Experimental validation of membrane distillation unit coupled with a sweeping gas membrane using solar energy

This work presents an experimental validation of MD unit coupled with a sweeping gas membrane (SGMD) using solar energy experimental validation of a sweeping gas membrane distillation (SGMD) unit coupled with solar energy. This station is installed at the University of Kairouan in Tunisia. SGMD is the least used membrane distillation (MD) configuration, and it is very expensive to build. SGMD is used to completely remove solutions containing non-volatile compounds such as salts and recover only high-purity water. A theoretical and experimental study was carried out with the parameters that intervene in the system. The theory of the system is described by a mathematical model based on the heat and mass transfer of the MD unit. Experimental studies were carried out for two types of processes: with preheating and without preheating of the charge (brine). With a low gas flow, the evaporation capacity varies between 0.15 and 0.25 l/m2 h. The operating parameter (liquid velocity) is affected by the layer on both sides of the membrane. Utilizing the water heating by the solar collector increases the evaporation efficiency in the SGMD, and increasing the flow rate the permeate flow in the SGMD. SGMD unit experimental data were submitted to evaluate the reliability obtained from the MD unit, aspects of heat transfer, mass transfer, in solation patterns and all temperatures considering the efficiency of the MD unit.