Shell Side Mass Transfer and Fluid Hydrodynamics In: Sealed End Hollow Fiber Membrane Gas-liquid Contactors

Hollow fibre membrane modules have been extensively used as gas-liquid contactor devices to provide high surface area in a small volume. In conventional hollow fibre modules, fibres are normally bundled axially in the direction of flow. Increasing turbulence and mixing of fluids and fibres in the shell-side flow, which can be obtained using sealed end module, can create better mass transfer in the contactors. In this thesis, the performance of sealed end dense polymethylpentene (PMP) and microporous hydrophobic polypropylene (PP) hollow fibre membrane contactors were examined to remove dissolve oxygen from water via vacuum degassing process.