A comparative method for estimating the membrane mass transfer resistance of a ceramic hollow fiber membrane contactor using a Wetted-Wall Column

Abstract

In this study, an experimental method for estimating the relative membrane mass transfer resistance (R-m(HFMC)) by comparing the results obtained using a ceramic hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC) with those obtained using a wetted-wall column (WWC) was proposed. The method was successfully applied for the determination of the optimal pore structure to increase the CO2 absorption. To find a relationship between relative R-m(HFMC) in the ceramic HFMCs and its pore characteristics, the method was tested on two ceramic HFMCs prepared by non-solvent induced phase separation method. The pore structures were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, capillary flow porometry, and gas permeability measurements. The results obtained show that the relative R-m(HFMC) contribution ranged from similar to 90 to similar to 27% of the overall mass transfer resistance (R-o(HFMC)) and was related to the variation of the pore structure properties. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to estimate the relative R-m(HFMC) element of the ceramic HFMC through an experimental comparison with a WWC performed in the same experimental conditions. The proposed method is expected to provide a practical solution for estimating the relative R-m(HFMC) of the ceramic HFMCs. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.