Membrane Modules

Modeling Membrane Transport

Reverse Osmosis
Solvent flux
A = permeability constant =

Solute flux
B=

Gas Separation
Di = Diffusivity of gas in membrane
Ki(g) = Sorption Coefficient

PG = permeability coefficient

Membrane Modules
Industrial membrane processes require large area
Module is the smallest unit with max membrane area
Module types:
Flat : plate and frame, spiral
Tubular: tubular, capillary, hollow fiber
Area/unit volume for various membrane modules
Configuration

Packing Density (m2/m3)

Plate and frame

100-400

Spiral Wound

300-1000

Capillary

600-1200

Hollow fiber

Upto 30,000

Plate and Frame Modules

Simplest to implement
Packing density (100-400 m2/m3)
Flat membrane sheets are placed in
sandwich pattern
Alternate compartments for feed and
permeate sealed with gaskets
Need stop disks to prevent channeling
Easier to clean, dairy applications
Feed In

Tortuous path can be incorporated in

the gasket
Increase residence time
Improves mass transfer
Reduces concentration polarization
Feed Out

Spiral Wound Modules

Essentially plate and frame module
wound around a central pipe
Feed side spacer acts a turbulence
promoter
Packing Density: 300 1000 m2/m3
Feed passes axially down and across
the membrane
Permeate flows radially towards the
central pipe
Multi-envelope spiral modules are
used to decrease permeate side
pressure drop
Are connected in series of 4-6
modules in a single pressure vessel
Used for seawater desalination, Gas
separation pervaporation

Schematic of Spiral Wound module

Tubular Modules
contain generally 418 tubes per module
Feed is usually through the tubes
Permeate flows across the tubes in to
the module housing
Packing Density: <300 m2/m3

Configuration

Diameter (mm)

Tubular

> 10.0

Capillary

0.5 10.0

Hollow Fiber

<0.5

consists of large number of capillaries assembled together

in a module
Feed can be in the capillaries (inside-out) configuration or
Feed enters the module on the shell side (outside-in) configuration
Choice based on the application
Pressure drop, type of the membrane

Depending on the configuration asymmetric capillary membranes can be

used with their skin exposed to the feed side
Packing Density: 600-1200 m2/m3

Hollow Fiber Modules

Construction is same as capillary

modules

Difference in the tube diameter

Fiber diameters: typically 50 m ID,
100-200 m OD

Very high packing density possible

Upto 30000 m2/m3

Hollow fiber modules are used when feed is relatively clean, pre-treated

Feed can enter in the shell side or tube side

Outside-in configuration has higher surface area compared to inside-out

Channeling may occur in outside-in configuration

Membrane skin-layer is better protected in inside-out configuration
Higher ID of fibres needed for inside-out configuration to reduce pressure drop

Outside-in configuration is generally used for Gas Separations

To avoid high pressure losses inside the fiber
Attain high membrane area

Inside-out is generally used for RO, Pervaporation

System Design
Can be dead-end (sparkler filter) or crossflow
Dead-end is simplest, but highest fouling, concentration
polarization (CP)
Crossflow applications preferred to reduce CP and fouling
Can operate crossflow filtration in various configuration

Co-current
Counter-current (gives best performance)
Cross-flow with permeate mixing
Mixing on permeate and feed side
feed

retentate

permeate

permeate

Counter-current

feed

retentate

permeate

permeate

Co-current
feed

retentate

permeate

Cross-flow with Permeate

mixing

Cascade Operations
Used when single stage is does not give enough separation
e.g. in 235U separation through porous membranes
Feed
Feed
permeate

retentate

retentate
permeate

Two stage membrane process

Several examples are given in Mulder: Chapter VIII

Flow Scheme
Two basic flow schemes in single/multi-stage process
Single pass system
Recirculation system

Feed
pump

permeate

Single-pass system

recirculation
pump

feed
pump

permeate

Recirculation system

Feed solution passes only once

Volume of feed decreases in multistage design
Modules are arranged in tapered
feed
design
Volume reduction factor: ratio of
initial feed volume and retentate
determined by configuration and not
by applied pressure

retentate
Schematic of single-pass system
(tapered cascade)

Flow Scheme
Feed is pressurized using pump and circulated multiple times
Each stage is fitted with a recirculation pump
Pressure drop over single stage is low
Pump is used to maximize hydrodynamic conditions

Flow velocity can be adjusted at each stage

Feed recycle system is more flexible
Preferred for high fouling applications
permeate
permeate

feed

Stage 1

retentate

Stage 2

Process Parameters
Feed

retentate

cf qf

cr qr
cp

qp

permeate