Temperature and concentration polarization in membrane distillation of aqueous salt solutions

In this paper we have studied water transport in membrane distillation using a flat PTFE membrane. Experiments have been carried out with water and aqueous solutions of NaCl as feed. The effects of temperature and concentration polarization on the reduction of vapour pressure differences across the membrane with regard to the vapour pressure differences corresponding to the bulk phases which are separated by the membrane, are evaluated. A coefficient which measures this reduction has been introduced. This coefficient and the temperature polarization coefficient coincide when water is used as feed, but they are more and more different when the salt concentration of feed increases. The measured flux results and the calculated polarization results are discussed for different temperatures, recirculation rates and solution concentrations.