An analysis on energy demands in airborne particulate matter filtration using hollow-fiber membranes

This work analyzes energy requirements for drawing the air through a hollow-fiber membrane (HFM) during air filtration. Polypropylene HFMs varying in inner fiber diameter (230 and 470 mu m) were used to separate the ASHRAE A2 fine test dust from a simulated particle laden environment. During the experiments, pressure drop, permeate velocity (air flowrate), fan frequency and power input were recorded. The obtained experimental data was analyzed using theoretical models relating pressure drop with power consumption necessary to overcome the membrane resistance. The results obtained for HFMs of different parameters (especially inner fiber diameter) were compared in terms of air flowrate and dust loading rate. Their influence on the energy consumption to operate the fan in the filtration process was then evaluated. The results have shown the smaller diameter HFMs have significantly higher energy consumption to operate the blower (about 180 Wh/m(3)) compared to larger diameter membrane (approx. 100 Wh/m(3)). This was despite higher surface area (0.95 m(2)) of lower diameter membrane compared to lower surface (0.43 m(2)) of HFMs with larger diameter. The general course of energy consumption during dust loading varied depending on the inner fiber diameter rather than on dust loading. This was obvious no matter of the dust loading rate (2, 4 and 6 g/hr), which seems to have negligible effect at the adopted experimental conditions a consumption of 113, 102 and 116 Wh/m(3), respectively). (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the energy requirements for drawing air through a hollow-fiber membrane (HFM) during air filtration, comparing different parameters of HFMs in terms of air flowrate and dust loading rate. The results showed that smaller diameter HFMs had significantly higher energy consumption to operate the blower, and the energy consumption trend during dust loading depended on the inner fiber diameter.