Experimental study on the performance evaluation of vacuum distillation process for NH4HCO3 removal

Abstract

Experiments on NH4HCO3 removal using a hydrophobic membrane were performed under various operating conditions using VMD. Effects of various operating parameters used to separate NH4HCO3 were predicted after a feed solution recirculation time of 120 min. Results showed that gas removal efficiencies were quite stable in the range of 95% to 99% at initial feed solution temperatures of 50A degrees C and 60A degrees C, an initial feed solution volume of 1 L and a mass flow rate of 0.8 L/min. When the initial feed solution temperature was 40A degrees C, a relatively low gas removal efficiency of 85% was achieved compared to the removal efficiency at temperatures of 50A degrees C and 60A degrees C. After the recovery of transmembrane vapor, a total water recovery of more than 86% was achieved in all cases while NH3 and CO2 removal efficiencies higher than 94% at 60A degrees C with a mass flow rate up to 0.8 L/min were achieved after 60 min.