Critical gas velocity of hydrophobic ceramic membrane contactors for SO2 absorption

Membrane gas absorption (MGA) based on ceramic membranes is considered to be an effective technology for removing SOx from ship exhaust. To develop a convenient method for designing and amplifying a membrane contactor, the critical gas velocity was defined. Two simple connection modes, series and parallel modules, were assembled and compared with a single-tube membrane contactor. The critical gas velocity is associated with the size of the membrane element and module, based on which an empirical equation can be formulated to optimize the gas velocity in different membrane contactors. In addition, another amplifying method, using multiple tubes in one shell, was also studied with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results imply that the addition of baffles improves the desulfurization performance of the membrane contactor at the critical gas velocity. The methods and conclusions presented herein provide a design basis for using the contactor at an industrial scale. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the application of membrane gas absorption technology based on ceramic membranes for removing SOx from ship exhaust, defining critical gas velocity, comparing different connection modes, determining an empirical equation for optimizing gas velocity, and exploring methods to enhance desulfurization performance.