Experimental and Numerical Geometry Optimization of Hollow Fiber Membranes for Efficient Mass Transfer at Low Shear Stress

The velocity field and the concentration field inside and around hollow fiber membranes are characterized numerically via OpenFOAM and experimentally via micro-Particle Image Velocimetry and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy. Based on a geometry parameter study of helical membranes the mixing effect of Dean vortices is correlated to power input, wall shear stress and mass transfer. The results are ready to implement in biochemical engineering application aiming low shear stress and high mass transfer operations.