This paper analyses the real behaviour of the fluid in the channels of a three-end membrane module. The commonly accepted mathematical model of membrane separation of gas mixtures in such modules assumes a plug flow of fluid through the feed channel and perfect mixing in the permeate channel. This article discusses the admissibility of accepting such an assumption regarding the fluid behaviour in the permeate channel. Throughout analysis of the values of the Péclet number criterion, it has been demonstrated that in the industrial processes of membrane gas separation, the necessary conditions for the perfect mixing in the permeate channel are not met. Then, CFD simulations were performed in order to establish the real fluid behaviour in this channel. It was proved that in the permeate channel the fluid movement corresponds to the plug flow, with the concentration differences at both ends of the module being insignificant. In view of the observations made, the admissibility of concentration stability assumptions in the mathematical models for the permeate channel was discussed.

Comparative calculations with a mathematical model designed by the authors, which takes into consideration energy transfer from gas flowing through a given channel to gas which penetrates this channel from an adjacent channel, as well as a model which omits this phenomenon, respectively, were made for the process of separating gas mixtures carried out with an inert sweep gas in the fourend capillary membrane module. Calculations were made for the process of biogas separation using a PMSP polymer membrane, relative to helium as the sweep gas. It was demonstrated that omitting the energy transfer in the mathematical model might lead to obtaining results which indicate that the capacity of the process expressed by the value of feed flux subjected to separation is by several percent higher than in reality.

The paper presents the mathematical modelling of selected isothermal separation processes of gaseous mixtures, taking place in plants using membranes, in particular nonporous polymer membranes. The modelling concerns membrane modules consisting of two channels - the feeding and the permeate channels. Different shapes of the channels cross-section were taken into account. Consideration was given to co-current and counter-current flows, for feeding and permeate streams, respectively, flowing together with the inert gas receiving permeate. In the proposed mathematical model it was considered that pressure of gas changes along the length of flow channels was the result of both - the drop of pressure connected with flow resistance, and energy transfer by molecules of gas flowing in a given channel to molecules which penetrate this channel from the adjacent channel. The literature on membrane technology takes into account only the drop of pressure connected with flow resistance. Consideration given to energy transfer by molecules of gas flowing in a given channel to molecules which penetrate this channel from the adjacent channel constitute the essential novelty in the current study. The paper also presents results of calculations obtained by means of a computer program which used equations of the derived model. Physicochemical data concerning separation of the CO2/CH4 mixture with He as the sweep gas and data concerning properties of the membrane made of PDMS were assumed for calculations.

Some studies show that cells are able to penetrate through pores that are smaller than cell size. It concerns especially Red Blood Cells but it also may concern different types of biological cells. Such penetration of small pores is a very significant problem in the filtration process, for example in micro- or ultrafiltration. Deformability of cells allows them to go through the porous membrane and contaminate permeate. This paper shows how cells can penetrate small cylindrical holes and tries to assess mechanical stress in a cell during this process. A new mathematical approach to this phenomenon was presented, based on assumptions that were made during the microscopic observation of Red Blood Cell aspiration into a small capillary. The computational model concerns Red Blood Cell geometry. The mathematical model allows to obtain geometrical relation as well as mechanical stress relations.

The opportunity to assess haemolysis in a designed artificial heart seems to be one of the most important stages in construction. We propose a new method for assessing haemolysis level in a rotary blood pump. This method is based on CFD calculations using large eddy simulations (LES). This paper presents an approach to haemolysis estimation and shows examples of numerical simulation. Our method does not determine the value of haemolysis but allows for comparison of haemolysis levels between different artificial heart constructions.

The mathematical model of postproduction suspension concentration by microfiltration has been developed. This model describes a process conducted in a batch system with membrane washing by reverse flow of permeate. The model considerations concern filtration pseudocycles consisting of the filtration period and the membrane washing period. The balances of continuous phase volume, dispersed phase mass and energy, for each period of pseudocycle respectively, have been presented.