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Modeling of Conjugated Heat Transfer in Direct‐Contact Membrane Distillation of Seawater Desalination Systems
Author(s) -
Ho C.D.,
Yang T.J.,
Wang B.C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201100586
Subject(s) - nusselt number , membrane distillation , thermodynamics , laminar flow , concentration polarization , seawater , mechanics , chemistry , heat transfer , desalination , materials science , membrane , turbulence , physics , reynolds number , biochemistry , oceanography , geology
The modeling equations for the temperature distribution and temperature polarization profiles in a laminar concurrent‐flow parallel‐plate direct‐contact membrane distillation (DCMD) module were developed theoretically. The analytical solutions for such conjugated Graetz problems in DCMD systems were obtained using the variable separation method with an orthogonal expansion technique extended in power series. A description of the average Nusselt number variations and temperature distributions of both the hot and cold feed streams is given. The feed velocity effect on the temperature profiles and average Nusselt number was examined and is reported by employing the computed eigenvalues and the relevant constants. The analytical results show that the initial saline temperature effect on the hot feed stream regarding the pure water productivity is more significant than that of the hot and cold feed stream velocity variations.