Modification of the feed spacer design significantly influences the energy consumption of membrane filtration processes. This study developed a novel column type feed spacer with the aim to reduce the specific energy consumption (SEC) of the membrane based water filtration system. The proposed spacer increases the clearance between the filament and the membrane (reducing the spacer filament diameter) while keeping the same flow channel thickness as compared to a standard non-woven symmetric spacer. Since the higher clearance reduces the flow unsteadiness, column type nodes were added in the spacer structure as additional vortex shading bodies. Fluid flow behaviour in the channel for this spacer was numerically simulated by 3D CFD studies and then compared with the standard spacer. The numerical results showed that the proposed spacer substantially reduced the pressure drop, shear stress at the constriction region and shortened the dead zone. Finally, these findings were confirmed experimentally by investigating the filtration performances using the 3D printed prototypes of these spacers in a lab-scale filtration module. It is observed that the column spacer reduced the pressure drop by three times and doubled the specific water flux. 2D OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) scans of the membrane surface acquired after the filtration revealed much lower biomass accumulation using the proposed spacer. Consequently, the SEC for the column spacer was found about two folds lower than the standard spacer.

进料隔片设计的修改会显着影响膜过滤过程的能耗。这项研究开发了一种新型的柱式进料隔片，旨在减少基于膜的水过滤系统的比能耗（SEC）。与标准的非织造对称间隔件相比，所提出的间隔件增加了细丝和膜之间的间隙（减小了间隔件细丝的直径），同时保持了相同的流道厚度。由于较高的间隙减少了流动的不稳定性，因此在间隔结构中添加了圆柱型结点作为附加的涡流遮蔽体。通过3D CFD研究对此垫片的通道中的流体流动行为进行了数值模拟，然后将其与标准垫片进行了比较。数值结果表明，所提出的垫片大大减少了压降，收缩区域的切应力并缩短了死区。最后，通过在实验室规模的过滤模块中使用这些垫片的3D打印原型研究过滤性能，通过实验证实了这些发现。观察到，柱状隔板将压降降低了三倍，比水通量增加了一倍。过滤后获得的膜表面的2D OCT（光学相干断层扫描）扫描显示，使用建议的垫片可以降低生物量的积累。因此，发现用于柱状间隔物的SEC比标准间隔物低约两倍。通过在实验室规模的过滤模块中使用这些垫片的3D打印原型研究过滤性能，可以通过实验证实这些发现。观察到，柱状隔板将压降降低了三倍，比水通量增加了一倍。过滤后获得的膜表面的2D OCT（光学相干断层扫描）扫描显示，使用建议的垫片可以降低生物量的积累。因此，发现用于柱状间隔物的SEC比标准间隔物低约两倍。通过在实验室规模的过滤模块中使用这些垫片的3D打印原型研究过滤性能，可以通过实验证实这些发现。观察到，柱状隔板将压降降低了三倍，比水通量增加了一倍。过滤后获得的膜表面的2D OCT（光学相干断层扫描）扫描显示，使用建议的垫片可以降低生物量的积累。因此，发现柱状间隔物的SEC比标准间隔物低约两倍。过滤后获得的膜表面的2D OCT（光学相干断层扫描）扫描显示，使用建议的垫片可以降低生物量的积累。因此，发现用于柱状间隔物的SEC比标准间隔物低约两倍。过滤后获得的膜表面的2D OCT（光学相干断层扫描）扫描显示，使用建议的垫片可以降低生物量的积累。因此，发现柱状间隔物的SEC比标准间隔物低约两倍。