Experimental evaluation of a membrane-based microchannel desorber operating at low desorption temperatures Articles uri icon

publication date

  • February 2020

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 10

issue

  • 114781

volume

  • 167

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1359-4311

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1873-5606

abstract

  • A membrane-based micro-desorber prototype fed by low temperature heat is experimentally evaluated. Working fluid is H2O–LiBr solution and it flows along 50 rectangular microchannels of 3 mm width, 0.15 mm height and 58 mm length, manufactured on a stainless steel plate. The effective volume of the micro-desorber is 104.6 cm3. Hot water flows countercurrently through identical channels manufactured on the opposite side of the plate. A microporous polytetraphluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane of pore diameter 0.45 µm is used to separate the solution from the vapour. Two operating parameters are modified, comprising the inlet solution mass flow rate, between 0.5 and 1.7 kg/h, and the hot water inlet temperature, using 62 and 66 °C. The solution is heated in the first part of the channels until desorption starts. The solution concentration and temperature measured at the inlet and outlet allowed the evaluation of the mass transfer performance of the micro-desorber. Results obtained for the desorption ratio, desorption rate, hot water and solution heat transfer coefficients and cooling power are provided.

subjects

  • Industrial Engineering
  • Materials science and engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Physics

keywords

  • membranes; desorber; rectangular microchannels; h2o-libr; low temperature heat