Clean Water and Clean Energy Production: Simulation Using Finite Element Method

K N Seetharamu

K N Seetharamu Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Bangalore 560 085, India

Keywords: Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO), Forward Osmosis (FO), Reverse Osmosis (RO), Concentration Polarisation, Finite Element Method (FEM), Salt flux, Non-dimensional parameters

Abstract

One Dimensional Finite Element Method (FEM) is used to develop an analysis model for Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO), Direct Forward Osmosis (FO) and Reverse Osmosis (RO). A 1 D FEM model is developed and simulated on MATLAB. The predictions of the present method are compared with those available in literature, both numerical and experimental. In addition, for the first time in literature, the variation of concentration of solute on the feed and draw side
as well as the variation of water permeate flux along the length using the variable mass transfer coefficient is predicted. There is a need to introduce new non-dimensional parameters to make the -MTU model a more generalised model
(applicable to FO, PRO and RO) and to aid the design of the mass exchangers.