RT Journal Article
T1 Integrated computational fluid dynamics and experimental evaluation of a tubular membrane photoreactor for UVC-driven advanced oxidation at bench- and pilot-scale
A1 Santos, Carla S.
A1 Marrocos, Paulo H.
A1 Passalía, Claudio
A1 Labas, Marisol D.
A1 Brandi, Rodolfo J.
A1 Montes Goyanes, Rosa
A1 Quintana Álvarez, José Benito
A1 Gomes, Ana I.
A1 Vilar, Vítor J. P.
K1 CFD simulation
K1 Contaminants of emerging concern
K1 Reflective surfaces
K1 Residence time distribution
K1 UV-driven advanced oxidation processes
AB This study combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and experimental data to examine the hydrodynamic and photonic behavior of tubular membrane photoreactors operated under UVC and UVC/persulfate (UVC/PDS) conditions for the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs). At bench-scale, CFD simulations revealed that the tangential inlet generated a helical flow pattern in the annular reaction zone (ARZ), promoting interaction between radial and axial velocity components. The effect of reflective surfaces on photon delivery was evaluated across three configurations: no reflector and one- and three-sided reflectors (N = 1 and N = 3). Reflective surfaces increased photon delivery to the ARZ, with the N = 3 configuration providing the highest optical efficiency and the best photolytic removal of the selected OMP in both demineralized water (DW) and conventional activated sludge (CAS) effluent. Based on these findings, a pilot-scale reactor preserving the same cross-sectional geometry and incorporating the N = 3 reflector was evaluated. Residence time distribution (RTD) experiments indicated a non-ideal plug flow with moderate axial dispersion, while CFD confirmed the persistence of the characteristic helical flow pattern. Under UVC alone, venlafaxine (VLX) removal remained limited, whereas under UVC/PDS operation removal exceeded 85% across all evaluated conditions. Simulations of the local volumetric rate of photon absorption (LVRPA) and spatial species distributions revealed a strong correlation between photon availability, oxidant distribution, and OMP degradation along the reactor length. These results provide valuable insights into the design of tubular membrane photoreactors and support their applicability for advanced urban wastewater treatment systems.
PB Elsevier
YR 2026
FD 2026-04-13
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46923
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46923
LA eng
NO C.S. Santos et al. Integrated computational fluid dynamics and experimental evaluation of a tubular membrane photoreactor for UVC-driven advanced oxidation at bench- and pilot-scale. Chem. Eng. J. 537 (2026) 176188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2026.176188
NO This work was supported by (i) EU and Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany, Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca, Italy, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Spain, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, Norges forskningsråd, Norway, Water Research Commission, South Africa for funding, in the frame of the collaborative international consortium SERPIC, financed under the ERA-NET AquaticPollutants Joint Transnational Call (GA N° 869178; Reference Aquatic/0002/2020 with DOI 10.54499/Aquatic/0002/2020), an integral part of the activities developed by the Water, Oceans and AMR Joint Programming Initiatives, (ii) Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación – MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (ref. PID2024-156804OB-C32), (iii) regional funds Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2025/21) and (iv) Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL, Project CAI+D-2024 85520240100029LI). This research was also supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P./MECI through national funds: LSRE-LCM, UID/50020/2025 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/50020/2025); and ALiCE, LA/P/0045/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0045/2020). Carla S. Santos and Paulo H. Marrocos acknowledge the PhD scholarship funded by FCT (2022.10796.BD, DOI: 10.54499/2022.10796.BD and 2022.10437.BD, DOI: 10.54499/2022.10437.BD).
DS Minerva
RD 21 may 2026