Circular feed spacers are used to enhance flow mixing in membrane modules and thereby improve their efficiency. However, this involves increased fouling when the spacers are mounted in a zigzag arrangement or high power consumption when submerged. In view of this, a two-dimensional computational model of fluid flow and mass transfer is used to investigate the impact of using an undulated insert as a turbulence promoter in a membrane application. Thus, this study focuses on the effect of varying the amplitude and wavelength of the insert on desalination performances of a narrow channel bounded by two semi-permeable membranes. According to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, under the considered operating conditions, the increase of the insert amplitude from 0.2 to 0.7 mm could reduce the salt accumulation on the membrane walls by ~ 2.7%, improve the permeate flux by ~ 1%, but drastically increase the axial pressure drop by ~ 1148%. Increasing the insert wavelength from 3 to 24 mm could promote salt accumulation on the membrane walls by ~ 4.8%, reduce the permeate flux by ~ 1.4%, but minimize the axial pressure drop by ~ 96%. Plots of the Sherwood number versus the Power number highlighted that the optimal insert must have a low amplitude and a short wavelength. Some of the insert geometries tested in this study generated better performances than commercial feed spacers, confirming the benefits of undulated inserts and suggesting their use in membrane separation processes.

圆形进料隔板用于增强膜组件中的流动混合，从而提高其效率。然而，这会导致当垫片以锯齿形布置安装时会增加污垢，或者在浸入水中时会产生高功率消耗。鉴于此，流体流动和传质的二维计算模型用于研究在膜应用中使用波状插入物作为湍流促进剂的影响。因此，本研究侧重于改变插入物的振幅和波长对由两个半透膜界定的狭窄通道的脱盐性能的影响。根据计算流体动力学 (CFD) 模拟，在考虑的操作条件下，插入幅度从 0.2 增加到 0.7 毫米可以减少膜壁上的盐分积累约 2.7%，将渗透通量提高约 1%，但轴向压降急剧增加约 1148%。将插入波长从 3 毫米增加到 24 毫米可以促进膜壁上的盐分积累约 4.8%，将渗透通量降低约 1.4%，但将轴向压降最小化约 96%。Sherwood 数与 Power 数的关系图强调了最佳插入必须具有低振幅和短波长。本研究中测试的一些插入件几何形状比商业进料间隔件产生更好的性能，证实了波浪形插入件的好处并建议将它们用于膜分离过程。将渗透通量降低约 1.4%，但将轴向压降最小化约 96%。Sherwood 数与 Power 数的关系图强调了最佳插入必须具有低振幅和短波长。本研究中测试的一些插入件几何形状比商业进料间隔件产生更好的性能，证实了波浪形插入件的好处并建议将它们用于膜分离过程。将渗透通量降低约 1.4%，但将轴向压降最小化约 96%。Sherwood 数与 Power 数的关系图强调了最佳插入必须具有低振幅和短波长。本研究中测试的一些插入件几何形状比商业进料间隔件产生更好的性能，证实了波浪形插入件的好处并建议将它们用于膜分离过程。