Flow Modeling for Micro-filtration through electro-statically charged monolith filters

Abstract

LAD, ANKIT RAGHUNATH. Flow Modeling for Micro-filtration through electro-statically charged monolith filters. (Under the direction of Dr. Andrey V. Kuznetsov.)

This study is a multi-physics problem which aims at modeling fluid flow through electro-statically charged monolith filters with machined micro-channels. The multi-phase fluid (air) considered has suspended micro particles which are the impurities to be filtered out. The resulting particle trajectories due to the effect of the forces exerted on the particle such as the hydrodynamic drag, the electrostatic force of attraction and repulsion and Brownian diffusion are studied. The micro-filtration process is studied under the presence of an electric field developed due to the uniform density charge distributed over the channel surface. The model is validated by comparison with the experimental result. The advantage of using repulsive electric field instead of attractive electric field for filtration is studied. The unit cell filtration system is developed for normal and cross flow and the scope for efficiency improvement is tested. The possibility of ‘selective filtration’ is examined by using the multiple filter layer model and the role of different hole-orientation pattern is also studied. The experimental setup of the filtration system and the filter material strength for practical applications is discussed.