Numerical simulation of shell-side flow in hollow fiber membrane modules
Random sequential addition(RSA)algorithm was utilized to develop geometric models for hollow fiber membrane modules.The models,featuring radial and axial structure complexity in modules' shell-side,were further integrated into numerical simulations to study hydrodynamic behaviors within tricky physical boundaries.Comparisons among simulation results and experimental data,as well as the empirical correlation in literature showed that the simulations were capable of describing the performance of certain commercial modules at low Reynolds number,thus making it possible to replace correlations for performance predictions in membrane module design.On the other hand,radial flow induced by axial non-ideal distribution of fibers might offset channeling and dead zone effects,which were key factors deteriorating module performance.A good design of axial fiber alignment might serve as a potential method for module performance intensification.