS) approach up to the second truncation level using the numerical technique bvp4c in MATLAB. FindingsThe temperature, velocity, entropy production, skin friction in both directions, and Nusselt number profiles of the nanofluid and hybrid nanofluid are detailed in many figures. The tabular form contains the results of computing the local Nusselt number for linear, nonlinear, and radiation-free scenarios. The velocity profiles in both directions and the temperature profile grow as the rotation parameter and nanoparticle volume fraction parameter increase. Conversely, the velocity profiles drop when the variable viscosity parameter falls, while the temperature profile increases. When the unsteadiness parameter A is set to 0.5 and the nanoparticle volume fraction is 1%, hybrid nanofluid has 4.26% lower x-direction skin friction than nanofluid and 3.62% greater y-direction friction. When the unsteadiness parameter A = 0.5 and the nanoparticle volume percentage is 1%, a hybrid nanofluid has a 2.77% higher Nusselt number than a nanofluid. The generation of entropy was also enhanced by an increase in the volume fraction of nanoparticles, radiation, temperature ratio, and Brinkman number. We evaluate and contrast the results of this study with those of earlier research.

A general multi-objective Bayesian optimization framework for the design of hybrid schemes towards adaptive complex flow simulations

Achieving accuracy with underresolved simulation of complex compressible flows with multiscale flow structures is a challenge. Either the numerical dissipation or the resolution and thereby the numerical cost is impractically high. Also, in the design of numerical solvers, the application of a solver for specific flow classes is balanced by robustness allowing the study of a broad range of flows. In this study, we propose a hybrid fifth-order targeted essentially non-oscillatory (TENO5)-based scheme tailored to optimally simulate compressible flows with underresolved dilatational and vortical multiscale structures. For optimal design, three data-driven objectives are defined. A novel objective that derives from the numerical dissipation rate analysis is a key element to deal with underresolved complex flows in practical applications. The optimization process employs a multi-objective Bayesian optimization framework with an expected hypervolume improvement and three flow configurations representative for a broad range of two- and three-dimensional flows with genuine and non-genuine subgrid scales. The optimized hybrid scheme is validated by comparing with shock-capturing schemes of the weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO)- and TENO- families with flows of complex shock interactions, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, shock-vortex interactions, vortical and turbulent flows

Anti-fouling rotating polymer-based heat exchanger for zero liquid discharge humidification-dehumidification desalination

The objective of this investigation is to assess the performance of various heat exchangers for application in a novel solar-powered zero liquid discharge humidification-dehumidification desalination system. In this study four heat exchangers (HX) having two different flow configurations namely counter flow (cf), cross flow (cr) made up of three different materials namely high-density polyethylene (HDPE), aluminum (Al), and Polypropelyne (PP) were compared in terms of their effectiveness and overall heat transfer coefficient under varying salinity levels (up to 10%) and mixing ratios (0.22–0.45). At a mixing ratio of 0.22 and 0% salinity, PP-HXcr and Al-HXcf exhibited similar effectiveness (∼85%), surpassing that of HDPE-HXcf (∼65%). Despite PP-HXcr's lower thermal conductivity in comparison to Al-HXcf, comparable effectiveness was achieved due to the superior flow distribution in PP-HXcr. Further investigations focused on the impact of salinity on heat exchanger performance. At 3.5% salinity, all heat exchangers experienced a decline in effectiveness and heat transfer coefficient (HTC), with Al-HXcf experiencing a more pronounced decrease compared to PP-HXcr. The higher thermal conductivity of Al-HXcf led to greater salt accumulation, while PP-HXcr demonstrated minimal fouling. As the experiment progressed, fouling increased for all heat exchangers, with the Al-HXcf being practically ineffective at 10% salinity with an effectiveness below 10%. To address the issue of fouling, a rotating cross-flow heat exchanger (RPP-HXcr) was introduced. While the effectiveness of the PP-HXcr drops from 85% to approximately 60% with increasing salinity from 0% to 10%, the RPP-HXcr demonstrates only a marginal decline in effectiveness with increasing salinity. For instance, at mixing ratio of 0.22 when the salinity is increased from 0% to 10%, the effectiveness of RPP-HXcr only drops from 83% to 77%. This exceptional performance was attributed to the continuous contact between the rotating tubes and the incoming feed, effectively preventing fouling and ensuring sustained efficiency. Rotating cross-flow heat exchanger (RPP-HXcr) is introduced and validated as a potentially reliable solution for mitigating fouling, as it demonstrates sustained efficiency and minimal performance degradation across different salinity conditions.

Experimental investigation of microchannel heat sink performance under non-uniform heat load conditions with different flow configurations

Cooling methods for multiple hotspots with high heat flux pose a reliability threat to electronic devices. This study investigates the microchannel-based heat sink performance under various non-uniform heat load conditions for different geometry with three different flow configurations (I, U and Z). An in-house designed Heater Array Unit (HAU) facilitates the generation of both uniform and non-uniform heat loads using a heater power supply. Two different microchannel geometries were employed, namely, microchannel-1 (MC-1) with channel and fin widths of 0.6 mm and 0.33 mm, respectively, and MC-2 with dimensions of 0.64 mm and 0.572 mm. Each microchannel incorporates three manifold configurations (I, U, and Z). Each flow configuration is regulated by flow control valves. Various non-uniform heat load patterns were considered, including streamline, non-streamline, and across-streamline conditions. To assess the thermal performance of the heat sinks the parameters used are thermal resistance (Rth), Nusselt number (Nu), and temperature non-uniformity (Ѱ). Experimental findings indicate that the MC-2 design with an I flow configuration is more suitable for uniform heat load conditions. On the contrary, for some non-uniform heat load cases MC-1 also showed up as a suitable design over MC-2.

On the role of aortic valve architecture for physiological hemodynamics and valve replacement, Part I: Flow configuration and vortex dynamics

Aortic valve replacement has become an increasing concern due to the rising prevalence of aortic stenosis in an ageing population. Existing replacement options have limitations, necessitating the development of improved prosthetic aortic valves. In this study, flow characteristics during systole in a stenotic aortic valve case are compared with those downstream of two newly designed surgical bioprosthetic aortic valves (BioAVs). To do so, advanced three-dimensional fluid–structure interaction simulations are conducted and dedicated analysis methods to investigate jet flow configuration and vortex dynamics are developed. Our findings reveal that the stenotic case maintains a high jet flow eccentricity due to a fixed orifice geometry, resulting in flow separation and increased vortex stretching and tilting in the commissural low-flow regions. One BioAV design introduces non-axisymmetric leaflet motion, which reduces the maximum jet velocity and forms more vortical structures. The other BioAV design produces a fixed symmetric triangular jet shape due to non-moving leaflets and exhibits favourable vorticity attenuation, revealed by negative temporally and spatially averaged projected vortex stretching values, and significantly reduced drag. Therefore, this study highlights the benefits of custom-designed aortic valves in the context of their replacement through comprehensive and novel flow analyses. The results emphasise the importance of analysing jet flow, vortical structures, momentum balance and vorticity transport for thoroughly evaluating aortic valve performance.

Experimental investigation on frosting performance of a microchannel heat exchanger in heat pump system for electric vehicles

Frosting of outdoor heat exchangers deteriorates the heat transfer performance of the electric vehicle (EV) heat pump system. The frosting performance of the outdoor heat exchanger in an EV heat pump air-conditioning system was investigated experimentally, considering different flow configurations, tube arrangements, and frontal air volume. The purpose of the study was to establish the optimal tube arrangements and flow configurations for minimizing frost formation and maximizing system performance. The results indicate that a three-flow configuration outperforms a two-flow setup under frosting conditions. Specifically, a flow sequence of 14-21-35 increases the heat capacity by 15.05 %–20.64 % compared to that of the reverse flow of 35-21-14. Additionally, the coefficient of performance (COP) increases by 1.19 %–3.55 %. Higher airflow reduces frost formation. A significant correlation exists between the refrigerant distribution within the heat exchanger and the corresponding frost distribution on the surface of the microchannel heat exchanger. The frost formation rate was slower for the flat tube vertical arrangement. Furthermore, horizontal tube arrangements were more conductive than vertical ones, providing a more uniform temperature distribution and higher heat transfer rates (an increase of 2.7% in heat transfer and 3.4% in heat capacity). The COP of the vertical arrangement system was consistently higher than that of the horizontal arrangement by 1.4 %–3 %.

Particle dispersion produced by a turbulent free convection flow in a room-sized cubical cavity

This paper introduces the framework for the ongoing “2024 International CFD Challenge on the Long-Range Indoor Dispersion of Pathogen-Laden Aerosols.” The Challenge is designed as a blind test to assess the accuracy of computationally efficient turbulence modeling techniques, including URANS and LES, in replicating both the hydrodynamics and aerosol dispersion in an idealized indoor environment. To evaluate the simulations, DNS data of turbulent natural flow at a high Rayleigh number within a room-sized enclosure will serve as a reference benchmark. Participants have the flexibility to conduct simulations of the same flow configuration using their preferred CFD software, employing URANS, LES, and/or hybrid methods. The Challenge was officially launched on October 16, 2023, and has garnered participation from 31 teams representing 18 different countries, with the expected submission of results in May 2024. The outcomes of the comparison between the different modelling approaches and the reference DNS will be presented and discussed during the conference.

A numerical modeling study on the impact of particle concentration on the particle sorting in spiral channels

This work investigates the influence of concentration on the separation of microparticles in spiral microchannels. Using numerical modeling, we study the impact of the particle concentration on fluid flow pattern, particle trajectory, focusing resolution, and focusing time. Immersed boundary method and a numerical solver are developed in the OpenFOAM framework for modeling of particle motion. Modeling for different particle concentration in both rectangular and trapezoidal spiral channels is conducted to elucidate the particle focusing and separation efficiency in the spiral channels with a large number of particles. The detailed numerical modeling results clarify the configuration of Dean flow with multiple particles, the interaction within the particle cloud, and the impact of particle concentration on the focusing time and sorting process.

Robust and adaptive deep reinforcement learning for enhancing flow control around a square cylinder with varying Reynolds numbers

The present study applies a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithm to Active Flow Control (AFC) of a two-dimensional flow around a confined square cylinder. Specifically, the Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) algorithm is employed to modulate the flow of a pair of synthetic jets placed on the upper and lower surfaces of the confined squared cylinder in flow configurations characterized by Re of 100, 200, 300, and 400. The investigation starts with an analysis of the baseline flow in the absence of active control. It is observed that at Re = 100 and Re = 200, the vortex shedding exhibits mono-frequency characteristics. Conversely, at Re = 300 and Re = 400, the vortex shedding is dominated by multiple frequencies, which is indicative of more complex flow features. With the application of the SAC algorithm, we demonstrate the capability of DRL-based control in effectively suppressing vortex shedding, while significantly diminishing drag and fluctuations in lift. Quantitatively, the data-driven active control strategy results in a drag reduction of approximately 14.4%, 26.4%, 38.9%, and 47.0% for Re = 100, 200, 300, and 400, respectively. To understand the underlying control mechanism, we also present detailed flow field comparisons, which showcase the adaptability of DRL in devising distinct control strategies tailored to the dynamic conditions at varying Re. These findings substantiate the ability of DRL to control chaotic, multi-frequency dominated vortex shedding phenomena, underscoring the robustness of DRL in complex AFC problems.

Vascular flow design and predicting evolution

Porous materials are usually thought of as amorphous mixtures of two or more things, solids, fluids, and voids. I was drawn to the nature absent from the amorphous: the structure, flow, configuration, design, purpose, and evolution. This article is a pictorial review of the work. It begins with defining the terms: design, freedom, evolution, and prediction (theory). Vascular (tree shaped) architectures offer greater flow access than channels with only one length scale (diameter, slit, wall to wall spacing). The tendency to evolve with freedom toward flow configurations that provide greater access is everywhere in nature, bio, and non-bio. This universal phenomenon is summarized as the Constructal Law of evolution everywhere, which empowers us to predict evolution, miniaturization, high density of fluid flow and heat transfer, and scaling up (or down) of existing designs. Vascular designs are icons of the multiscale design called hierarchy. Vasculatures occur naturally because they flow more easily—they offer greater access—than one-scale designs. All movement in society is hierarchical, from city traffic to global air traffic, fuel consumption, and wealth. The future of evolutionary design everywhere points toward vascular, hierarchical flow architectures that will continue to morph with freedom and directionality.

CAVITATION PROCESSES IN THE MULTIPORT BALL VALVE SYSTEMS

Valves are essential components of a fluid management system, and their proper functioning is critical to ensuring the system's efficiency and durability. Multiport ball valves are versatile and commonly used in various industries to control fluid flows. These valves have multiple ports or outlets, allowing for different flow paths and configurations. One of the key considerations when using multiport ball valves is the flow characteristics within the valve itself. The flow within multiport ball valves is governed by several factors, including the design of the valve and the pressure drop across it. Understanding the flow behavior in multiport ball valves is crucial for optimizing their performance and ensuring efficient fluid handling. Different flow paths and configurations in multiport ball valves result in varying flow characteristics. For example, in a three-way multiport ball valve, there are typically two inlet ports and one outlet port. The flow can be diverted from one inlet to the outlet, or it can be split between the two outlets. This flow behavior is influenced by the presence of a constant throttling channel in the valve design.The constant throttling channel helps regulate the flow rate through the valve, and its size and shape can impact the flow characteristics. Additionally, the flow behavior in multiport ball valves can be further influenced by factors such as the material properties of the valve and the flow conditions. Furthermore, the overall flow behavior in multiport ball valves can have an impact on mass transfer and chemical reactions in the system. Different flow patterns and configurations within multiport ball valves can affect the mass transfer and transport characteristics in a system. For example, if the flow is not well-distributed or if there are areas of stagnant flow, it can lead to uneven mixing and reaction rates. Keywords: Multiport ball valve, cavitation, fluid characteristics, control of cavitation processes.

Integral methods for friction decomposition and their extensions to rough-wall flows

A primary objective of integral methods, such as the momentum integral method, is to discern the physical processes contributing to skin friction. These methods encompass the momentum, kinetic energy and angular momentum integrals. This paper reformulates existing integrals based on the double-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, and extends their application to flows over rough walls. Our derivation yields distinct decompositions for the bottom-wall viscous friction coefficient, denoted as $C_S$ , and the roughness element drag coefficient $C_R$ . The decompositions comprise three terms: a viscous term, a turbulent term and a roughness (dispersive) term – regardless of the flow configuration, be it channel or boundary layer. Notably, when these integrals are evaluated for laminar flow scenarios, only the viscous term remains significant. In addition, we elucidate the spatial distributions of the terms within these decompositions. To demonstrate the practicality of our formulations, we apply them to analyse data from direct numerical simulations of turbulent half-channel flows. These flows feature aligned and staggered cubical roughness at various packing densities. Our analyses, based on kinetic-energy-oriented decompositions, reveal that when the surface coverage density $\lambda _p$ is small, the dominant terms within the decompositions are the viscous and turbulent terms. With increasing $\lambda _p$ , the viscous dissipation term decreases, while the turbulent production term increases and then decreases. These variations arise from a subdued near-wall cycle and the development of a shear layer at the height of the cubes.

Thermal Stress in Full-Size Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stacks by Multi-Physics Modeling

Mechanical failures in the operating stacks of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are frequently related to thermal stresses generated by a temperature gradient and its variation. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed and further applied in full-size SOFC stacks, which are fully coupled and implemented for analysis of heat flow electrochemical phenomena, aiming to predict thermal stress distribution. The primary object of the present investigation is to explore features and characteristics of the thermal stress influenced by electrochemical reactions and various transport processes within the stacks. It is revealed that the volume ratio of the higher thermal stress region differs nearly 30% for different stack flow configurations; the highest probability of potential failure appears in the cell cathodes; the more cells applied in the stack, the greater the difference in the predicted temperature/thermal stress between the cells; the counter-flow stack performs the best in terms of output power, but the predicted thermal stress is also higher; the cross-flow stack exhibits the lowest thermal stress and a lower output power; and although the temperature and thermal stress distributions are similar, the differences between the unit cells are bigger in the longer stacks than those predicted for shorter stacks. The findings from this study may provide a useful guide for assessing the thermal behavior and impact on SOFC performance.

Enhancing thermal performance in enclosures filled with nanofluids subjected to sinusoidal heating: a numerical study

ABSTRACT This study conducts a comprehensive numerical investigation into enhancing thermal transfer within square enclosures filled with water-based oxide nanoparticle suspensions, subjected to central sinusoidal heating. Further flow configuration, influenced by an inclined magnetic field, is designed with a focus on enhancing thermal efficiency for engineering applications. Key innovations include the application of sinusoidal heating elements to enhance thermal performance significantly. Computational analysis supported by finite element analysis, quantifies the impact of these parameters on flow dynamics and thermal transmission, presenting a substantial advance in the understanding of nanofluid-filled enclosure thermal management. The study reveals that the undulation of the heating element plays a crucial role in the heat transfer rate, with improvements observed as undulation increases. The introduction of magnetic fields further controls flow distribution and buoyancy effects, as demonstrated by our findings that an increase in the Rayleigh number correlates with enhanced convection, dominating the cavity's thermal dynamics. Additionally, the report outlines the conditions under which the Nusselt number increases, indicating enhanced thermal performance. These insights are pivotal for designing optimized heat transfer systems and energy-efficient applications, setting a new benchmark for thermal management strategies in practical engineering contexts.

Improved sieving coefficient in perfusion cell culture with reduced effective filtration length of hollow fibers.

The hollow fiber filter is the primary cell-retention device used in high-density perfusion cell culture and often used in an alternating tangential flow (ATF) configuration. The limited commercially available diaphragm pumps for ATF prevent utilization of vertical space when scaling beyond 500 L. Stacking hollow fiber filters coupled with viscous cell culture imposes vacuum pressure exceeding facility capabilities. Additionally, the longer filter assembly increases the hold-up volume and exceeds the diaphragm pump's fluid exchange capacity. The conventional tangential flow filtration (TFF) configuration circumvents this issue by exchanging culture from the bioreactor and cell-retention device in a unidirectional recirculation loop; however, the increased filter length when scaled up exacerbates the TFF's inherent issue with product retention from Starling flow. Stacking commercially available 20 cm TFF filters to make up the similar single-module length TFF used for the platform 3 and 50 L perfusion process at 41.5 and 65 cm, respectively, attempts to reduce fouling caused by Starling flow. The permeate of a single-module filter is partitioned into short independent segments through serially stacked filters, each harvested separately. By partitioning the permeate, the sieving coefficient increased for both 3 and 50 L scales. Reduction of Starling flow was confirmed with lower total hydraulic membrane resistance throughout the culture. This work demonstrates a method for increasing sieving coefficient and filter capacity by stacking TFF filters with independent permeate streams.