Multiplexed Inertial Coalescence Filters
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Multiphase flows pose challenges to the design of efficient and reliable engineered systems including separators, liquid-gas chemical reactors, and thermofluidic devices. This thesis introduces a novel filtration method, called the multiplexed inertial coalescence filter, composed of parallel helical pathways designed to capture fine droplets and particles (< 30 µm) through inertial separation while maintaining a low pressure drop (< 200 Pa). Three main contributions of these filters are explored to showcase their versatility: (i) filtration of liquid droplets, (ii) filtration of solid particles, and (iii) use in transformative applications for high surface area reactors. Filtration efficiencies for 7 µm and 30 µm droplets are characterized for varying flow conditions, and models for the filtration efficiency and pressure drop were developed and validated against experimental results. These filtration models allow system design and optimization, which is enabled by the tunable additive manufacturing approach used to fabricate the filters. Filtration efficiencies were also determined for solid particles, where the influence of the van der Waals and capillary adhesion forces on filtration efficiency were investigated. It was found that for dry filters, where van der Waals adhesion forces dominate, filtration efficiencies for filters were diminished beyond a threshold flowrate due to the dominance of the Saffman lift force acting on captured, wall-bound particles causing them to detach from the interior filter surfaces. For wetted filters, where capillary adhesion forces dominate, this diminishing efficiency was not observed. Lastly, multiplexed inertial coalescence filters were implemented in a liquid-gas chemical process for CO2 capture using a liquid amine spray as a means for accelerating liquid-gas chemical processes by enabling high-surface-area interaction between liquids and gasses. The liquid amine spray reactors were shown to be able to achieve large liquid surface-area-to-system-volume ratios, and correspondingly large volumetric CO2 mass transfer rates when compared to existing thin-film processes. These larger volumetric rates were shown to reduce system capital costs by 3-10x resulting from substantial overall system size reductions. Models for CO2 mass transfer rates were developed and showed good agreement with experimentally observed CO2 mass transfer rates.
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Rasheed, Rawand Muzafar. "Multiplexed Inertial Coalescence Filters." (2023) PhD diss., Rice University. https://hdl.handle.net/1911/115375