A computational fluid dynamics model to predict performance of hollow fiber membrane modules in forward osmosis

Previous research on forward osmosis (FO) has largely focused on developing new membranes with novel materials or structures. Many of these membranes, while performing well in the lab, have not seen commercial success. One of the barriers to commercialization is rooted in the discrepancy of membrane performance at a lab scale compared to that at module scale. To understand the relationship between lab-scale and module-scale membrane performance, this study presents a comprehensive and experimentally verified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model that establishes relationships between membrane/module properties and overall module performance. The model was developed for hollow fiber membrane modules and experimentally verified and used to conduct simulations to quantify membrane and module property-performance relationships that impact osmotic flux performance. This work illustrates the development and use of an accessible modeling tool for the prediction of module performance and rational product design for forward osmosis membranes and modules.