Numerical simulation of the helical strake vacuum membrane distillation

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel design for a vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) system, incorporating a helical strake on the vacuum side of the tube to enhance performance. The proposed design aims to mitigate the effects of temperature and concentration polarization on the membrane surface, thereby improving permeate flux. The study numerically investigates this concept, utilizing a three-dimensional CFD model developed in Ansys Fluent 2021. The VMD model is validated against experimental data available in the literature. Various helical strake configurations are evaluated, focusing on the number of turns. The results demonstrate a significant enhancement in permeate flux, with improvements of up to 44 %. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of optimizing strake height for optimal performance. Furthermore, it reveals that inlet feed velocity and temperature play a critical role in enhancing the permeate flux in the helical strake vacuum membrane distillation system.