A method to evaluate coefficients affecting flux in membrane distillation

A method is proposed that permits to evaluate the membrane mass transfer coefficient, the membrane heat transfer coefficient and the boundary layer heat transfer coefficient in a membrane distillation system. The method completes a method previously proposed by R.W. Schofield, A.G. Fane, C.J.D. Fell, (1987). The coefficients sought after are obtained from a set of measurements of mass fluxes and evaporation efficiencies. The method has been applied to four porous hydrophobic membranes. The method also permits to quantify the temperature polarization effects.